Mikko Tamura is the Regional Community Manager at HOT, supporting communities across the Asia-Pacific region. His work sits at the intersection of community building, inclusive data, and humanitarian action, strengthening local leadership so that open mapping is not just something communities contribute to, but something they actively shape and sustain.

At HOT, Mikko leads and supports long-term community building initiatives that grow local capacity and leadership in open mapping. A key part of this work includes globally scaling the Open Mapping Gurus project, building networks of trusted local mentors who support learning, coordination, and rapid response across countries. He also stewards flagship programs such as She Leads and She Inspires, which advance women and LGBTQ+ leadership in open mapping, and the Climate Resilience Fellowship, a youth-led program combining climate data, open mapping tools, and community action. Together, these initiatives create pathways for mappers to move from participation to leadership, paid opportunities, and sustained engagement, strengthening locally led open mapping ecosystems.

Mikko’s work is grounded in a strong GIS and mapping background. He is an active mapper with OpenStreetMap Philippines, supporting local mapping events, trainings, and community-led initiatives. Alongside regional and global work, he also supports small GIS projects with local government units (LGUs), facilitating participatory mapping processes that integrate local knowledge into planning, service delivery, and disaster preparedness. He is the founder of MapBeks and led initiatives such as the LGBT Safe Spaces Map and HIV Support Facilities Maps, using mapping as a tool for visibility, access, and care. His work has been recognized internationally, including being named a Gender Equity and Inclusion Champion by the World Geospatial Awards and receiving distinction at the ASEAN Geospatial Challenge.

Guiding Mikko’s work are values of inclusion, trust, and learning by doing. He prioritizes participatory methods, mentorship, and ethical data practices over extractive models, and believes strong communities are built through relationships, not just projects. Mikko is currently taking up a Diploma in Urban and Regional Planning at the University of the Philippines, further grounding his work in spatial justice, people-centered planning, and the role of open data in shaping more inclusive and resilient cities and communities.