Building National Spatial Data Infrastructures: Roles and Responsibilitiesby Nancy Tosta, Director of Forecasting and Growth Strategy, Puget Sound Regional Council, Seattle, Washington, USA.
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Nancy Tosta |
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Abstract : |
The concept of coordinating geographic data activities nationwide has taken hold in many countries. These activities are called by different names in different countries, as for example in the United States, the effort is referred to as the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI). In the Netherlands it is the National Geographic Information Infrastructure and in Australia it is called either the National Spatial Data Infrastructure or the Australian Spatial Data Infrastructure. In general, the major goals of all of these coordination activities are to provide better access to more accurate geospatial data, while minimizing duplication (and costs) in data collection. However, the means to achieve these goals can vary significantly around the globe, particularly in the involvement, commitment, and responsibilities of various levels of government and the private sector. This paper focuses particularly on the roles and responsibilities of different institutions in the United States in development of the NSDI.
Nancy Tosta - Profile :
Ms. Tosta is currently responsible for overseeing the activities of the Forecasting and Growth Strategy staff of the Puget Sound Regional Council. This Council serves as a forum for policy development and decision-making on growth and transportation issues among four countries, 58 cities, and other entities in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Previously, she was Special Assistant to the U.S. Secretary of the Interior for Geographic Data Coordination in Washington, D.C. She worked from 1992-1996 in Washington, D.C. providing direction to a variety of interagency and intergovernmental committees developing policies and standards for and promoting aspects of geospatial data access and sharing.
Prior to her time in Washington, Ms.Tosta was employed for 16 years in several positions in California State Government, including Deputy Director of the State's largest data center, GIS manager at Teale Data Center, and policy and land-use analyst for the Clifornia Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Additionally, since 1990 she has been author of the Data Column in Geo Info Systems Magazine. She speaks extensively at local, state, regional, national, and international meetings and is the author of numerous professional articles. She has expertise and knowledge in policy analysis, natural resource management and use, and community development.
She has B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of California at Berkeley, CA.
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