Examples of My Work

Featured Projects

MapRoulette - Crowdsourced OSM Quality Control

I started MapRoulette, the premier QA orchestration platform for OpenStreetMap data. It enables mapping organizations and communities to create targeted improvement campaigns that are completed by thousands of volunteer mappers worldwide. MapRoulette has facilitated millions of map improvements across diverse use cases, from fixing address data in major cities to completing missing road networks in rural areas. I stepped away from the software engineering work and focus on managing partnerships, laying out strategic direction, and raising funding.

Strategic Advisory

• I am serving as an advisor at OpenStreetMap US, helping guide the strategic direction of the organization and charter projects and aid in fundraising efforts.
• I served as a director on the board of the OpenStreetMap Foundation as well as on the board of OpenStreetMap United States. My focus in both these roles was on establishing partnerships and creating the conditions for welcoming and sustainable volunteer communities.

Open Source Software

I have created and helped maintain some widely used open source tools and websites serving the OpenStreetMap community.

• Python Overpass interface, which lets developers access OpenStreetMap data via the Overpass API has become a go-to for Python developers working with OSM data. It is used extensively in academic research, commercial applications, and community projects.
• osmdiff, a comprehensive interface to OpenStreetMap's diff and change APIs for tracking and analyzing map modifications over time.
• OSM Then and Now, an interactive web application for visualizing OpenStreetMap data evolution over time, allowing users to see how mapped areas have developed and improved.
• OSM Vintage Tile Server creates historical map tiles from different time periods, enabling researchers and community members to explore the growth of OpenStreetMap itself.
• Meet Your Mappers, a community engagement tool that highlights local mapping contributors and their contributions, fostering recognition and encouraging continued participation in mapping projects.

Geospatial AI and LLM

My current work explores the intersection of geospatial data and Large Language Models.

• AskOSM is an LLM-powered natural language query engine and web application, to teach myself how to integrate LLMs into custom software.
• a small application to demonstrate how to use LLMs to send an encouraging message to OpenStreetMap contributors after they commit their first edit. I talked about this tool at MappingUSA 2025.

Currently, I am working on an OpenStreetMap feature MCP server.

Community Engagement & Education

• I regularly give workshops and webinars, such as this MappingUSA 2024 workshop on OSM data visualization techniques for beginners.
• I am a frequent speaker at State of the Map US and other OSM conferences, presenting on topics ranging from MapRoulette development to community mapping strategies and OSM data analysis methodologies. Notable presentations include "10 Years Of MapRoulette" at State of the Map 2022, where I reflected on achievements, lessons learned, and the evolution from a single-purpose tool to a comprehensive micro-tasking platform.
• I started OpenStreetMap Utah in 2011 as a forum for local OpenStreetMap enthusiasts. I organize monthly meetups attended by both veteran and new OSM contributors, do outreach to state and local governments, facilitate data sharing agreements between local agencies and OSM, and frequently speak at local and regional GIS events. One example of successful collaboration is the UGRC Open Places project, where the state GIS agency developed tooling to augment their own gazetteer with places data from OSM. This is being used by E911 services to help emergency services reach their destinations more quickly.

Other Work

Productivity Tools

I have a tendency to scratch my own itches when it comes to the tools I use in my day-to-day work.

• timetracker-cli, a minimalist command-line time tracking application designed specifically for developers who prefer terminal-based workflows. The tool emphasizes simplicity and data portability, storing time entries in plain text formats that integrate well with existing development toolchains. This project demonstrates my commitment to clean code architecture, user-centered design, and building tools that solve real developer pain points without unnecessary complexity.
• What The Quad is a website to look up the Bing quadkey and other unique tile identifiers for any place on earth by clicking on a map.
• OSM Tools Quick Access> is a Chrome / Firefox extension for quick, context-aware access to a configurable set of map-based OSM applications based on the current map view in the user's browser window.

Random Things

Sometimes I just goof off and so random stuff for the sake of it.

• I built the Gulf of Mexico Name Checker, a tongue-in-cheek website that would show if the official name of the Gulf of Mexico had changed to Gulf of America, by polling the USGS Geographic Names Information System.

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