Much like a roller coaster, 2020 was full of many loops, twists, and turns. From accelerated digital transformations to expedited migrations to the cloud, you were asked to do it all— often with far less time and resources. Through it all, The Data Chief was right there with you, along for the unprecedented ride. From the beginning this podcast had a vision: To bring you learnings and best practices from the brightest minds in our industry to help you all become better data stewards. On this epi...
Feb 24, 2021•38 min•Ep. 26
Joining Cindi today is Ruha Benjamin , a professor of African American Studies at Princeton University and the founding director of the IDA B. WELLS Just Data Lab . She has studied the social dimensions of science, technology, and medicine for over 15 years and speaks widely on issues of innovation, equity, health, and justice in the U.S. and globally. Ruha is the author of Race After Technology: Abolitionist Tools for the New Jim Code and People's Science: Bodies and Rights on the Stem Cell Fro...
Feb 03, 2021•40 min•Ep. 25
Joining Cindi today is Radha Sankaran , the Executive Director of Advanced Analytics/AI and ML at Verizon . Radha is a technology executive with more than 24 years of hands-on leadership experience with a proven track record in fast-paced and quality-driven product delivery. She has led and managed high-performance teams in the telecom and wireless industry for 4G LTE, IoT, and 5G technologies. Today, Radha and Cindi discuss the benefits of personalizing customer experience - including why perso...
Jan 20, 2021•49 min•Ep. 24
This week we have a very special episode featuring insights from three data and analytics leaders on what to expect in 2021. You’ll hear from: Donald Farmer, a principal at TreeHive Strategy Wayne Eckerson, the Founder and Principal Consultant at Eckerson Group Tom Davenport, Distinguished Professor of Information Technology and Management at Babson College They discuss everything from how to remain relevant in the rapidly evolving data and analytics industry, what technologies will have the big...
Jan 13, 2021•58 min•Ep. 23
Joining Cindi today is Chris Powers , Senior Vice President and Global Product Manager of Business Data Analytics & Digital Innovations at Citigroup . On this episode, Chris and Cindi discuss data literacy as a thought process that is nurtured by a good old-fashioned willingness to take things apart and put them back together again, what common data sense is and how it can be taught to people without shaming them, and why "the five whys" are an invaluable technique for solving almost any pro...
Jan 06, 2021•58 min•Ep. 22
Joining Cindi today is Jim Tyo , CDO at investment management firm Invesco, and the former CDO at Nationwide, where he was responsible for overall strategic vision, planning, execution, and management of all activities related to the operation of the Enterprise Data Office (EDO). On this episode, Jim and Cindi discuss best practices and the evolution of data governance and information quality over the past decade, taking the 'digital twin' approach from the world of manufacturing and applying it...
Dec 02, 2020•54 min•Ep. 21
Joining Cindi today is Suzette Kent , the former US Federal Chief Information Officer. Suzette joined the Federal Government in 2018 from the financial services industry with two key goals: drive IT modernization and overcome the challenges in federal IT budgeting and funding alignment. On this episode, Suzette and Cindi discuss the creative friction between the public and private sector, the pros and cons of how the public and private sectors operate and what they can gain by collaborating with...
Nov 11, 2020•57 min•Ep. 20
Joining Cindi today are two guests: Jon Osborn , Software Technology Executive and former SVP, Chief Technical and Data Officer at Ensemble Health Partners , and Todd Crosslin , the Global Head of Healthcare and Life Sciences at Snowflake . On this episode, Jon, Todd, and Cindi discuss how people in the healthcare chain of command can collaborate with one another more freely than ever before thanks to cloud innovations that make sensitive data safely and instantly available to all parties, why t...
Oct 28, 2020•52 min•Ep. 19
Today's guest is Craig Rowlands, the General Manager of Medibank. Craig is an ambitious leader with a proven track record for delivering major projects including data management, production, and business intelligence solutions. On this episode, Craig and Cindi discuss the life- and cost-saving benefits of leveraging data to improve decision making in healthcare, how moving from financial services to healthcare has given Craig a more holistic view of what's possible with data, why an individual s...
