Our Team

As the Director of Data and Analytics, Jason supports the mission of CTData by guiding organizations to make informed decisions through data analysis, as well as developing data literacy across Connecticut. With a background in actuarial science, Jason understands the power of data and strives to serve his community through the responsible use of data. When Jason is not working, you can find him at a climbing gym or, more likely, covered in flour making sourdough bread.

Fionnuala, better known as Finn, joined CTData to implement and run CTData’s Data Strategic Planning program. Finn brings a decade of nonprofit management experience to Data Strategic Planning, and helps organizations learn how to measure their impact, improve their storytelling, and develop new ways to evaluate the power of their mission. She completed her undergraduate work at Trinity College and earned a master’s in public administration from the University of Connecticut. In her free time, Finn enjoys spending time with her children and reading BookTok’s trending fiction.

As a member of the Data Strategic Planning team, Jack coaches nonprofits and public agencies on learning how to better use data and storytelling to achieve their goals. In addition to his half-time role at CTData, Jack also works as a professor at Trinity College, where he and his students have collaborated with Hartford-area partners on education, housing, and data visualization projects over the past twenty-five years. He completed his undergraduate degree at Swarthmore College and earned his Ph.D. in educational policy studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. When not in front of a computer, you can find Jack riding his bike around the Hartford area or on one of his longer-distance adventures.

Kate serves as the Data Integration Strategist for the Hartford Data Collaborative, and coordinates with stakeholders from state agencies, community providers, and philanthropic partners on HDC data integration projects and reporting milestones. She is the liaison to the evaluator and data partners for the Greater Hartford Re-Entry Welcome Center. She also convenes and manages the Hartford Data Collaborative’s governing bodies, including Executive Board and the Data Oversight Committee.

Sarah's LinkedIn Profile

Sarah leads the CTData Academy, running both public and custom workshops that give individuals and organizations the skills to more effectively identify, analyze, and use the data relevant to them. She works on customized data support services with non-profit and state-agencies. She also worked to support a complete count of Connecticut residents in the 2020 Census. Sarah loves spending time with her family and baking with her kids. She is also an amateur photographer and musician, and a runner.

Geethika manages the Hartford Data Collaborative initiative at the Connecticut Data Collaborative. She is responsible for the development and implementation efforts of the shared data infrastructure; including stakeholder engagement, communication, oversight of the data license request process, and governance processes. Geethika loves to spend quality time with her preschooler. In her free time she likes to make beautiful crafts, read personal development books and write in her native language.

As the data analyst, Chenfei supports the mission of CTData by working with data to extract meaningful insights that help organizations, communities and government agencies make better decisions. She is also involved with the Hartford Data Collaboration to facilitate data sharing and data integration. With her background in statistics, education and psychology, she is passionate about making sure people understand and use data responsibly. Outside of work, Chenfei loves spending time with her family, traveling, cooking and trying new delicious foods.

As Executive Director, Michelle helps the organization realize its mission through the implementation of the work. With an educational background in math and public policy, Michelle’s vision for CTData is to provide the public with accessible data that informs public decision making. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, writing poetry, and reading non fiction.

Elizabeth Rose is a Data Strategy Coach at CT Data. She brings over a decade of experience in Connecticut’s nonprofit sector to this role, ranging from leadership roles at museums and history organizations to managing education grants for K-12 teachers. She holds a Ph.D. with a specialization in women’s history as well as a degree in library science and has written two books on the evolution of childcare and early education in the United States. She has focused on engaging the public with storytelling in all kinds of formats; you can view some of her past exhibitions and digital projects here. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time outdoors, reading and talking about books, and travelling.

As the communications associate, Lamar Smith will assist CTData team members in developing and marketing content that will provide useful insight for nonprofits, philanthropy government and businesses across Connecticut. This includes enhancing copy for newsletters, reports, social media and digital marketing. With a background in a multitude of creative fields, including writing, visual arts, and music, Lamar hopes to utilize these boons to enhance the online presence, clarity, visibility of available CT data resources.

As the Data Engagement Specialist, Jackie (she/they) supports residents of Connecticut by instructing public and custom workshops designed to increase participants' data literacy. With her Master's in Community Psychology and focus on program development from the University of New Haven, she honed her passion for teaching. In her free time, you will find Jackie pursuing creative interests, such as drawing and pyrography, practicing meditation and yoga, and going on hikes in search of mushrooms.

As the GIS & Data Analyst, Jill supports CTData’s mission by conducting data and geospatial analyses for initiatives across several areas of CTData, including the Hartford Data Collaborative. Jill has a background in city planning and is passionate about the responsible use of data for informed community decision-making. In her free time, Jill enjoys spending time with friends and family, going for walks, and reading.

As the Director of Research, Cynthia leads projects collecting and analyzing data to inform policies and programs in Connecticut. She has a Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies from The Pennsylvania State University. Cynthia has previously worked as an Associate Research Scientist at the Yale Child Study Center and as a Research Analyst at the social policy research institute MDRC. In her free time, Cynthia enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, and exploring the CT coastline.

As the Research Analyst, Chase works on research and data projects to inform policies, programs, and services in Connecticut in the areas of early childhood, housing, civil legal needs, and more. Chase holds a BA from Wesleyan University, and a PhD in Social Psychology from Loyola University Chicago, where he researched open-mindedness and intergroup attitudes. Over the years, Chase has worked for both community-based nonprofits and a large tech company.

Outside of his professional work, Chase is passionate about citizen science and actively contributes to platforms like iNaturalist. He enjoys photographing wildlife—from black bears to microscopic organisms—and otherwise spends his leisure time cooking, studying Italian, playing trivia, and enjoying many genres of music.

With a background in graphic design, Wenyu specializes in crafting visually appealing infographics for various projects. Additionally, she showcases her creativity by producing engaging videos for different programs. As an Operations Manager, she manages grants in Salesforce and assists with various operational needs. With experience helping people with disabilities, she aims to provide accessible data for the public. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, camping, and exploring New England.