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Name: Shawn Blaesing
Title: GIS Coordinator – Maintenance Bureau
Company: Iowa Department of Transportation
Years of WTS Membership: 2019 Founding Iowa member
 
What is the favorite part of your job?  
I love the variety and flexibility in the things I get to do each day. I have the opportunity to mentor GIS interns.  I get to work with field staff across the DOT and provide tools and data to them.  I also love the work I am able to do at a national level through TRB and the GIS for Transportation communities.  I just finished hosting a peer exchange with 14 DOT on enterprise data lifecycle management and followed that up with a workshop at the GIS-T symposium.
 
Why did you join WTS? 
For many years I’ve been part of an international women and science organization AWG, but never had the opportunity to participate in something in my current field.  I love the premise of WTS to encourage a network of and advancement of women in transportation especially since it seems to be such a male dominated field.  One of my favorite parts of our WTS chapter is our leadership book club and the ideas and concepts we share as we work through each book.
 
If you could pick a new skill in an instant what would it be and why?  
The ability to better think on my feet.  I often need to think through things to provide thoughtful responses, in part do to mild cognitive delays related to Multiple Sclerosis.  On a fun note I’d love to be able to play the guitar with better skill because I enjoy making music and play three instruments albeit not well.  ?
 
Favorite Quote or two?  
I have both of these on my gmail signature.
"Do not doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Meade
"The greatest danger to our future is apathy." - Jane Goodall