Biographies of the Team
Christopher Garofalo: GIS Analyst
Chris is currently a 3rd year student at Brock University, pursuing a Hons. BSc. in Geography, while attending Niagara College’s GIS - Geospatial Management post-graduate program. These programs have increased Mr. Garofalo’s exposure with data manipulation and representation through computer programming, adding to Mr. Garofalo’s strong computer background where analyzing data has been vital to his success.
Contact directly: chris_garofalo@hotmail.com
Darren Platakis: Executive Director and Founder
Darren's goal is to promote geo-literacy and increase community participation through geography. To accomplish this mission Geospatial Niagara serves as the conduit of engagement to students, citizens and organizations in order to educate and facilitate geospatial projects and outreach. Through several projects including Niagara region Minecraft, tree0coding and Niagara Aspiring Geopark Darren continuously gives back to the Niagara region.
Contact directly at darren.platakis@gmail.com
Adriana Ruiz: Computer Systems Engineer
Videogames have developed the power to extract children from reality and immerse them into the virtual reality of the game. In the same manner, the implementation of the Niagara Region Minecraft Map Project will give children the opportunity to immerse themselves into learning geography through the World of Minecraft; therefore, benefiting the education of this young generation in a fun and effective way.
Contact directly at a.ruiz.gis@gmail.com
Celeste Remillard: Project Manager
Celeste has her Hons. B. A. in Social Sciences with a Minor in GIS from McMaster University and is currently at the Niagara College Post Graduate GIS Geospatial Management Program. Through these academic pursuits she gained a passion for map designing and data analysis through independent research projects. These connected to her previous experiences in Multi-criteria analysis, graphic design & website development and remote sensing.
Contact directly at celeste.remillard1@gmail.com
B. O.: Project Manager
As a licensed teacher, B. has the ability to understand how this project can benefit teachers in expanding their teaching styles. Students are very easily distracted and bored in class when they have to listen to teacher deliver their lesson in the old school methods of droning. This project therefore allows for a different method to deliver the subject of geography which is fun for both students and teachers. B. thus understands how a new method of deliver can get to the students easier and provide a dynamic and easier understanding of the topic.