Data & Impact - a Passion2Knowledge Experience

In episode 15, we're diving headfirst into the ever-evolving world of AI, and this time, we're bringing in an expert to guide the way.

Buckle up as we welcome Nick Woo, Head of Customer Experience and Growth at AlignAI, to the Data & Impact stage. Nick's background is a fascinating blend of industrial and systems engineering with a touch of psychology, making him a true champion of bridging the gap between data and human impact. From his experience at Boeing to leading product and analytics teams, Nick brings a wealth of knowledge to the table.

But what truly excites us in this episode is Nick's current role at AlignAI. This company is on a mission to revolutionize how organizations integrate and leverage AI solutions. Their platform acts as an AI adoption and governance powerhouse, helping businesses balance value, feasibility, and risk in their data-driven endeavors.

Tune in for an episode packed with insights on: Navigating the complexities of AI implementation within organizations. Unlocking the true potential of data while ensuring responsible and ethical usage. The future of AI and how it can shape a more impactful and sustainable world. Join us as we explore the power of AI alignment with Nick Woo! This episode promises to be an information-packed journey, leaving you equipped to tackle your own data and AI challenges with newfound confidence.

Get ready for an inspiring conversation on data, leadership, and the future of work! Episode 14 of Data & Impact features a remarkable guest: Mike Alvarez, former healthcare VP of Machine Learning and Enterprise Architecture at a Fortune 20 healthcare company, now revolutionizing the world as a project management automation software founder and CTO.

Dive deep with us as we explore:

The pivotal shift from hands-on data work to leading a data-driven organization. What are the essential skills and mindsets every aspiring data leader needs?

Deconstructing the architect's role. Is it all about blueprints and servers, or is there a deeper, more human element to being the architect of an organization's data strategy?

AI's transformative power. How is artificial intelligence reshaping the working world and the data landscape itself? What opportunities and challenges lie ahead?

This is more than just a podcast; it's a Passion2Knowledge Experience. You'll gain invaluable insights from a seasoned leader who's seen the data world from both sides – the corporate behemoth and the agile startup. Get ready to be challenged, inspired, and equipped to navigate the data-driven future with confidence.

So, tune in, fire up your curiosity, and join us on this Data & Impact journey!

In episode 13 of Data & Impact, Zack Pike brings the heat about the journey from corporate data leadership to running a retail-focused data consulting company. We dive into Zack's career journey, his natural and unique transition from corporate leadership to running his own consulting firm and the importance of ultimately establishing a niche.

Zack's data consultancy, Magnetic Data Science, focuses on the omnichannel selling environment and covers every area of data from extraction all the way through to analysis and advanced analytics. 

Follow on LinkedIn:

Zack Pike - https://www.linkedin.com/in/zackpike/

Magnetic Data Science - https://www.linkedin.com/company/magnetic-data-science/

On episode 12 of Data & Impact, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Rehgan Avon, CEO of AlignAI and Co-Founder of Women in Analytics, to discuss organizations investing in their data talent. 

Diving into Rehgan’s background, we learn how she developed her passion for analytics during the rise of big data analytics. Christian begs the question about the advantages of being a STEM major in the data science space versus someone who may have studied business administration or another non-STEM degree. Also ensuring that you think about how a company’s ecosystem will be conducive to obtaining and actually utilizing a certification to upskill.

The conversation also goes deep into AlignAI’s program development for organizations and how they can help fine-tune the culture around data literacy and management.

We also touch on Women in Analytics and upskill offerings through their annual global event DataConnect Conference!

Follow Rehgan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rehganavon/

Follow AlignAI on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alignai/

Data & Impact is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Pandora Radio & iHeart Radio

In Data & Impact episode 11, Martin Fiser, Head of Professional Services at Keboola, joins us to dive into the platform as a premiere all-in-one data engineering platform and its role in data management, data governance and reverse ETL.

Data & Impact is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Pandora Radio & iHeart Radio

Follow Martin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fisermartin/

Follow Keboola on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/keboola/

Check out their website: https://www.keboola.com/

This episode covers topics such as

• breaking into the field with limited analytics experience
• Upskilling in Python
• Startups vs. Large Corporations
• A day in the life of a data scientist: expectation vs. reality
• Building your LinkedIn brand as a data professional

Don’t forget to check out Megan’s LinkedIn profile and give her a follow at https://www.linkedin.com/in/meganlieu/

Join our conversation with Dustin Schimek, Data Science & Analytics Thought-Leader, Founder of Data Ideas and former Director of Analytics.  We dive into the beginnings of Dustin's data career as an analyst and his transition to data leadership. Focusing on his technical and management skills, leadership and how he has successfully driven data initiatives in sales and operations departments.  Leveraging his background in data leadership, he recently founded Data Ideas. Data Ideas shows what analytics makes possible through contests, examples & live events.

Connect with Dustin: 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustinschimek/

YouTube - youtube.com/channel/UCCSt9lzW-cyRuTLtyfvArPg

DataIdeas.co

Join us as we dive into the world of marketing analytics, social media and data visualization as a marketer! Brad is the co-founder of WRK Marketing and a veteran digital marketing consultant managing 7+ figures of annual spend on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Google.  A few things we cover are Brad's marketing analytics toolstack, calculating customer attribution, e-commerce metrics and his process for storytelling insights to clients!  Follow Brad on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/bradploch/

Join Christian as he discusses his four worst Looker development and user practices he's seen throughout the course of his career in BI and data engineering. 

