I’m a data analyst that delights in taking complex concepts and presenting them in comprehensible and compelling ways to my audience. As a former math teacher, I modeled for students how to think analytically, be persistent, and engage in creative problem solving – skills vital to my work as an analyst today. I believe in the power of data to help make the world a better place, and that’s why I'm excited to work as a longitudinal data analyst for the Center for Educational Performance and Information -- an agency dedicated to making our state's educational data more accessible and transparent and thereby empowering educators, policymakers and families to make data-informed decisions.[Please note that any opinions expressed on LinkedIn are my own and do not reflect official opinions of CEPI or the State of Michigan.]My approach to data analytics blends proficiency with tech tools (like Excel, SQL, Tableau, and Python) with the ‘soft’ skills that gave me a reputation for being a highly effective teacher: • Organization – the ability to manage multiple high-priority projects in parallel by selecting appropriate organizational tools and engaging in meticulous record-keeping.• Communication – both crafting clear, consistent, and timely communication with all stakeholders as well as cultivating a culture where their questions, concerns, suggestions are valued and incorporated into the analytics process. • Ownership – believing that what I do matters and taking responsibility for making sure the job gets done right.* To see examples of how I approach various stages of the data analytics process – cleaning, exploratory analytics, transformations, integrations, statistical analysis, modeling, documentation, visualizations, presentations of findings, etc – please check out my portfolio in the Featured Section of LinkedIn