As AI reshapes higher education, the biggest opportunity may not be the models themselves – but the shared infrastructure that makes them useful, trustworthy, and sustainable. AI is rapidly moving from experimentation to institutional strategy. Across higher education, colleges are exploring how AI can strengthen advising, streamline operations, personalize student support, and help staff make […]
Meet Janet Bland, PhD, DataKind’s Senior Education Implementation Manager. With decades of experience spanning faculty, academic leadership, and higher education consulting, Janet brings a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing today’s colleges and universities. As DataKind continues to expand its work in higher education – from supporting institutions with Edvise to advancing new
Welcome Janet Bland, PhD, DataKind’s Senior Education Implementation Manager Read More »
Meet Allison Hirata, DataKind’s Director, Product Management. As our first product management leader, Allison is helping establish the processes, systems, and cross-functional ways of working that enable DataKind to build and deliver enterprise products across our portfolio, beginning with education. Drawing on extensive experience leading product strategy for education technology companies, startups, and nonprofits, he
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Beacon is DataKind’s new, expanded local data platform, shaped by years of learning and co-development alongside practitioners and evolving DataKind’s earlier community data infrastructure efforts into a more collaborative, action-oriented experience. Designed to support economic mobility and community impact, Beacon equips practitioners with the data, insights, and collaborative tools needed to strengthen small business support,
Introducing Beacon: A New Platform for Community Data & Coordinated Action Read More »
By Sathy Rajasekharan, Vice President, Transformational Programs and Support, Parkinson Canada and former Independent Expert Advisor, Climate and Health, DataKind | Mignonne Fowlis, Senior Manager, Product and Programs, DataKind In Kajiado County, Kenya, pregnant and postpartum women face mounting health risks from climate-sensitive conditions, including malaria outbreaks, heat stress, and disruptions from flooding and droughts.
Building Climate x Health Pulse: Turning Research into Action Read More »
By Shanna Lee, Senior Director, US Communities, DataKind | Jenrose Fitzgerald, Program Manager, Data for Social Impact, Washington University in St. Louis | Dan Ferris, PhD, Co-Director of Policy Education and Practice; Associate Professor of Practice, Washington University in St. Louis Data doesn’t create impact. People do. That belief shaped Data Tools for Everyone, a
From Data Curiosity to Community Impact: What We Learned from Data Tools for Everyone Read More »
By Lauren Woodman, CEO, DataKind After nearly five years leading DataKind, I’ll be stepping down at the end of this month. It’s a bittersweet moment and an opportunity to reflect – not only on the extraordinary people behind this organization, but also on how the role of data and AI in the social sector has
Five Years of Progress: Reflecting on DataKind’s Evolution Read More »
Research consistently shows that food insecurity and poor health are closely linked to economic instability – affecting everything from employment continuity to long-term mobility. Addressing these challenges requires more than isolated interventions or static reports; it requires shared data, aligned indicators, and sustained collaboration across organizations. In Central Florida, the Health and Hunger Task Force,
Partner Spotlight: Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida Read More »
By Lauren Woodman, CEO, DataKind In the social sector, data is everywhere – dashboards, reports, metrics, models. But for many nonprofit leaders, the question isn’t whether data exists. It’s whether it actually helps them make better decisions. Too often, it doesn’t. Data on its own is inert. It doesn’t design a program. It doesn’t decide
Making Data Useful: Designing for Impact When Resources Are Limited Read More »
We’re pleased to welcome Greg Wolniak, PhD, to DataKind as our Head of Education Initiatives. Greg joins the team with more than two decades of experience advancing equity-focused research in higher education and translating rigorous scholarship into actionable insights for policy and practice. As DataKind continues to build and scale data-driven products that support student
Welcome Greg Wolniak, PhD, DataKind’s Head of Education Initiatives Read More »
