An Epidemiologist’s Journey to Data Analytics

Before venturing into data analytics, my world revolved around epidemiology and government. Although my transition may seem like a significant leap, it was, in fact, a natural progression.  

What sparked my initial interest in epidemiology was an undergraduate-level course. As I dove into measures of association, I discerned the potential of these insights to guide health-related decisions at a population level. These interests then led me to a medical examiner’s office and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), where I worked to collect and analyze morbidity and mortality data. I required formal training at this point, which followed matriculation into a graduate-level course at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in the United Kingdom. My life was all mapped out – with a 10-year contingency plan and everything! After completing the master’s program, I was ready to pursue a Ph.D. through the U.S. Army and determined to be the next Dustin Hoffman in “Outbreak.” 

However, something more amazing than I had planned happened: I met my future wife, got married and started a family. My employment and financial priorities needed to change, and around the same time, I started developing interests in business. However, as described in “Black Swan” by Nassim Taleb, a sort of unknown unknown happened in my life, and the U.S. Navy suddenly deployed me to support their efforts to mitigate COVID-19 in ships. I tried but was unsuccessful in developing a clinical prediction model for COVID-19. But that experience switched on a light for me, and I knew that measuring and mitigating risk using data was where I needed to be. I didn’t know how to start or where to go, but I knew I needed to listen to this feeling. This marked the beginning of my journey into the field of data analytics, where I would later apply my skills beyond health to finance and operations. 

Journey to Data Analytics

My career transition was not without challenges. Business data lives in complex structures that are generally absent in public health. My primary obstacle was getting familiar with the nuances of business data and the broader landscape of corporate operations. However, these hurdles proved surmountable, and the lessons from epidemiology allowed me to adapt to higher-paced demands. My association with INFORMS played a pivotal role in shaping this journey, with fellow members providing direction, especially when I attempted to apply concepts from epidemiology to business. 

In my current role at Charitable Adult Rides & Services (CARS), we use data to bolster the organization’s mission of delivering innovative fundraising and support services to nonprofits by facilitating vehicle and property donation programs. On a regular day, I might be asked to support a project involving the advancement of the organization’s strategic growth, followed by an in-depth meeting with data engineers to enhance our call center performance metrics. Since I joined CARS, I have been in contact with multiple government agencies and vendors to clarify various aspects of data and incorporate them into our business strategies and dashboards, as well as anticipate external challenges affecting our industry.  

Reflecting on my journey, I am so grateful to be working in an interdisciplinary environment, and yet epidemiology continues to shape my work. The concept of a directed graph, where an exposure may cause an outcome, remains my guiding principle when creating a model. My guide to data analytics has been marked by focused yet evolving discoveries at times from events outside my control and by chance. Embrace the unknown unknowns.