About America's Essential Data

Denice's mission is to build a more resilient national data infrastructure. Most recently, she served as the Deputy U.S. Chief Technology Officer and as the U.S. Chief Data Scientist, where she led the charge to use disaggregated data to drive better outcomes for all Americans. Denice's 25-year career using data to serve the public interest has spanned federal and local government, academia, and the nonprofit sector plus domains ranging from climate to policing.

Chris' mission is to ensure the provision of essential data for the betterment of all. Chris' 15 year career has included work in the federal government, the private sector, and as a consultant to federal, state, and local governments as well as non-profit organizations. As a demographer and data scientist, his work has always centered on the development and use of data to engage and serve the public.

Amanda is a data and computational scientist who has addressed challenges across multiple domains over a 20-year career. As a committed proponent of data accessibility, she has brought her technical expertise to both the private sector and public interest initiatives. Her work has informed policy decisions, supported advocacy efforts, advanced scientific research, and created solutions that improve outcomes across commercial, educational, and civic spaces.

Beth has 25 years of experience in demographic and socioeconomic analysis to support public policy. She has expertise in the decennial census, American Community Survey, and indicators of health and well-being. She is active in the federal statistical community and has a long history of working with California data (from both state and federal sources) across a wide variety of subjects ranging from air quality to school enrollment to industry employment.

Bryan is a data scientist and technologist with ten years of experience working with data, statistics, and programming in the federal government and adjacent sectors. As a researcher and consultant, he has seen firsthand the value and power of US federal data, both internally and to the public. As a product manager and user advocate, his efforts focus on making data as useful as possible for the people and groups who need it most.

Kyle is a software engineer/designer who has created brands and platforms in a variety of industries for over 20 years.

Leah is a data scientist and analyst with over 6 years of experience parsing and working with public sector data. She is passionate about using data to advance the public good and making insights accessible for all.

Melanie is an emerging data scientist passionate about leveraging data for positive social impact and promoting responsible data governance. She has gained valuable experience through internships in the executive and legislative branches, academia, and the nonprofit sector. As a 2025 graduate of American University and a Public Policy and International Affairs Fellow, Melanie’s studies focus on the intersection of data, technology, and policy.

Taylor is a policy and research analyst specializing in census data and its impact on governance, representation, and resource allocation. Passionate about the power of high-quality, timely public data in shaping informed decision-making and addressing the needs of communities nationwide, her work in both the academic and nonprofit sectors has included research and analysis to inform policy decisions and support civic initiatives and institutions.