The Business Analytics industry needs your perspective
Business Analytics is one of the most exciting, in-demand career options out there, and employers are hungry to recruit top talent.
Master's-level salaries start upwards of $85,000, and 56% of Fortune 100 companies say they plan to hire master’s in data analytics graduates (Source: 2020 GMAC Corporate Recruiters Survey).
Attend the Women in Analytics and Leadership Conference to hear from leading women in the industry, learn about unique opportunities and challenges faced by women in analytics, and understand what your perspective adds to the workforce.
This event offers an opportunity to find out what it’s really like to work as a woman in data analytics and see how students from STEM and non-STEM backgrounds can enter the field.
The conference is open to students from ALL majors as an opportunity to find out what it’s really like to work as a woman in data analytics and see how ANY student can enter the field. Register now and enjoy meeting some truly inspirational people. Breakfast and lunch included.
When and Where
The conference will be held on Friday, October 13, 2023, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. in W401 Pappajohn Business Building.
Speakers
Hannah Baucom
Hannah Baucom is a Cloud & Automation Analyst in the Digital Technology department at Collins Aerospace, a Raytheon Technologies subsidiary. Hannah started at Collins Aerospace in 2021 as a Co-Op on the Email & Collaboration team and transitioned to the Cloud & Automation team, which focuses on infrastructure automation for hybrid environments.
Hannah holds an AA from Scott Community College and a BBA in Business Analytics & Information Systems from the University of Iowa.
Amra Beganovic
Amra is an assistant director of engineering in the Enterprise Data & Analytics department at Principal Financial Group. Amra co-leads a platform called the Enterprise Data Foundation, a cloud-based solution that provides unified, curated, and governed data to support analytics across the enterprise. Amra has been at Principal for over 10 years and started her career as an intern. She is passionate about developing talent and helping employees advance in their careers.
Kristina Bigsby
Kristina Gavin Bigsby is a Lecturer and Director of Undergraduate Studies in the department of Business Analytics at the Tippie College of Business. She teaches in both the undergraduate and MSBA/MBA programs, with classes on database management, programming, information visualization, and cybersecurity.
Bigsby received her Ph.D. in Information Science from the University of Iowa Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Informatics. Her research integrates social network analysis, machine learning, and sports analytics.
Beth Goetz
Beth Goetz is the interim Director of Athletics at the University of Iowa. She joined the Iowa athletics staff in 2022 as Deputy Director of Athletics and COO from Ball State University, where she served as Director of Athletics. She was named by Women Leaders in College Sports as the 2022 NCAA Division I FBS Nike Executive of the Year, and was recognized by the Indianapolis Business Journal as one of the publication’s 2021 Women of Influence.
Pinkrose Hamilton
Pinkrose Hamilton is a Chief Data Analytics Officer at UIHC. She has a BS in Business Administration from City University of New York-College of Staten Island.
Shivani Kharbanda
Shivani Kharbanda is an Assistant Director of Data Science in the Benefits & Protection unit at Principal Financial Group. She also leads the Data Science steering committee across the Principal enterprise. Prior to her career at Principal, she has been in the analytics and data science world for eight years and has been awarded an MBA from the University of Iowa and an MS in Analytics from Georgia Tech. She is passionate about growing data science talent and addressing business goals with an analytical lens.
Sherry Marek
Sherry Marek co-founded Datavision Technologies in 1996, with the goal of bringing broad spectrum business intelligence and data analysis to all areas of hospitality. She exited Datavision in December 2022 and now enjoys working to encourage women to enter technology and mentoring women in the many roles and choices in technology.
Sherry has been recognized with multiple industry awards, including being selected as a 2023 inductee into the Hospitality Financial & Technology Professionals’ (HFTP’s) International Hospitality Technology Hall of Fame.
Molly McCain
Molly McCain is an Artificial Intelligence Interactions Engineer in the Digital Technology department at Collins Aerospace. Molly started at Collins Aerospace as an intern in the DT Project Management Office. When she graduated from the University of Iowa with a BBA in Business Analytics and Information Systems she then became a full-time employee on the AI Interactions Team. There she focuses her work on the AI/ML Portal, which is an Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning self-service resource for all employees at Collins Aerospace.
Jessica McKee
Jessica McKee is an Insights Analyst on the Data & Analytics team at Casey’s. She specializes in developing data models & reporting in Power BI and performing technical analysis using SQL. She's currently part of a team that develops and deploys consumer behavior models. Jessica graduated from the University of Iowa in 2022 with degrees in Business Analytics and Economics.
Pamela Newberry
Pam Newberry is a Requirements Lead in the Digital Technology department at Collins Aerospace, a Raytheon Technologies subsidiary. In her 18 years at Collins Aerospace, Pam has held positions on the Portal/Collaboration, SAP SD, and Smart Manufacturing teams, and recently transitioned to the AI Interactions team. She is currently Co-Chair of RTX NTXGEN Employee Resources Group (ERG).
Prior to joining the aerospace and defense industry, Hannah worked in the Education industry as a software developer. She holds a BA in Management Information Systems from St. Ambrose University.
