Why Mission-Driven Cultures Inspire Lifelong Careers

Chris Rice is a Senior Account Manager on Esri's Southeast State and Local Government team, supporting the Atlanta region. After eight years working for an Esri partner in roles ranging from GIS Analyst to GIS Director, Chris brings extensive knowledge in GIS software, project management, business development, and local government to the team. He has a passion for, and believes it's essential to, impart knowledge of spatial science to as many people as possible. After all, everything happens somewhere!

Lisa has spent 12 years on Esri’s ArcGIS Living Atlas team, where she develops authoritative datasets, tutorials, and tools that help GIS professionals solve spatial challenges worldwide. She specializes in automation workflows that streamline the integration of geospatial data into the Living Atlas, enabling broader access to high-quality, trusted content. Lisa is passionate about empowering the GIS community through evangelism, education, and intuitive GIS resources. Beyond her work at Esri, she applies GIS in competitive auto racing, using spatial analysis to evaluate performance and make real-time strategic decisions.

I believe the best work of our lives should feel like a spark. It should move people, change how they see the world, and make us proud to say, “we did that.” Discipline makes the work real. Purpose makes it last. Curiosity has fueled my career. I have dipped into different industries and learned that the most powerful ideas often come from unexpected intersections. Bringing together approaches that seem unrelated has been a constant source of fresh thinking and a relentless pursuit of better. Today, I lead brand marketing for one of the most trusted enterprise tech companies in the world. My team builds campaigns, partnerships, and experiences that strengthen culture, elevate diverse voices, and create long-term brand equity. For me, brand is not a logo or a tagline. Brand is a relationship, and like any relationship, it is built on trust, consistency, and purpose. Leadership, to me, is about multiplying others. I mentor executives and early-career marketers alike, and I believe the culture we build is as important as the results we deliver. People may not always remember the specifics of a campaign, but they will remember how it felt to be part of creating it. Outside of work, I am a mom, a marathon runner, a scuba diver, a yoga teacher, and an avid traveler. More than anything, I try to be present and make sure the people around me feel seen and understood.