Ashley Poling

Since joining us in 2016, Ashley Poling has played a significant role in the success of the T-Kartor team, and we couldn't be happier to have her on our US leadership team!

Growing up, Ashley loved the sciences, especially weather and geography. She attended Valparaiso University and, while initially studying meteorology, she got involved with GIS and remote sensing classes, which led to her graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Geoscience.

Shortly after graduation, Ashley was offered a geospatial analyst position in Tennessee. However, when an opportunity arose with T-Kartor, she joined our team and moved to St. Louis.

Ashley started in quality control before being promoted to Quality Assurance Manager in 2019 and then to Program Manager in September 2024.

One of her favorite aspects of the job is how valuable GIS data can be, whether for everyday navigation or important high-level missions. She loves how versatile GIS can be in all aspects of life. 

Another favorite part of the job for Ashley is managing her team of analysts. She is proud of her great group and reminds them that the projects they complete help the end-user tremendously: there is meaning behind the job. She instills the skill of troubleshooting in her team; when there is an issue with software or data, it's essential to solve the problem and understand why it happened. 

Over the years, Ashley has seen the culture of T-Kartor firsthand and now fosters it in her managerial role. Ashley and the rest of the leadership team strongly believe in transparency. They want the team to communicate openly and avoid being blindsided by bad (or good!) news. She believes healthy management starts with open and honest communication.

Ashley predicts the industry will integrate AI and machine learning into everyday operations and outputs in the next decade. That said, she emphasizes that manual review will still be critical, as even automated inputs and outputs require someone to review them. Bodies shape our algorithms, not the other way around.

Are you new to the industry? Ashley encourages newcomers never to be afraid to ask questions. Although communication with remote work has changed over the years, she asserts it's essential for industry newcomers to put themselves out there. Take the time to develop critical thinking skills and stay self-motivated.

Ashley also highlights the many opportunities for networking in the company and the geospatial industry. With events happening throughout the year and an overall atmosphere of collaboration, you will be able to make professional connections regularly.

Once she logs off for the day, you'll find Ashley out and about. She keeps up with her love of meteorology by chasing storms, and she has been a storm chaser for over a decade.

Ashley also loves music and enjoys attending concerts. Recently, she got into rock climbing and has been enjoying the challenges it brings.

As we move into 2025, Ashley has goals to propel her forward. 

Professionally, she aims to expand her managerial skill set continuously.

Personally, she wants to keep attending concerts, go storm chasing, travel more, and live each day like it's a gift.