Looker is a business intelligence tool owned by Google Cloud Platform. 

Available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Pandora Radio and iHeart Radio

Join Christian as he chats about his Snowflake SnowPro Core Certification journey of failures and lessons learned while also providing an update to the Data & Impact Community! 

Harpreet Sahota is a philosopher, data scientist and the host of The Artists of Data Science podcast. Join us as we dive into Harpreet's journey to becoming a data scientist, a multitude of operational topics in data science, and his side hustles in data mentoring and podcasting and personal development.

Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Pandora Radio, & iHeart Radio

In Data & Impact episode four, we dive into data leadership and maximizing impact with Heath Rittler, Vice President of Analytics at Updox and start-up cofounder in the healthcare industry. Heath currently guides strategic decision-making for Updox and AlertMD based on supporting data, analytics and actionable insights. His expertise in business intelligence and analytics is founded in experience across the multidisciplinary healthcare delivery system, including provider, carrier, and consumer. With a background in healthcare economics, Heath curates data delivery and leads the technical development and strategy of business intelligence. He volunteers with Women in Analytics and participates in the Rev1 mentorship program.

Available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Pandora Radio & iHeart Radio

Follow Heath on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heathrittler/

Kim Herrington is a Data Journalist, Creator of #BuffaloBusinessIntelligence & #WNYWifiWarriors and expert data communicator. She has extensive experience translating data for use in business execution through storytelling and data visualization. Kim currently holds the world-wide title of "2020 Data Literacy Advocate of the Year" and has also been recognized as one of 20 Emerging Influencers in 2020 for Big Data, Data Science, & Analytics. Furthermore, Kim uses data to drive game-changing impact during the pandemic with WNYWifiWarriors and exploiting the digital divide in her community. Listen as we discuss her background, the fundamental concept of data storytelling, navigating data processes in business environments, and interpersonal communications for data professionals. 

Available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Pandora Radio & iHeart Radio

Kim’s Links - https://wnydigitalequity.org/, https://www.eventbrite.com/e/buffalo-business-intelligence-bi-work-group-tickets-157501492203?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

Follow her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberlyherrington/

Andi Hila is the Vice President of Product at a cutting-edge genetics telehealth start-up called GeneMatters. Andi has extensive product management leadership experience, bringing tier 1 data engineering & BI processes and telehealth products to scale at start-ups & healthcare software companies Explorys, IBM Watson, and Updox. He is a Columbus Comspark 30 Under 30 winner and alumnus of The Ohio State University. 

Data & Impact is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Pandora Radio & iHeart Radio

Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @dataandimpact

The first episode of Data & Impact, a Passion2Knowledge Experience features Kurtis Pykes! Kurtis is a self-taught ML engineer & data scientist with a strong interest in freelance data analytics and blogging. Kurtis has been awarded a top contributor on Towards Data Science on Medium with publications succeeding 100,000 readers per month. 

Join us as we dive into his background and discuss freelance data science, ML, data engineering vs. data science and much more!

Join us on the final episode of Passion2Knowledge - The Performance Motivation Experience as we sit down with Jake Akin, talent mobility & outplacement expert. The conversation highlights how Jake strategically aligned his network during college to set him up for fast career trajectory living in Silicon Valley. Coming from Wisconsin, his story is unique and exciting, filled with critical takeaways for future job candidates, dealing with the hard knocks of life, and persevering by leveraging your network. Feel the energy, P2K Community! 

Starting in June 2021, Data & Impact, A Passion2Knowledge Experience will begin. Thank you for an amazing three years of P2K! 

Hey P2K Community! A very exciting and short announcement that after mid-May's final P2K episode, the show/RSS feed will be changing to Data & Impact - A Passion2Knowledge Experience. Christian dives in and explains why the change! 

P2K - The Performance Motivation Experience - In episode 47, Payne White tells his background and how his twists and turn led to an unrivaled passion for hair & style. Not only do we dive into his failures and learning moments, but how he has channeled his energy and focus in a COVID world to perform full-time entrepreneurship in his niche craft of men's hair styling (using Instagram). Furthermore, learn about Payne's influences that have tailored his unique brand experience for men's hair. 

Connect with Payne or book an appointment:

IG - payne_white & 614mezmer 

Website: https://www.paynewhite.com/

Nicholas Lowthorpe is a data visualization & communication expert with extensive experience in engineering & data science while holding advanced degrees in astrophysics, mechanical & systems engineering, and analytics. He is currently a Research & Enterprise Analyst at the University of Hull. Learn about Nicholas's rise to data success, overcoming adversity and prospering to the next level of execution in data! Another fun fact is that Nicholas is currently pursuing a second master's degree in analytics from the Quantic School of Business and Technology. You're not going to want to miss this one, data nerds & beyond! Feel the energy, P2K Community!

Available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Pandora Radio, & iHeart Radio

P2K - The Performance Motivation Experience - In episode 45, alternative punk rock band Diet Lite returns for an episode tackling their musical evolution and experiences since joining P2K in January 2019. Hailing from the Milwaukee/Chicago Areas, Diet Lite is spicing the alternative scene with their comedic approach to content, intricate lyrics and passion that has created their unique sound. Feel the energy as we dive into their band’s process during the pandemic, best memories thus far, and their enhanced band chemistry as they’ve gone deeper into music writing & performing.

P2K is Available On Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Pandora Radio & iHeart Radio