Abstract
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are often seen as technical tools for mapping and data visualization. Yet when applied strategically, GIS can transform communities, influence funding priorities and empower decision-makers.
This presentation will show how GIS can uncover disparities, shape compelling narratives for funding agencies and support sustainable solutions. It will outline how GIS is a catalyst for change, providing evidence that transforms proposals into funded initiatives, and data into community empowerment.
Discussed case studies will include workforce analysis, community health assessments and behavioral health program evaluations, showing how GIS not only visualizes problems but also identifies pathways to solutions and action. Attendees will learn how GIS tools can be tailored to highlight local challenges, demonstrate impact and strengthen competitive funding applications.
Details
Date, Time & Location
Nov. 21, 2025
12:00-1:30 P.M. CST
Jackie Gaughan Multicultural Center, Ubuntu Room/202
This presentation is free and open to the public.
Juan-Paulo Ramírez, Ph.D.
MAP Academy research assistant professor
Juan-Paulo Ramírez, Ph.D., is an independent consultant specializing in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and program evaluation in behavioral health. He has held multiple adjunct faculty positions in geography, GIS and grant writing at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and Clarkson College, and has served as a faculty fellow at the University of Nebraska Public Policy Center.
With 15 years of consulting experience through his company, GIS and Human Dimensions, LLC, he has helped secure $40 million in federal and state grants for health care organizations. His GIS consulting work extends across 30 organizations.
Ramírez earned his Ph.D. in geography from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and has extensive expertise in workforce analysis, community health assessments and grant writing.