We're excited to continue the ILGISA Board Spotlight series, designed to introduce you to the dedicated members of our Board of Directors. Each installment will highlight a different board member, offering a glimpse into their professional background, current role, and passion for GIS. Through this series, we hope to foster stronger connections within our community and celebrate the individuals guiding our organization.
Hunter Ray
Can you tell us a little about your background and how you got started in GIS?
I took two introductory GIS courses during my undergraduate degree in wildlife biology. Back in 2010-2011, GIS was beginning to enter the mainstream of wildlife research, so it was part of the curriculum. After graduating, I started at the USDA as a Wildlife Biologist in 2011, focusing on managing wildlife at commercial airports. One of the first things my boss asked me to figure out was how to use ArcGIS to map all the wildlife we were observing on airfields - all because he knew I took two classes in GIS in college! Over the next nine years, I managed wildlife at airports, led the GIS initiative for our staff of 25 field employees, and ultimately realized I really enjoyed the GIS work. In 2018, I enrolled in UW-Madison’s online GIS master's program and finished in 2020. In October 2019, I connected with a couple of employees at Cloudpoint Geospatial at the ILGISA Annual Conference and joined the company in July 2020.
What is your current role, and how does GIS play a part in your work?
I currently act as the Director of Technical Services for Cloudpoint. I oversee a group of amazing team members who are experts in ArcGIS Enterprise, ArcGIS Online, Python scripting, workflow automation, and, more recently, GeoAI. I also manage a handful of projects for municipal and private clients that are focused on field data collection workflows, workflow automation, and Python scripting.
How long have you been involved with ILGISA?
I attended my first conference as a grad student in October 2019. I've been a member of ILGISA since 2019, and I have attended and presented at every Annual Conference since 2020.
What motivated you to join the ILGISA board?
After my first conference in 2019, and making some amazing connections, I saw the value of ILGISA as a student. In the years since then, I've been exposed to the benefits on the professional side and continue to meet new colleagues, and connect with lifelong friends I've made through ILGISA. I truly feel ILGISA does a lot of good for keeping the Illinois GIS community connected and engaged, and I have always wanted to give back to an organization I attribute with being an important conduit to my professional success.
What are some key initiatives or projects you've been involved in as a board member?
I also serve on the Professional Development committee and have really enjoyed the fellow members of that committee and both its planned and ongoing initiatives.
What’s one achievement or milestone you’re particularly proud of during your time on the board?
So far, the biggest milestone was attending my first board meeting, which was in person after the 2025 Annual Conference.
What advice would you give to someone looking to enter the GIS field?
Go to your state's annual GIS conference. Attend as many free webinars as you can. Reach out to public and private organizations and let them know you're interested, and just get your name out there.
Are there any GIS tools or technologies you’re particularly excited about right now?
GeoAI. Just like almost every other industry, I truly think we, as GIS Professionals, are in a period between two defined eras: pre-AI and post-AI. The work we do and how we do it will be somewhere between slightly and drastically different in five years, depending on adoption by software companies and individual public/private organizations.
What’s your favorite GIS-related project you’ve worked on?
I can't get into the specifics of my favorite project, but overall, I truly love automating workflows for my clients. Any time I get to say I've saved a user time (and money) by automating some sort of data entry or data manipulation, it reminds me of what got me into GIS and why I switched careers.
Do you have a favorite map or GIS application that has inspired you?
ArcGIS Survey123 is my favorite in the Esri suite of applications and was the application I dove into at the USDA that solidified my love (and occasional frustration) for GIS.
Outside of work, do you have any hobbies or interests you would like to share?
When I have free time, I love to golf and hunt.
What’s one fun fact about you that people might not know?
I have a twin sister.
What goals do you have for the organization moving forward?
As the Professional Development committee enters its second year, I'm excited to continue its ongoing initiatives and, hopefully, help start new ones we've discussed.
How can members of the GIS community get more involved in ILGISA?
Attend the regional and annual conferences, attend the webinars, present a webinar, and get involved in the relatively new ILGISA forum.