Oct 14, 2020•1 hr•Ep. 18
Joining Cindi today is Bernard Marr, internationally bestselling author, futurist, and keynote speaker. He advises and coaches many of the world’s best-known organizations and was voted by LinkedIn as one of the top five business influencers in the world and the number-one influencer in the UK. On this episode, Bernard and Cindi discuss why businesses should treat AI as a focused strategy rather than a resource-draining experiment, five ways to determine how to implement AI as a strategy that ad...
Sep 30, 2020•57 min•Ep. 17
Joining Cindi today is Chad Hawkinson , the Chief Product and Data Officer at Vertafore , the leader in creating modern insurance technology. A seasoned data and analytics guru, Chad has seen first-hand the profound impact data-driven insights can have on customers’ success. On this episode, Chad and Cindi discuss how the cloud makes it safer to use sensitive data, when it was long-feared it might do just the opposite. They cover everything from alleviating client concerns about the use of this ...
Sep 16, 2020•54 min•Ep. 16
This is Part 2 of our interview with Jason Lally, the Chief Data Officer for the City and County of San Francisco. [Listen to Part 1 here .] In Part 1, Cindi and Jason talked about the kindness of data clarity and the power of a declarative mission statement. In this episode, Jason discusses making the government's data work for the people it serves, the key gateway to better communication, and how to turn problems into opportunities. Key Takeaways: Improving communication. Part of becoming a be...
Sep 04, 2020•28 min•Ep. 15
Joining Cindi today is Jason Lally , the Chief Data Officer for the City and County of San Francisco . On this episode, Jason and Cindi discuss the kindness of data clarity, why open data is just the tip of the iceberg, and the power of a declarative mission statement. Plus, they dive into Jason’s 10+ years of experience and unique career trajectory that brought him to his current role. This is Part 1 of our interview with Jason Lally. Stay tuned for Part 2 (releasing on Friday) where Jason disc...
Sep 02, 2020•24 min•Ep. 14
This is Part 2 of Cindi's interview with Michelle Jacobs, President and co-founder of marketing measurement agency Alight Analytics. In Part 1, Michelle shared tips for keeping up with the rapid pace of change in the industry and explained in what ways data can transform marketing departments for the better. In this episode, Michelle and Cindi discuss how to bring more women into analytics, why messy data tends to be directionally accurate, and what Michelle predicts for the future of analytics....
Aug 19, 2020•29 min•Ep. 13
This is Part 1 of Cindi's interview with Michelle Jacobs, President and co-founder of marketing measurement agency Alight Analytics. On this episode, Michelle and Cindi discuss how data can turn marketing from a regretful expense to a worthwhile investment, the benefits of learning to ask the right questions of your data, and how to determine a customer's wants and needs without invading their privacy. Plus, they talk about how to flip the 80 percent of the time we spend preparing data with the ...
Aug 19, 2020•26 min•Ep. 12
This is Part 2 of Cindi's interview with Alberto Rey Villaverde, the Chief Data Officer at British online food order and delivery service Just Eat. Listen to Part 1 of their interview here . On this episode, Alberto and Cindi discuss how machine learning allows data to speak for itself, why artificial intelligence is more effective when it's led with the guiding hand of a human than without, three components crucial to the success of data products and services, adjusting business practices and e...
Aug 05, 2020•23 min•Ep. 11
This is Part 1 of Cindi's interview with Alberto Rey Villaverde, the Chief Data Officer at British online food order and delivery service Just Eat. On this episode, Alberto and Cindi discuss how machine learning allows data to speak for itself, why artificial intelligence is more effective when it's led with the guiding hand of a human than without, three components crucial to the success of data products and services, adjusting business practices and expectations during pandemics and economic d...
Aug 05, 2020•30 min•Ep. 10
Joining Cindi today is Dr. Dana Rollison , Vice President, Chief Data Officer, and Associate Center Director of Data Science at Moffitt Cancer Center . Dana has been with Moffitt for over 16 years in varying capacities since earning her PhD in Epidemiology from Johns Hopkins University in 2004. In this episode, she and Cindi discuss her work at Moffitt, how data is accelerating scientific discovery, and what leveraging data from the lab to the clinic looks like in practice. Key Discussion Points...
