Employee Spotlight: Colleen McNamara, Maritime Customer Support Engineer

What’s your role?

I am a Customer Support Engineer for Spire Maritime. In this role, we work with new and existing clients through the deployment of DaaS and SaaS solutions. We troubleshoot data inconsistencies utilizing spatial data analysis, as well as develop and document knowledge solutions, instructions and training for Spire staff and customers. This is a great role because I get to wear many hats.

Describe your journey to Spire.

I began my career working for a small GIS and GPS consulting firm where my interests in geospatial technologies took off. In 2018, I joined exactEarth, branching into satellite data services. After Spire’s acquisition of exactEarth in 2021, I joined the Spire family!

What Spire value do you relate to the most?

“Collaborative – Winning is a team sport”. Playing competitive sports from a young age has taught me that teamwork is essential to success. Through my academic and professional experiences, I have learned that teamwork stretches far beyond the court, field or office. When you are part of a successful team, you feel valued for your input and your employee experience improves. You get to undertake purposeful work that has a meaningful impact. Not only do you feel appreciated, but work that has meaning boosts your engagement and passion.

What keeps you busy outside of work?

Outside of work, I can be found hiking, skiing, playing and coaching basketball, training my young dog Penny or enjoying the hunt for a new craft beer.

What inspires you most about the work you do every day?

Satellite AIS data has improved the wellbeing and safety of so many in the maritime industry. It has saved the lives of crew aboard vessels lost at sea, determined the culprit of oil spills, guarded environmentally protected water zones, provided dark vessel detection and facilitated the prosecution of illegal fishers. The geospatial industry is truly engaging, and it inspires me on the job each day.