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Industry experts assembled for data analytics course

Feb. 8, 2022

Lakeland University has assembled an impressive lineup of industry leaders this spring in a new online live course entitled Predicting the Future – Data Analytics.

These leaders will share their expertise on how organizations use analytics to identify trends, forecast outcomes and improve efficiencies and revenue. This course is designed to give students access to industry experts who will share techniques and the power of data science in decision-making.

This seven-week course is being offered on Wednesdays from March 16-April 27.

Key terminology, the importance of using sound data, and communicating effectively with internal and external stakeholders will be discussed. Participants will grapple with the ethical use of data, and how data can be used to spur social change within our communities.

• March 16: Sumathi Thiyagarajan, Milwaukee Bucks – Sumathi Thiyagarajan joined the Milwaukee Bucks as their inaugural vice president of business strategy and analytics last November. In this capacity, she builds, develops and leads a forward-thinking business analytics team to harness the power of data, applied analytics and technology to drive results.
• March 23: Meghan Lopez, International Rescue Committee – Meghan López, Ph.D., the International Rescue Committee’s regional vice president for Latin America, leads the IRC’s Latin America response to migration and humanitarian crises across the region in three distinct crisis points covering eight countries (Mexico and cross border, Northern Central America - El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras; and Venezuela Crisis Response: Ecuador, Peru, Colombia and Venezuela).
• March 30: Dr. Ashok Rai, Prevea Health – Dr. Ashok Rai is the president and chief executive officer of Prevea Health. His passion to redesign health care in the U.S. embraces the movement from fee-for-service methods of payment to value-based care, which rewards health care organizations for their work in preventive health care and encouraging patients to live healthy lifestyles and not for the number of procedures they perform. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in Wisconsin, Dr. Rai has helped Prevea Health lead the way and set standards for high-quality, accessible, and innovative education, prevention, testing, treatment and vaccination efforts across Wisconsin.
• April 6: Judge Kashoua Kristy Yang Thao, Circuit Court Judge, Milwaukee Co. & Victor Amaya, Ph.D., Data You Can Use – Judge Kashoua Kristy Yang is a Circuit Court Judge in Milwaukee County, and Victor Amaya is the president and executive director of Data You Can Use, a non-profit research organization. Yang spent significant time on various pro bono and community efforts, such as the volunteer legal clinic and Legal Options for Trafficked and Underserved Survivors. Amaya leads DYCU’s strategy and operations with a goal of improving community conditions.
• April 13: Robert Callahan, Lakeland University, former president of Holy Family College – Prior to joining Lakeland’s faculty, Robert Callahan, Ph.D., served as the president of Holy Family College. He was instrumental in reversing long-term declines in freshmen enrollments and improving the financial position of that institution prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Callahan also served as an enrollment manager and senior level administrator at Mount Mercy University, Urbana University and Keuka College.
• April 20: Vickas Mehrotra, Virtue Analytics – Vikas Mahrotra, Ph.D., is a senior consulting leader managing and delivering complex business analytics projects. He is the founder and CEO of Virtue Analytics, a boutique consulting firm specializing in advanced data analytical solutions. He has more than 20 years of leadership, business management, research, analytics, supply chain, logistics, merchandising, technology and strategic sourcing experience that span across multiple industries such as higher education, retail, consumer goods, 3PL, manufacturing, telecom and hospitality.
• April 27: Jordon Meyer, Granular & John Chan, Google – Jordon Meyer is the founder and CEO of Granular, a digital marketing agency and a Google Premier Partner based out of Milwaukee, Wis. John Chan joined Google in June of 2019 as an agency development manager. Meyer has been an expert PPC practitioner for over 16 years and has run digital marketing at multiple agencies, managed over $1M in PPC spend per week at a Fortune 100 company, and in total has managed digital marketing for over 150 businesses around the world. Chan’s role has him working with Google Premier Partners, like Granular, to use Google’s resources to help grow and develop their clients' businesses.

Students can have the option to take the course in one of two ways:

• As a professional development seminar through Develop U, which is run by Launch: Lakeland Student-Run Businesses.
• As a three-credit course as part of Lakeland’s master of business administration (MBA) degree, master of science in leadership and organizational development (MSLOAD) degree or toward Lakeland’s graduate certificate in leadership. Bachelor’s degree students can also take this course as an elective and earn credit toward a Lakeland graduate degree.

Visit the course webpage to learn more about pricing and to register.