Conference Speakers

Alysha works as Senior Policy Analyst with the Partnership for Strong Communities, bringing extensive experience in fiscal policy and public finance from roles in Connecticut, Utah, and Washington, D.C. Alysha holds an MPP from George Washington University.Her specialty and interests include Community Engagement, Curriculum Development, Learning Experience Design, Project-Based Learning, Social Learning, Training Evaluation, Project Management, Design Thinking, Workshop Facilitation, and Accessibility and Universal Design for Learning.

Kelly McElwain is Director of Research at the Public and Affordable Housing Research Corporation, overseeing the National Housing Preservation Database and leading research on housing preservation, climate risk exposure, and initiatives that improve resident outcomes.

Experienced epidemiology data analyst with Yale’s Emerging Infections Program, leading data extraction, workflow development, and environmental exposure analyses to strengthen surveillance and advance understanding of respiratory disease risks.

Anthony works with stakeholders around the country to build collaborative approaches to complex political and financial problems. He was formerly managing director of the Pension Integrity Project and director of economic research at Reason Foundation. Anthony graduated from New York University with a multidisciplinary M.A. in behavioral political economy.

Kaitlyn Maurais, MPH, CPS, is a Prevention Professional at Hartford HealthCare Rushford, where she coordinates the Middletown Prevention Council and leads community-based initiatives focused on youth substance misuse prevention and mental health promotion. A Connecticut native, Kaitlyn began her prevention journey as a member of her local prevention coalition and REACT youth group in Clinton.

Melvette Hill is a civic leader with over 25 years of experience engaging families in communities through her work in corporate, government, and non-profit organizations. She is a passionate advocate, committed to ensuring that everyone has access and opportunity to engage in this democracy.

Yukiyo Iida brings over 20 years of experience engaging families, youth, and communities. She believes in the power of parent leadership and system capacity building to advance equity, build partnerships, and drive policy change.

Megan Baker pairs her expertise in mixed-methods research and public policy to drive legislative initiatives for Asian American Pacific Islanders across Connecticut. She is deeply committed to telling their stories through data equity and inclusion.

Suzannah Holsenbeck is Executive Director of Read to Grow, Connecticut's premier early literacy nonprofit. She leads statewide efforts to expand book access and help every child build a strong foundation for lifelong learning.

Kimberly Montero, MBA, FACHDM, is Administrative Director for Women's Health at Hartford Hospital and a Data Governor for Hartford HealthCare. She leads strategic initiatives to improve care, foster collaboration, and advance women's health outcomes.

State Rep. Robin Comey represents Branford's 102nd District. A leader on education and human services, she champions early childhood, literacy, and special education while advancing policies that support Connecticut's children and families.

Jennifer Sussman is a Research Associate II in the UConn Health Department of Public Health Sciences, and Coordinator for the DMHAS-funded Center for Prevention Evaluation and Statistics (CPES). She has several decades of experience in substance use program evaluation and research.

With a background in graphic design, Wenyu Xie 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.

Kate Bittinger Eikel serves as the Data Integration Strategist for the Hartford Data Collaborative, an integrated data project at CTData working with nonprofit organizations, public agencies, and philanthropic partners in Hartford. As Director of the Hartford Youth Data Fellowship program, she recruits and trains Hartford youth ages 17-24 in data analysis and research skills to co-develop community projects. Her prior experience includes program evaluation and project management in the private, nonprofit, and public sectors. Kate holds a bachelors degree from Barnard College, Columbia University and a master’s in public policy from the University of Chicago- Harris School of Public Policy. 

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 traveling.

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.

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 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.

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.

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 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 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.

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.