Julie Spangler: Creating Stories and Meaning Through Maps

When Julie Spangler describes what she does for a living, she doesn’t talk about data points or software tools. Instead, she talks about people—and the power of stories.

“GIS is really a method of visual story selling,” she says. “It opens up incredible opportunities for us to explain what is it, where is it, and why is it.”

Julie is the Director of Client Services at Infrastructure Management Services, a company that blends engineering with GIS, or Geographic Information Systems. But that path wasn’t linear. Her original plan was civil engineering—until a family tragedy redirected her future. “My mom passed away from cancer a couple weeks before I was supposed to leave to go away to school,” she shares. “I did go, but it took me like 48 hours to realize that I was not in the right place.”

She returned home, tried community college, switched to a four-year school, and eventually found herself leafing through a course catalog on the floor of her dorm room. That night, two dog-eared pages stood out: economics and geography. “I hadn’t even taken a geography class, but the next day, I changed my major. I don't regret a thing about that crooked path.”

Julie’s winding journey became a strength. In a career that now spans more than two decades, she’s embraced every pivot—from physics student to project manager to sales leader—anchored by one belief: connection comes first.

As someone who grew up in a small, rural town, Julie admits that connecting across differences didn’t come naturally at first. “There wasn’t a ton of opportunity to create connections with people who weren’t just like me,” she recalls. But in GIS, she discovered a tool that could build bridges between data and empathy, analysis and understanding.

“Every map holds a story,” she says. “There’s likely somebody else out there making the same map, facing the same challenge, but maybe they don’t realize they’re not alone.”

That drive—to help others feel seen and understood—now shapes every part of her work. Whether she’s leading a client demo or mentoring a teammate, Julie leans into storytelling as a way to invite people in.

“The real joy comes when you've helped someone outside of GIS understand something complex, and maybe even communicate it more clearly to others."

But the work hasn’t always been easy. Early in her career, she believed only fellow GIS professionals would “get it.” Over time, she realized the real power of her work came when she shared it beyond the echo chamber.

“Choose your attitude,” she advises. “It frames the story you're going to tell. People feel your energy—even through a screen.”

These days, Julie focuses as much on listening as she does on leading. “Ask questions. Be open. And if something’s frustrating, don’t react immediately. Pause. Think: If I were them, how would I feel?”

That empathy shapes her leadership philosophy. She believes in transparency, collaboration, and playing to your strengths. “The work is always about people,” she says.

“The best opportunities come from connections, and the best connections come from sharing stories.”