Business Meets Tech: How These 3 Women Found the Perfect Balance as Solution Engineers

Jess Altamira (She/Her)

Jess Altamira is a Senior Solution Engineer at Esri's Geo Experience Center in Redlands, California. In her role, she delivers technical demonstrations and presents at Esri conferences, inspiring her audience to creatively apply GIS technology to their organization. Jess's passion for GIS stems from the beginning of her journey when she accidentally slept through a class at Rutgers but made up for it by attending a later class where she caught an impactful presentation on GIS. This experience motivated her to pursue an M.S in GIS at the University of Redlands. After completing her education, she worked as a Business Analyst at SoCal Gas in Los Angeles before joining the Esri Utilities team. Through her involvement with conference presentations, she found her way to the GeoExperience team. She seeks to share the impact that the GIS community provides with everyone, no matter the scale of the presentation or audience. GIS has not only shaped her career but also taken her from coast to coast and around the world.

Kristen Hocutt (She/Her/Hers)

Kristen Hocutt is the Solution Engineer Team Lead on the National Government Civilian Sciences Team at Esri, managing a talented group of Solution Engineers focused on providing geospatial insights for today's toughest challenges. With a background in Earth Sciences and Geology, Kristen excels in imagery and remote sensing, field operations, and spatial analysis. She has a passion for creating innovative solutions and engaging user experiences, where she has the honor of supporting USDA, DOI, USDOT, FAA, and the Native Nations.

Before joining Esri, Kristen worked as a Geospatial Analyst, leveraging her geologic knowledge to map and analyze global geologic and soil datasets. Through this work, she cultivated a deep appreciation for the power of remote sensing and GIS technologies in unlocking insights from spatial data. Outside of her professional pursuits, Kristen is dedicated to community-building initiatives, working with Esri’s Young Professionals Network, advocating for women in STEM fields, and supporting HBCUs and K-12 education to promote diversity and inclusion in the STEM landscape.

Kristen also finds joy in nurturing her passion for gardening—a creative outlet that allows her to connect with nature and cultivate beauty as well as playing Underwater Hockey (if you know, you know). She cherishes quality time spent with her family, valuing the balance between her personal and professional life.

Madeline Schueren (She/Her)

Madeline Schueren is a Senior Solution Engineer at Esri’s Geo Experience Center, helping organizations find answers to their challenges through the adoption of geospatial technologies. As a member of this team, Madeline builds, presents, and produces demonstrations on geospatial solutions and capabilities for large scale events including the Esri User Conference and Federal GIS Conference. A storyteller at heart, Madeline especially enjoys helping organizations tell their own stories around GIS to inspire others.

Prior to Esri, Madeline worked as a GIS Planner for the Chester County Planning Commission in suburban Philadelphia. It was at the county that Madeline found her passion for 3D GIS and identifying ways the organization could do more with GIS. In addition to her day job, Madeline also adjuncts with the GIS department at her alma mater, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, where she holds a B.A. and M.A. in Geography and Urban Planning. Madeline is based in Philadelphia, PA.