GANS Board of Directors 2011-2012

David MacLean, President

Dave is currently a GIS Faculty member instructing at the Centre of Geographic Sciences (COGS – Nova Scotia Community College) primarily in the Advanced Geographic Sciences programme. Before 2001, he was in private industry and government at Industrial Forestry Service Ltd – Spatial Mapping Ltd. in Prince George, BC; at the Centre of GIS in Doha, Qatar; and at J.D. Irving, Limited (Woodlands Division) in Saint John, NB. He has a Scientific Computer Programming Diploma from COGS (then NSLSI), a B.Eng. (Mech.) from the Technical University of Nova Scotia, and a B.Sc. (Math) from Acadia University. His interests include large-database management, programming, data presentation and promotion of Geomatics technologies.

Laura Beazley

Laura works for the Province of Nova Scotia as a Program Coordinator for Geographic Information Services.  She manages the NS Geographic Names Program and the GIS Service Desk (in development). Prior to joining government, she was the General Manager of the Champlain Institute, a consortium of maritime geomatics companies who worked together to  create business opportunities in the United States. With 17 years of geomatics industry experience, locally and abroad, she has dabbled in many areas including: remote sensing data acquisition and analysis, hydrographic database development, coastal zone mapping, property mapping, technical writing, business development and client service.



Eric Melanson, Treasurer

Eric Melanson is currently a Regional Director for ESRI Canada Limited, with responsibility for leading the sale and support of ESRI based technology solutions in the Atlantic region. A graduate of Acadia with a B.Sc. majoring in Biology and Geology, he also holds a Diploma from the Centre of Geographic Sciences and a Certificate in Management from the Canadian Institute of Management. Mr. Melanson has been working as a professional in the geomatics industry for over 20 years and has been proudly helping to build and support the geomatics industry in Atlantic Canada for most of it.


William Jones, Past President, Secretary




Gerard D. Eddy

 Gerard is a Sr. GIS Specialist with Service Nova Scotia & Municipal Relations.
He obtained a B.Sc. in Geology from Acadia University and is a graduate of COGS (NSCC) with GIS and Remote Sensing.  Working in private industry, Gerard has used location based information to explore for minerals in South America, Indonesia, Labrador, and Nova Scotia.
Mr. Eddy has worked on in-situ bitumen extraction in Alberta’s tar sands, and as second geologist on directional wells for conventional oil exploration.  Since joining the province, his main focus has been with parcel fabric mapping, database design, GIS systems, and data integration.  Skills and experience he used while working on a Marine Oily Waste Screening Tool and Environmental Assessment Screening Application for NSE. 
Recently, Gerard worked with the school board to develop an innovative Inquiry Based Learning  module entitled "Gold Rush Then-Now".  The module spans wide curriculum outcomes and uses GIS technology at the Middle School level.   Gerard is a member of the GANS education Working Group, and WebMaster.


  Lucie Kendell

Lucie is currently an Engineering Information Technician with Halifax Water where her responsibilities include updating of the water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure within the corporate GIS, designing map products for internal departments, and compilation of data requests for external clients.  Prior to Halifax Water, Lucie worked for seven years in the private sector; initially as an offshore navigator at Canadian Seabed Research Limited with specific experience in ice scour mapping and database development for northern environments, and then as a GIS Specialist with Jacques Whitford/Stantec Limited.  Lucie is a graduate of the Marine Geomatics Advanced Diploma program (2002) at the Centre of Geographic Sciences and has her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Geography and Canadian Studies (2001) from Mount Allison University.



 Pierre LaRochelle, P. Eng

Brings with him several decades of experience working in Sydney, Montreal and Toronto, managing both technology implementation and application development for support of all aspects of business operations whether in the private or public sector, across all levels of government and functional areas.

Notably Pierre implemented computer aided drafting and design and Geomatics solutions for Bell Canada to support asset management, business intelligence analysis and provincial 911 systems.
Interspersed in Pierre’s career have been several years working as Project Manager or Operations Manager in the construction or renovation of corporate facilities, plant, communication towers and private residences. During those periods he implemented project management best practices, change management and accounting support.
Since graduating with a B.Sc. Civil Engineering from Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Pierre has worked in Canada, Saudi Arabia and Bermuda, received training internationally and traveled the Northern Hemisphere. As a member of the Board of Directors Pierre is interested in growing the awareness businesses for the value add of Geomatic integrated solutions

Doug Foster

Emily MacDonald

Executive Director:

David Keefe

David has been our Executive Director since December 2010 and manages the day to day operations of the association.  Prior to his appointment, David worked in the private sector for 1.5 years and prior to that was employed for 40+ years in the public sector which included program coordinator with the GeoNova Secretariat.  In 2000 David was awarded an Honourary Diploma from the Board of Governors of the Nova Scotia Community College.