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GIS Leadership Academy

Five Days of Targeted GIS Leadership Training...Taught by GIS Leaders

Elevate your career with world-class training, an exceptional setting, and a powerful professional network. Don’t wait—position yourself and your organization for meaningful impact and success.

GPN's popular five-day immersive leadership and management training program empowers participants with crucial non‑technical skills, including strategic planning, resource allocation, team building, change management, and ROI-driven thinking, bridging the critical gap between geospatial expertise and effective leadership.

In 2025, the GLA was presented in Chicago, Illinois in June and will be hosted in Savannah, Georgia in December. Just announced: Due to high demand and requests from those with newly-instituted travel restrictions, we will be offering a Virtual GIS Leadership Academy, October 27-31. Registration for the virtual GLA is open!

We are pleased to introduce the Advanced GIS Leadership Academy (AGLA) designed for those who have attended the GLA and are ready for more. The AGLA will be presented in November in New Orleans. Click here for details.

Are you poised to take on more responsibility at work?
Do you have up and coming superstars on your team who would benefit from targeted GIS leadership and management training?
Studies show that emerging professionals place great value on the ability to learn and grow in their position.
How are you supporting your GIS staff's professional growth?
What are you doing to attract and retain employees?

What GLA Graduates Say

Participate

The GIS Leadership Academy has enjoyed steady and enthusiastic participation since it was first presented in 2007. Since then, more than 2,000 GIS professionals have attended the specialized five-day GIS leadership and management training program that focuses on:

GIS leadership and management techniques
GIS strategic planning
Successful team development
Organizational capacity building and sustainability strategies (ROI, innovative funding ideas)
Program investment and justification
Resource allocation
Change management
Situation assessment and organizational performance evaluation
Ethics and professional challenges
Problem solving

There is a perception that when someone transitions from a technical role to a leadership role they will immediately be just as successful and competent as a leader as they were with the technology. The GLA prepares employees for that transition to ensure their success.” - Brett Horr, GISP, Corporate GIS Manager, Terracon Data Solutions

Attending the GIS Leadership Academy earns 40 hours of Education for GISP Certification or Renewal.

Faculty - What Sets the GLA Apart

Unlike many leadership training programs led by a single instructor with a single perspective, the GPN GIS Leadership Academy and Advanced GIS Leadership Academy are built around a collaborative, multi-faculty model.

Join us to:

Engage with diverse perspectives – Multiple instructors bring different experiences, leadership styles, and approaches to problem-solving.
Learn from seasoned experts – Our faculty members collectively represent decades of leadership in GIS and beyond, offering breadth and depth that one person can’t match.
Collaborate with peers – You’ll work closely with fellow attendees, sharing challenges and solutions to real-world leadership scenarios.
Exchange ideas and strategies – The Academy is designed as a dialogue, not a lecture, encouraging open discussion and shared learning.

👉 In short: One voice can teach you skills; many voices can help you transform as a leader.

GLA Registration - for Savannah

Early bird discounts until October 6

The GIS Leadership Academy includes interactive exercises, small-group discussions, team-building activities, and opportunities to delve into topics in a way you cannot do at a large conference. Participation is intentionally limited in order to encourage such interaction. Register early to reserve your spot and take advantage of discounts.

The registration fee includes all five days of education and materials; four lunches (Monday-Thursday); one evening reception; and refreshments. The GLA will conclude no later than 12:00 PM on Friday to accommodate departures on Friday afternoon/evening to help keep travel expenses down. Review the agenda.

Consider tailoring this template to assist with gaining employer approval to attend the GLA.

Significant discounts are offered to GPN members. Be sure to also take advantage of early bird discounts (until October 6).

Please note the Event Code of Conduct guidelines.

Cancellation & Refund Policy: All cancellations must be received in writing (via e-mail) at GPN Headquarters on or before November 7 (Savannah) in order to receive a refund, less a $100.00 processing fee. After those dates, cancelled registrations will not be refunded nor applied to future conferences.

Team Registration: Save money by registering your entire team at a substantial discount. If registering 2 or more individuals from the same organization, each additional registration after the first will be discounted $200 regardless of membership and date of registration. All team registrations must be submitted together along with payment to receive the discount.

“The value of attending the GIS Leadership Academy as a management team cannot be understated. The subjects covered provide our managers a common framework to influence our organization in a cohesive way and gave us tools for making better decisions together. We used the Academy as a management team-building retreat and we highly suggest management teams attend as a group.”

- Kevin Haynes, Christy Jacobs and Anita Brown - SC Army National Guard

GLA Registration - for virtual program

The virtual GIS Leadership Academy includes interactive exercises, small-group discussions, team-building activities, and opportunities to delve into topics in a way you cannot do at a large conference. Participation is intentionally limited in order to encourage such interaction. Register soon to reserve your spot.

The program will be presented via Zoom.

(Note that there is an in-person opportunity to attend the GLA in Savannah, Georgia in December. The in-person program offers a different experience than the virtual event, with much more discussion and network-building.)

Significant discounts are offered to GPN members. Team registration is not an option for the virtual GLA. Early bird discounts are also not in effect for this program.

Overview of the Schedule According to Time Zone (periodic 5-10 minute breaks are also included (of course, take breaks when needed):

Monday through Thursday:

10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Eastern (lunch break 2-3 PM)
9:00 AM - 6:00 PM Central (lunch break 1-2 PM)
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Mountain (lunch break 12-1 PM)
7:00 AM - 4:00 PM Pacific Time (lunch break 11-12 PM

On Friday, October 31 we will wrap up by 2 PM Eastern/1 PM Central/12 Noon Mountain/11 AM Pacific. (To allow ample time for trick or treating!)

Course Agenda:

Monday: Intro to Leadership and Management
Tuesday: Building a Successful Team
Wednesday: Building Organizational Capacity
Thursday : GIS, Change Management & Problem Solving
Friday AM: Ethics & Putting It All Together

Please note the Event Code of Conduct guidelines.

Cancellation & Refund Policy: All cancellations must be received in writing (via e-mail) at GPN Headquarters on or before October 1 in order to receive a refund, less a $100.00 processing fee. After that dates, cancelled registrations will not be refunded nor applied to future conferences.

GPN Member

Nonmember

$750

$950

Early rates until October 6

Early $1,500

Regular $1,700

Early $1,700
Regular $1,900

Continue for hotel information and reservation links.

Sponsorship Opportunities

Demonstrate your organization's commitment to professional development for GIS leaders by sponsoring the GIS Leadership Academy. Contact Wendy Nelson if your organization is interested in supporting this phenomenal program. Consider a refreshment break or networking reception sponsorship!