Jul 22, 2020•50 min•Ep. 9
Sully McConnell serves as the Chief Data Officer of The Hartford , where he has been since 2018. In this episode, Sully discusses the challenges he faced as a new data chief trying to innovate the infrastructure of an established company. He shares what worked, what hasn’t, and how he’s helped shift the team’s mindset so they can all make the changes needed to modernize the company. Key Discussion Points: How an established company stays modern. The challenges a 21st-century data chief faces whe...
Jul 08, 2020•35 min•Ep. 8
Joining Cindi today is Jacques van Niekerk , the Global CEO of Wunderman Thompson Data . On this episode, Jacques and Cindi discuss why data is not the new oil, as many in the industry have proclaimed, but instead should be thought of as ‘the new oxygen’ for businesses. They also explore what it means to focus on your customers' terms over your own, how fostering a culture of curiosity inspires innovation and keeps you ahead of competition, and how encouraging diversity of thought within your or...
Jul 01, 2020•53 min•Ep. 7
On this episode of The Data Chief, Cindi is joined by Grace Epperson, the Chief Analytics Officer at 14 West, an Agora Company. They discuss what Grace's learned in that role, and how her and her team’s mindsets have evolved over the years. Grace also shares her take on why a liberal arts education is valuable in technology industries, plus how data can help marketers create personalized and impactful customer experiences. Key Takeaways: Include your customers in the design process. Changing the...
Jun 24, 2020•41 min•Ep. 6
Joining Cindi today is Gustavo Canton, VP of People Analytics at Schneider Electric. Gustavo has been with Schneider Electric for nearly three years, where he’s been a change agent driving innovation across Schneider’s growing data initiatives. In today's episode, Cindi and Gustavo discuss using automation to augment (not replace) humans, rebranding HR, scaling pandemic adaptation, the impact of staff well-being on performance, intuiting what customers really need, and team-building. Key Takeawa...
Jun 10, 2020•56 min•Ep. 5
Today’s guest is Max Chan. Max is the CIO of Avnet where he is responsible for the delivery of all strategic business IT and digital transformation initiatives. Max sits down with Cindi to discuss Avnet’s long history, digital transformation and innovation in IT, and why the companies that leverage data to find valuable insights are miles ahead of the pack. Plus, Max shares some of the strategies he’s used to keep his team sharp in today’s fast-paced technology landscape. Key Discussion Points: ...
May 27, 2020•32 min•Ep. 4
Joining Cindi today is Scott Peck, the Senior Director of the Data & Analytics Center of Excellence at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), where he’s worked for the past 13 years. In that time, he’s played a vital role in revolutionizing reporting systems, as well as helped revolutionize the role of the data analyst. In today’s episode, Cindi and Scott discuss what it means to be an ‘Analyst of the Future’, their thoughts on leadership, and why data storytelling is a must-have skill. Key Takeaways...
May 13, 2020•46 min•Ep. 3
Today’s guest is Stephen Harris, the CDO of VMware. Stephen has more than 20 years in the data, analytics, and professional services fields. He and Cindi discuss growth, diversity in tech, being a change agent within your organization, bias in AI, data for good, the talent gap, data fluency, and more! Key Takeaways: The importance of understanding the role of data and its potential impact when there is an absence of fact or misinterpretation of data. How Stephen and his team at VMware are using ...
Apr 29, 2020•44 min•Ep. 2
Cindi Howson is the Chief Data Strategy Officer at ThoughtSpot and our host of The Data Chief. To kick off this new podcast, we wanted to switch the roles… today, Cindi is our guest! Tune in for a discussion between Cindi and Ian Faison, Executive Producer of The Data Chief, about culture, leadership, innovation, data for good, and what you can expect from future episodes of The Data Chief. Key Takeaways: How being an aspiring writer – but a lousy typist – got Cindi into technology. The biggest ...
Apr 22, 2020•31 min•Ep. 1
Data is transforming how we think about life, work, business, healthcare, education, and everything in between. Meet the world’s top data and analytics leaders bringing this data revolution to life. In each episode of The Data Chief, host Cindi Howson, Chief Data Strategy Officer at ThoughtSpot, sits down with data and analytics leaders to discuss the trends, technologies, and cultures transforming fact-driven companies around the globe. -- The Data Chief is presented by our friends at ThoughtSp...
Apr 22, 2020•2 min
