Employee Profile – Patrick Gregg

Working at Louisville Water Since 2018 

The career title Geographic Information System technician may sound like a mouthful, but Patrick Gregg (they/them) said it’s not rocket science; even though they once aspired to work for NASA.

“I am a GIS technician. I create maps and databases of Louisville Water’s (pipelines). I keep our records updated physically and digitally. I’m like the librarian of maps and (charts),” they said.

Gregg said working in the GIS department comes with a lot of responsibilities.  A typical project can take anywhere from one week to one month to complete.

“My job is rewarding and can be very mentally challenging. I’m not a huge fan of monotonous tasks and enjoy having a wide range of (assignments). I’ve always loved maps, so working with them both schematically and realistically is super fun,” they said. “Working in GIS is honestly not rocket science.”

For someone seeking a career in GIS, Gregg gave the following advice:

“I got my degree in geography and geosciences, intending to work as a scientist and even applied for NASA! But our work in modern maps is digital, so training with (mapping software), tools, programs, and having a basic knowledge of cartography or schematics will definitely help out. Our work requires diligence and patience, though. I wouldn’t call it perfectionism, but there is a certain level of effort in keeping things in good quality,” they said.

In their spare time, they enjoy traveling and spending time with their family.

“I have way too many hobbies. I enjoy writing fiction, although none of my work has been published (yet). I’ve played Dungeons and Dragons since I was a child, and it’s one of my absolute favorite activities. Otherwise, I spend my time being a nerd with my three kids,” they said. “I have also sailed boats since I was a little kid, even racing on the Ohio River with others and occasionally traveling the U.S. to other races. My family spends a lot of time on the water, quietly sailing or racing, and even spending some time living on them.”

Gregg is also an advocate for the transgender and non-binary community.

They share their advocacy at work, too as a member of Louisville Water’s newly-formed C.O.R.E. (Culture Ownership Respect Engagement) Council, a diverse employee group committed to creating a more inclusive workplace atmosphere.

Their coworkers now know them as Patrick Gregg, but they said they’re planning to be known as a new name in the near future.