Cindy Thatcher is a geographer with the U.S. Geological Survey National Geospatial Program in Reston, VA. She serves as the elevation planning and management lead for the 3D Elevation Program (3DEP). She has a background in ecological applications of airborne and terrestrial lidar, with a focus on the use of lidar for mapping coastal topography and analyzing vegetation structure. She received a Master’s degree in Geography from the University of Arkansas and a bachelor’s degree from James Madison University.