Mapping a Career in Service, Security, and Stewardship

Published May 19, 2026 | Request Information

Rhydian Shelley traces her fascination with maps back to a childhood bookshelf. In her family’s home in the Litchfield Hills of Connecticut, she would pull down atlases and pore over coastlines, borders, topography, and terrain. Her name – pronounced like “meridian,” the lines of longitude that she crossed while serving in the Navy – feels fitting. Early on, Shelley learned to see geography not just as a place, but as a story. Today, she brings that perspective into her work, blending skills developed through the Johns Hopkins MS in Geographic Information Systems program with environmental stewardship and national security – connecting land, people, and purpose.

Raised on land her family has hunted, fished, and farmed for more than a century, Shelley experienced the outdoors as a living classroom. Stewardship was not abstract – it was daily practice. Her parents taught her how to manage the surrounding woods responsibly, nurture an orchard and gardens, and respect the rhythms of the lake and its wildlife. Sightings of bald eagles, wandering bears, and the occasional moose reinforced a lasting belief: the environment is something to protect and treat responsibly, not just admire.

Her heritage deepened that perspective. Shelley’s father is part of the Peskotomuhkati (Passamaquoddy) Tribe, an Indigenous nation rooted in the Downeast region in Maine for more than 10,000 years. Her grandmother grew up on the Indian Township Reservation. The Tribe’s enduring relationship with land and water instilled in her a deep respect for ecological balance and long-term stewardship.

At Yale University, Shelley majored in environmental studies, where her interests evolved from water systems and hydroelectric power to nuclear energy, and ultimately national security. For her undergraduate thesis, she examined the electromagnetic pulse threat to the electrical grid and critical infrastructure, analyzing both probability and potential impact. The research sparked a lasting interest in energy resilience and space-based threats.

After graduating, Shelley commissioned through Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island, in 2017 as a Surface Warfare Officer in the U.S. Navy. Her first assignment was aboard the USS Leyte Gulf, a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser, where she served as Division Officer for communications and information systems. In that role, she oversaw satellite communications, cybersecurity, and shipboard networks, deploying twice to the Mediterranean, Middle East, and Arctic.

At sea, maps – or rather, nautical charts – took on a new meaning. Once a childhood fascination, they now became operational tools used to navigate complex maritime environments. Shelley learned to interpret charts with precision, using the language, measurements, and instruments of navigation to operate in high-stakes settings.

In 2020, she transitioned into the Navy’s Information Warfare Community as an Information Professional Officer, focusing on cyber operations and satellite communications. This role introduced her to naval space operations, and, in turn, to geographic information systems. Shelley began to see GIS at the core of intelligence surveillance, reconnaissance, imagery analysis, mission planning, and situational awareness.

“I realized everything I was interested in, and everything that I was researching, was rooted in GIS,” she said. “That’s why I chose to pursue my master’s degree in that field.”

In 2022, Shelley enrolled in the Johns Hopkins GIS master’s program. “I researched many programs and found that nothing compared to Johns Hopkins,” she said. “It’s highly respected, flexible, and rigorous, and has incredible reach and networking. I also have tremendous respect for program director, Dr. Cassie Hansen.”

For her capstone project, and under the mentorship of her adviser and mentor Chris Ferner, Shelley returned to her Peskotomuhkati roots. She partnered with the tribal environmental leaders to map the Kcipeskiyak Salt Marsh on the Sipayik Peninsula in Downeast Maine. Shaped by dramatic tidal cycles, the marsh supports fisheries, cultural traditions, and is foundational to the greater ecosystem.

Shelley created a visually accessible map highlighting wetlands, trails, and community features, emphasizing the Tribe’s integration of modern science and Traditional Ecological Knowledge. The goal was educational: to help tribal members and visitors better understand the marsh’s history, cultural significance, and ongoing efforts to restore ancestral ecosystems.

She visited Kcipeskiyak in October of 2025, while working on her capstone. “Visually depicting the marsh’s history, its current status, and how the Tribe is working to protect its future was an amazing experience. It speaks to the persistence and dedication of the Peskotomuhkati people. The Kcipeskiyak salt marsh is truly the heartbeat of the peninsula.”

Her map was later published in an ESRI competition, and her StoryMap further explores and explains Kcipeskiyak.

In 2023, after six and a half years of service, Shelley was honorably discharged from the Navy as a Lieutenant and transitioned to civilian work as a contractor. She joined Booz Allen Hamilton, where she continues to apply her GIS expertise. Initially, she supported naval space domain as a space mission specialist, providing training and operations support to warfighters. As of 2025, she now focuses on the U.S. Air Force as a defense energy policy analyst contributing to energy infrastructure, water security, and mission resilience.

Her work brings together the threads of her career – environmental studies, GIS, and national security.

“Space and energy are involved in everything: electricity, water, infrastructure, strategy, and mission continuity,” she said. “I help develop policy and products to ensure energy security, efficiency, and modernization.”

The role aligns with Shelley’s big-picture mindset. The Navy fueled her curiosity. Johns Hopkins refined her cartographic skills. Now she’s back involved with energy and looking to expand her impact through volunteering with community initiatives and conservation efforts close to home.

“Every map tells a story,” she said. “Every map I create is an opportunity to translate complex environments or situations into something people can see, understand, learn from, and connect with. That’s all part of the challenge.”