Introducing Aheebwa Phinan our Brand Ambassador from Central Region of Uganda!

How did you get into surveying? I got into the geospatial industry through my studies in Land Surveying and Geomatics Engineering. What started as a university course quickly turned into a genuine interest once I saw how mapping and spatial data are used to solve real problems on the ground. Through practical fieldwork, GIS projects, and community mapping activities, I realized the power of geospatial tools in land management, planning, and development. That experience pushed me to keep learning and sharing this knowledge beyond the classroom.

What are your plans as a Brand Ambassador? As an ambassador, my goal is to introduce more young people in East Africa to surveying and geospatial careers in a simple and relatable way. I plan to work with schools, universities, and youth groups to create awareness through talks, workshops, and online engagement. I want to help students, teachers, and parents understand what surveying is, why it matters, and how early exposure can open long-term opportunities. I also aim to represent the brand locally by connecting it to real educational and community needs in the region.

Tell us a bit about what you do: I work in the geospatial field with a focus on GIS, mapping, and spatial analysis. My work involves land surveying tasks, digital mapping, WebGIS projects, and applied research. I also spend a lot of time training and mentoring students, helping them understand GIS tools and how spatial data connects to real-world challenges. Alongside technical work, I am actively involved in student and community initiatives that promote geospatial education and practical skills development.

Anything else you’d like to add? In many parts of East Africa, surveying and mapping are rarely discussed with children, yet they play a major role in land ownership, infrastructure, and development. There is a strong need for simple, practical resources that explain these ideas at an early age. I believe Get Kids Into Survey can have a real impact here by sparking curiosity and showing young learners that mapping is not just about maps, but about understanding and improving the world around them.

Welcoming Roberto Sanchez our latest Brand Ambassador who is covering the areas of: Mexico City, Estado de México, Morelos, Pachuca, Veracruz, Chiapas in Mexico! Let’s learn some more about him:

How did you get into the geospatial industry? I am Leica Geosystems distributor and accredited laboratory for surveying instruments. We also distribute other brands: South-Sanding, CHC-Geomate, Geomax, Satlab, etc.

What are your plans as a Brand Ambassador? Promote the surveying and geomatics career in elementary and secondary schools, visit universities to promote the “Get kids into survey”, promote the new technologies related with surveying, etc.

Tell us a bit about what you do: I am electronic engineer, graduated from UNAM (National Autonomous University of Mexico), I joined Leica Geosystems as a service engineer in the photogrammetry department. During those years, I primarily performed on-site service for large WILD restitution systems, such as the SD2000, AG1, etc.
Later, around 2000, I moved to the surveying and geodesy equipment department, working with total stations, theodolites, and optical and digital levels. I also began developing procedures for the company’s ISO 9000 certification. As service manager, I successfully achieved ISO 9000 certification for the company, which allowed me to acquire the foundational knowledge of ISO 17025. It was then, as an independent professional, that I founded Smartlab, a laboratory and service center for surveying equipment. Today, Smartlab is the surveying equipment laboratory with the broadest reach in Mexico, as we certify and distribute total stations, levels, railway trolleys, rangefinders, rotary levels, and we will continue to expand our catalog of services and products in order to meet the needs of our clients. Now I am studying the Masters degree in Geomatics and PHD in Technological Innovation.

Insights from the Get Kids into Survey 2025 Brand Ambassador Census

At Get Kids into Survey (GKiS), our Brand Ambassadors are at the heart of everything we do. They are volunteers, advocates, and role models. Taking geospatial careers into classrooms, careers fairs, community groups, and online spaces across the world.

To better understand their experiences, impact, and needs, we ran our annual Brand Ambassador Census. The results tell a powerful story about outreach, enthusiasm, and the difference one conversation can make.

We have to express a huge thank you to Topcon who are supporting the Brand Ambassador Hub 2025-2026. This enables GKiS to bring out more resources to help supporters with outreach!

Here’s what our ambassadors had to say; and what future and current ambassadors can learn from them.

Real Impact, Real Reach

Even with a small but mighty group of ambassadors responding, the reach was significant.