Natalie Norton
Natalie Norton has been a Senior Data Scientist with Sammons Financial Group for the past three years. Her focus is machine learning models and putting model outputs to use. Prior to joining Sammons, Natalie worked as a quantitative researcher at Bank of America, Mizuho Financial Group, and several derivative trading institutions. She received her MA in Mathematics of Finance from Columbia University.
Emily Sharkey
Emily Sharkey is an Artificial Intelligence Interactions Engineer in the Digital Technology department at Collins Aerospace. Emily started at Collins Aerospace as an Intern in the IT Project Management Office. She later started started working as an Intern on the AI Allison team as an AI Interactions Engineer and transitioned to full-time this year.
Emily graduated from the University of Iowa with degrees in Management and Business Analytics & Information Systems.
Lindsey Shepard
Chameleon digital marketing, sales, and data analytics Manager, Lindsey Shepard, has 20 years’ experience across four industries, including high-tech automation, agricultural technology, healthcare, and retail. Lindsey began her journey on the creative side of retail as a merchandiser for a top fashion brand. Over the years she transitioned into various sales and digital marketing leadership roles, arriving back at her roots in retail, leading a multimillion-dollar data democratization platform for Casey's.
Aleyah Sidhu
Aleyah Sidhu is an Intern on the Artificial Intelligence Interactions team in the Digital Technology department at Collins Aerospace. Aleyah started at Collins Aerospace as an Intern on the AI Interactions team and returned this past summer.
Aleyah is currently attending the University of Iowa as a sophomore studying Finance and Data Science and is expecting to graduate in 2026.
Joni Wallace
Joni Wallace is the Director of Artificial Intelligence at Collins Aerospace, a RTX Company. She is responsible for strategy and execution of machine learning and artificial intelligence technology services. Joni spent the last two decades leading global applied data, analytics, and AI teams while spearheading innovative technology solutions for insight-driven customers. Prior to joining the aerospace and defense industry, Joni consulted for Accenture, where she focused on technology for supply chain optimization.
Joni has a BBA in finance from the University of Iowa and an EMBA in analytics from Loras College.
Samantha Wooster
Samantha is an Artificial Intelligence Engineer in the Digital Technology department at Collins Aerospace. She started as an intern on the AI team and became a full-time engineer after graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and a minor in Data Analytics.
Samantha has worked on competitive intelligence projects and is currently working on an AI solution for determining export restrictions on numerous unlabeled material parts within Collins.
Agenda
| Time | Topic | Description | Speaker |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8:00-9:00 a.m. | Check-in | ||
| 9:00-9:15 a.m. | Welcome | Beth Goetz, Interim Athletic Director - University of Iowa | |
| 9:10-9:50 a.m. | From Entry to Leadership in Healthcare Data and Analytics | My journey from entry to leadership in healthcare data and analytics with key lessons learned along the way | Pinkrose Hamilton, CDO - University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics |
| 9:50-10:30 a.m. | Pie Charts and Champagne | How I successfully mixed starting a data analytics company with my husband, and exited 27 years later. | Sherry Marek, Entrepreneur |
| 10:30-10:45 a.m. | Break | ||
| 10:45-11:25 a.m. | Data to Insights: It Takes a Village Careers in Data and Analytics and How to Stand Out from the Crowd |
To create value from data and analytics, organizations must put insights into action. That is easier said than done and requires several disciplines working together. The goal of this session is introduce you to the variety of careers in data and analytics at a Fortune 500 company. Join Shivani and Amra as they describe the roles necessary to make analytics come to life, why diversity matters, and how to differentiate yourself when applying for a job in data and analytics. |
Amra Beganovic, Assistant Director, Engineering - Principal Shivani Kharbanda, Assistant Director, Data Science - Principal |
| 11:25 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Lunch Data for Everyone |
Analytics is a large and diverse field, which means that there is room for everyone. This interactive session will introduce the field of business analytics, provide a brief overview of the BAIS major, and discuss about how to carve out your space in this rapidly-growing domain. |
Kristina Bigsby, Director - UI Undergraduate Studies |
| 12:30-1:00 p.m. | A Brand Called You: Steps to Creating your Personal Brand | Christine Holmes, Partner - E&Y Anna LeWarne, IT Audit - E&Y Lanoud El Anani - E&Y |
|
| 1:00-1:40 p.m. | Professional Panel | Come meet Joni and her team. A panel of seven professionals in the AI space at different points in their careers give their perspectives. | Joni Wallace, Director, Artificial Intelligence - Collins Aerospace |
| 1:40-2:00 p.m. | Break | ||
| 2:00-2:40 p.m. | Being a Data Scientist in the Insurance World | Insurance companies have leveraged data for a long time and continue to do so. Learn how Sammons is using data science to improve their sales and operations. | Natalie Norton, Senior Data Scientist - Sammons Financial |
| 2:40-3:20 p.m. | The Whole Pie - It's More Than Just Pizza | Learn how Casey’s is informing business decisions by using a combination of data science forecasting, guest segmentation, market analysis … come hungry! | Lindsey Shepard, Collaboration Portal Manager - Casey's Jessica McKee, Associate Insights Analyst - Casey's |
Contact us
Michael Altemeier
Associate Professor of Practice, Business Analytics
319-335-0831
michael-altemeier@uiowa.edu