GeoForum
May 19-20, 2026
Join us for a free, 2-day virtual conference on the science, technology, and innovation behind Census Bureau geography and geospatial data. Featuring sessions on partnership programs, mapping, metadata, Census geography and more, this conference brings together Census Bureau geographers, data users, and geospatial practitioners to explore creating, maintaining, and disseminating modern geospatial data and products. Explore the full program below!
Day 1: May 19, 2026
12:00 - 5:00 p.m. ET
12:00 - 12:15 p.m.
Opening Remarks: Andrea Johnson
Andrea Johnson is the Acting Chief of the Geography Division of the U.S. Census Bureau.
12:15 - 1:15 p.m.
Session 1: Using TIGER
Putting People In Place: Census Geographic Areas
Presenter: John Pollicino
This session provides an overview of the geographic areas created and supported by the Census Bureau, including how they are updated and how they relate to one another.
John Pollicino is a Geographer in the Customer Engagement Branch of the U.S. Census Bureau’s Geography Division with experience in updating and explaining Census geospatial data to customers and partners from a wide variety of backgrounds.
Rural Development: Rural Areas and Census Geographies
Presenter: Dr. Julia Cho
This session explores how the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development uses Census geographies to identify rural areas and determine which communities qualify for programs and investments under regulatory definitions.
Dr. Julia Cho is Senior Social Science Analyst at the USDA's Rural Development’s Innovation Center.
1:15 - 2:30 p.m.
Session 2: Census Bureau Geographic Products
Beyond Shapefiles
Presenter: Kevin Hawley
This session explores products and services beyond our flagship TIGER/Line shapefiles to introduce the audience to a wide variety of our publicly available geographic products.
Kevin Hawley is the Assistant Division Chief for Geospatial Products in the Geography Division of the U.S. Census Bureau.
Census Bureau Geography Division Map Product Tour
Presenter: Suzanne McArdle
The Geography Division releases mapping tools and static map products in support of the Agency’s mission to serve as the nation's leading provider of quality data about its people and economy. This session provides a visual tour and additional context about a sampling of map products.
Suzanne McArdle is Chief of the Enterprise Geospatial Services Branch in the Geography Division of the U.S. Census Bureau where she leads the creation and release of geographic program materials including reference maps, thematic maps, map services and applications as well as cartographic boundary files and geocoding products.
2:30 - 2:45 p.m. – Break
2:45 - 5:00 p.m.
Session 3: Geographic Partnerships
2030 U.S. Census Bureau Geographic Partnership Programs
Presenter: Michael Arthur
This session discusses our geographic partnership programs, including the Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS), Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA), Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP), and New Construction (NC) and how information gathered through these programs results in improvements to geographic and address data and associated data tabulations for the 2030 Census.
Michael Arthur is a Geographer at the U.S. Census Bureau with extensive experience in geographic programs, geospatial data products, and supporting the development and dissemination of Census geographic data.
Geography Division Partner Portal (GDPP)
Presenter: Michael Riedman
This session provides an overview of the GDPP - an innovative online application that streamlines communication, provides a centralized knowledge center for geography programs, connects program participants to geographic data for their community, and supports seamless participation in geographic programs.
Michael Riedman is a Geographer at the U.S. Census Bureau who focuses on fostering tribal, state, and local partnerships.
Geographic Update Partnership Software (GUPS) Web
Presenter: Maria Panaccione-Tweve
This session introduces and demonstrates GUPS Web: an open-source software tool that provides participants with the ability to update geospatial data and attributes for the Census Bureau Master Address File/ Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (MAF/TIGER) system through geographic partnership programs.
Maria Panaccione-Tweve is a Geographer at the U.S. Census Bureau who focuses on outreach for Geographic Partnership Programs and supports project management for GUPS Web.
2030 Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA) Overview
Presenter: Mo Salem
This session provides a high-level summary of project timelines, key tools, and the strategic vision guiding the 2030 LUCA program from 2026 through 2030.
Mo Salem is a Geographer in the Address Sourcing and Policy Branch for the Geography Division at the U.S. Census Bureau. He is the Project Manager for Geography Division efforts for LUCA.
Day 2: May 20, 2026
12:00 - 5:00 p.m. ET
12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
Session 4: Census GEO Innovation
Powering Artificial Intelligence (AI) Readiness Through Strong Metadata Practices
Presenter: Allison Shafer-Blackwell
This session explores the essential lifecycle of metadata, from foundational best practices and automated quality control processes to the strategic frameworks required, to ensure open data is fully discoverable and AI ready for modern decision making.
Allison Shafer-Blackwell is a Geographer in the Geography Division of the U.S. Census Bureau and is a passionate advocate for open data and AI readiness, driven by the mission to make datasets highly discoverable and actionable for decision makers, both human and machine alike.
1:00 - 1:45 p.m.
Open Discussion with Census Geography Subject Matter Experts
1:45 - 2:00 p.m. - Break
2:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Session 5: Accessing Census Data
Unlocking Complex Geographies in data.census.gov
Presenter: Noemi Mendez
This session provides a practical walkthrough of how to access, navigate, and leverage complex geographic hierarchies in data.census.gov.
Noemi Mendez is a Data Dissemination Specialist where she develops and delivers workshops and webinars on census data and geography.
How to Access Census Data using the Application Programming Interface (API)
Presenter: Tyson Weister
This session introduces participants to the U.S. Census Bureau’s API and focuses on how to access data directly.
Tyson Weister is a Data Dissemination Specialist on the U.S. Census Bureau's team for data.census.gov and the API.
IPUMS USA & National Historical GIS (NHGIS): Geographic Census Data Resources for the Past & Present
Presenter: Jonathan Shroeder
This session provides a brief tour of the unique geographic data resources available from two sources of historical and recent census data: IPUMS USA, which provides census microdata, and IPUMS NHGIS, which provides summary tables, time series, crosswalks, and Geographic Information System data.
Jonathan Schroeder is a Geographer at the IPUMS Center for Data Integration at the University of Minnesota.
Geocorr Demonstration and Case Studies
Presenter: Glenn Rice
This session demonstrates the Missouri Census Data Center’s (MCDC) Geocorr web tool, which generates geographic crosswalks between many different geography types, along with examples and real-world applications.
Glenn Rice is Director of the MCDC, the state data center for Missouri.