Ms. Lambert began her career in mapping as a land surveyor, then draftsman and cartographer. Most recently she came in 1996 into the service of the Commonwealth from the federal sector via the U.S. Geological Survey’s Water Resources Division, where she functioned as a geographer and cartographer for 12 years. While at USGS she served on the Framework Working Group of the Federal Geographic Data Committee. The working group defined the basic digital geospatial themes necessary to provide a minimum set of data layers for the maximum number of GIS users and applications.

She recently served on a national 25-person team trying to bring into being the "GeoData Alliance", a ‘chaordic’ organization which will be a "bottom-up" initiative aimed at meeting the quickly changing demands for digital geographic information.

Presentation: Climbing in the Karakoram Himalaya
In 1997 a group of climbers from the United States set out for the Karakoram Range of the Himalaya in northern Pakistan. Their objective was to place the entire climbing party on top of 26,360, foot Gasherbrum II, without the use of supplemental oxygen or high altitude porters. This is a story of the teamwork and dedication to achieve a goal that could not be reached alone. The Karakoram is noted for its wild and spectacular walls and spires, large glaciers, and unprecedented concentration of lofty peaks. With six peaks over 26,000 feet and more than thirty peaks over 24,000 feet in elevation in a relatively small area, it is one of the wildest places on earth. The range's highest mountain is K2, second in elevation only to Everest but more difficult to climb. The presentation will cover preparations for the climb, travel through this incredible wilderness, experiences in the beautiful and often dangerous world of high altitude and eternal ice, and an attempt for the summit of Gasherbrum II.