Bio

My professional life as a Mastercard ad: Learning SQL: 2 years Learning Tableau: 6 months Time spent on project: 8 weeks To watch an idea grow and develop into a tool that makes data sexy: Priceless I more or less stumbled into my passion for data and visualizations. I had been working closely with data, first in data collection then supporting clients using the data, but didn't realize how interesting it was until meeting MS SQL. I was blown away by the power behind the tool and quickly learned that it was just the tip of the iceberg in the world of data. After gaining some experience writing SQL queries for internal libraries and clients, I was introduced to Tableau which quickly became my second professional crush. It's at this point that I gave into my inner nerd - checkmate. There is something special about seeing your SQL query feed into what ultimately becomes a tool for exploring the data and a resource for decision making. The more programs I learn, the more I realize how many more I want to learn. I've recently begun taking courses on Python and PostgreSQL so the path of learning new programs continues and is something I've found to be extremely enjoyable. Equally exciting is how the technology in the space is evolving. The cloud-based offerings bring their own unique efficiencies and capabilities which will fundamentally change the way data is ingested and used. As my desire to learn these tools and technologies has grown, so has my desire to work in groups on collective efforts. Whether the effort be with a client, marketing team or sales, I've discovered I also feed on the human interaction and the camaraderie. It never ceases to amaze me what can be accomplished when groups with different skill sets and points of view work together on a set goal. I'm now leading a team to create visualizations for our Marketplace platform which has been richly rewarding. I didn't realize how much I enjoy teaching and acting as a project lead. I feel lucky to have chosen such a robust and ever-evolving industry during these uniquely pivotal times.