• Ambassadors took part in school visits, careers fairs, community events, conferences, and social media outreach

• Individual ambassadors reached anywhere from under 25 students to more than 500, with some engaging thousands of learners in a single event

• Outreach often combined formal events with informal conversations, showing that every interaction counts

One ambassador shared a highlight from a large careers event:

“Oxfordshire Careers Hub with 3,000 students was a huge success.”

Another reflected on smaller, more personal moments:

“Having students reach out to me afterwards for advice and guidance was incredibly rewarding.”

Resources That Work in the Real World

Ambassadors consistently told us that simple, visual, flexible resources are the most effective when talking to young people.

The most-used resources from the Brand Ambassador Hub were:

• Posters with Q&A sheets

• Colouring and worksheet packs

• Careers leaflets and presentations

One ambassador summed up the importance of being prepared:

“Make sure you have plenty of printouts and lots of examples of your work.”

Others highlighted the value of adapting materials to suit local audiences, whether that’s younger children, teachers, or parents.

The Power of Curiosity (and Drones!)

When ambassadors talked about kids’ reactions, one theme came up again and again: surprise.

Many students simply didn’t know geospatial careers existed… and that moment of discovery is powerful.

Some memorable reactions included:

“That is such a cool job, I’d never heard of it before.”

“Geospatialers are the future.”

“The biggest reaction is always to the drones — that’s what really sparks the questions.”

Teachers were just as engaged:

“Sometimes the teacher was more excited than the students!”

Challenges (and Why They’re Worth It)

Outreach isn’t without its challenges. Ambassadors mentioned:

• Public speaking nerves

• Large, multi-day events

• Knowing how best to reach different age groups

But these challenges often came with growth:

“Doing more public speaking than before, but it was worth it.”

And confidence builds quickly with experience!

Advice from Ambassadors to Ambassadors

We asked ambassadors what advice they’d give to someone preparing for outreach. Their answers were practical, encouraging, and honest:

“Keep it simple.”

“Don’t be afraid to start — you might just inspire someone.”

“Enthusiasm and personal interaction go a long way.”

“Get your elevator speech ready.”

“Do it with passion.”

This advice now feeds directly into our support for new and existing ambassadors.

Why Become a Brand Ambassador?

Our census confirms what we already believed: Brand Ambassadors matter.

They:

• Introduce young people to careers they’ve never heard of

• Make geospatial accessible, human, and exciting

• Represent the industry in local communities

• Inspire the next generation, sometimes with just one conversation

If you’re already an ambassador, we hope these insights help you prepare for your next outreach activity.

If you’re thinking about becoming one there’s never been a better time to get involved: www.getkidsintosurvey.com/directory/ (fill in the 2 part form on the page to gain access to the Hub)

Together, we’re getting kids into survey!!

Welcoming our latest Brand Ambassador Laura Minchk from Colorado and Northwest Mountain Pacific, USA:

How did you get into surveying? I got into the Geospatial Industry back in 2017 when my boss at the time said he wanted to bring terrestrial scanning. I was only a few years into my surveying career, and he asked if I was interested in leading the efforts to bring this new technology to the Colorado offices and region. I told him I’d never done something like that before but was very interested and would give it my all. Boy, am I glad I said yes to that opportunity.

What are your plans as a Brand Ambassador? I didn’t learn about surveying until I accepted a job as a field assistant. I quickly fell in love with the work and the rest is history. I would like to be an advocate to help more people learn about surveying especially earlier in their education. I think many kids would truly love this industry if they only knew about it.
I would like to help educate more people about the industry as well as support and mentor others as they pursue their path to licensure.

Tell us a bit about what you do: I lead the Colorado and Northwest Mountain Pacific Geospatial team at Kimley-Horn, where we specialize in capturing a wide range of geospatial data—from expansive vacant fields in remote areas to bustling downtowns, airports, and extensive roadway corridors. Each project is unique, so we tailor our approach using a combination of advanced survey and geospatial technologies to meet client and project requirements.
Our toolkit includes conventional surveying equipment such as total stations, bases, and rovers, integrated with aerial, mobile, and terrestrial LiDAR systems. By leveraging these technologies together, we deliver highly precise, accurate data in an efficient and cost-effective manner—providing clients with the data they need to make informed decisions.

Anything else you’d like to add? I have been an active member of the local survey chapter since 2015, where I have served in leadership roles including Director and Secretary. Outside of my professional responsibilities, I balance the rewarding challenge of being a full-time working mother to two young children, ages two and four.
In my personal time, I enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking, gardening, and paddle boarding, as well as spending quality time with family and friends. One of my favorite family traditions is incorporating surveying into our walks by teaching my children to look for monuments. This simple activity has turned into an engaging “easter egg” hunt that keeps them energized and curious, fostering an early appreciation for the work I do.

Introducing our latest Brand Ambassador, Chomba Chifunda from Zambia, Africa!

How did you get into surveying? For my undergraduate degree, I studied for a Bachelor of Engineering in Geomatics engineering. After successfully completing my studies, I worked as a Surveyor in both public and private corporations.

What are your plans as a Brand Ambassador? I hope to support the younger generations in getting to know more about surveying and geospatial science.

Tell us a bit about what you do: I am now an engineer technologist at the national university in my country where I support learning and pedagogy for undergraduate students who are studying to become Surveyors and Geospatial engineers.

Anything else you’d like to add? My favourite part of my work is teaching and demonstrating the wonderful and exciting technologies in surveying and geospatial science to students.

Introducing Tim Ralls our latest Brand Ambassador from Southern California, USA!

How did you get into surveying? Land Surveying since 2015. 5th generation Land Surveyor.

Tell us a bit about what you do: I am a union land surveyor who also works for the union apprenticeship. I have been successful in getting our program onto the Marine Corps bases and onto helmets to hardhats and I also want to get out program into career days for my daughters’ school and possibly as a CTE / stem course for the local high schools. Outside of surveying I have a BS and MS in workforce education & development / occupational learning and instruction design. I like to survey but love to teach… so why not do both lol.

What are your plans as a Brand Ambassador? Plans mentioned above. I want to get more resources to do career days for daughters’ school, pitch the idea of a CTE survey course here in southern California, and just get more resources to show the Marines at the career events that I go to around here.

Welcoming Brand Ambassador Martin Weider who is covering around the Sofia region in Bulgaria!

How did you get into surveying? I bought my first drone form §100. Now I’m 18 and scanning 150 cell towers across entire Bulgaria using photogrammetry and drones.

Tell us a bit about what you do: I’m 18 years old. People say that I am a driven business owner with expertise in 360° photography, drone piloting, and virtual experiences through my company, Weider360. Recently certified in Project Management by Google, I bring strategic thinking, stakeholder management, and change management capabilities to every project. Native in Danish and Bulgarian, fluent in English and Russian, I communicate with many different people globally. Passionate about combining technology with creativity to deliver immersive experiences and impactful solutions.

What are your plans as a Brand Ambassador? Contribute to Get Kids into Survey

Introducing Brand Ambassador Jon Gaffre who is covering South Dakota, USA:

How did you get into surveying? When I was young, my uncle was a land surveyor and always had the latest and greatest technology. As a middle schooler, I thought he was one of the coolest adults I knew. When my parents would travel out of town during the week, I would stay at my aunt and uncle’s house. I would try not to get caught looking over my uncle’s shoulder while he was catching up on miscellaneous drafting tasks in CAD. One day, my uncle had me help him with a level loop, and I was hooked.

What are your plans as a Brand Ambassador? I plan to continue to work with South East Technical College to assist in their survey program. I also plan to host a trigstar event in eastern South Dakota, and want to start meeting with my local high school to read, and talk about surveying with the students.

Tell us a bit about what you do: I perform multiple boundary surveys in the area. I also spend a lot of time flying drones and processing LiDAR and photogrammetry.

Anything else you’d like to add? I currently serve as YSN Vice President, and am a founding member of SD YS Chapter. I work extensively with our local college.