HDC Governance Committees & Legal

Legal agreements are foundational to the existence of a shared data infrastructure. These legal agreements are created and maintained by the governance structure.

HDC Governenace Committees are set up to ensure the community is meaningfully involved in decisions about what data are collected and share about them with researchers, and to ensure transparency in decision-making.

HDC coordinates three groups for this process.

  • The Executive Board, which makes decisions.

  • The Data Oversight Committee, which provides technical oversight for the approval process.

  • HDC Administrative Staff (part of CTData) and HDC Data Integration Personnel.

Read more about the Governance Committees and Legal Agreements below.

EXECUTIVE BOARD

Purpose: Executive Board provides vision, oversight and leadership for the Hartford Data Collaborative. The Executive Board may convene standing committees as needed. These standing committees may include, but are not limited to:  

  • Data Funders: this committee will be responsible for coordinating funding activities and data requirements for Data Providers and ensuring sustainability for HDC activities. 

  • Data Use Priorities: this committee will be responsible for proposing HDC project ideas and priorities. 

  • Governance & Operations: this committee will be responsible for presenting any updates on documents and process to the full Executive Board, including identifying ex-officio membership.  

  • Membership: this committee will be responsible for nominating a slate of members as vacancies occur.  

Responsibilities:

  • Establish the vision and data priorities for the HDC 

  • Promote and support work of the HDC 

  • Ensure sustainability via fiduciary oversight and fundraising, as needed 

  • Approve and sign off on all HDC legal documentation 

  • Solicit input from community stakeholders and advisory committees as needed 

  • Support procedural activities of HDC staff 

Meeting Schedule: Meets quarterly

 

DATA OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE

Data Oversight Committee Members

  • Christopher Brechlin, Director of Data and Digital Systems, COMPASS Youth Collaborative  

  • Tze Chiam, Senior Director, Health Systems Analytics and Modeling, Connecticut Children’s

  • Ayelet Chozick, Director of Organizational Advancement, COMPASS Youth Collaborative  

  • Meg Feely, Assistant Professor, University of Connecticut  

  • Brett Flodine, Project Leader, Metro Hartford Innovation Services, City of Hartford

  • Shaune Gilbert, Data Manager, ReadyCT

  • Amanda Herzog, Project Leader, City of Hartford Department of Families, Children, Youth, and Recreation

  • Jessica Hollenbach, Assistant Professor, Pediatrics, Connecticut Children’s

  • Laura Holt, Associate Professor of Psychology, Trinity College  

  • Alissa Johnston, Lead Performance Analyst, Capital Workforce Partners

  • Rose Kelly, Data Analyst, CT Coalition to End Homelessness

  • Richard Lindwall, Application Development Coordinator, Hartford Public Schools  

  • Abby Olinger Quint, Senior Director of Data and Accountability, Hartford Public Schools

  • Arnaldo Perez, City of Hartford Department of Families, Children, Youth, and Recreation

  • Kerri Raissan, Associate Professor, University of Connecticut  

  • Joel Sanchez, City of Hartford Department of Families, Children, Youth, and Recreation

  • Noely Sanchez Velez, Administrative Manager & IT Liasion, Community Partners in Action 

  • Ron Schack, Managing Director, Charter Oak Group

  • Gabriella Silverman, Grants & Special Projects Manager, InterCommunity, Inc.

  • Charisse Snipes, Chief Innovation Officer, City of Hartford 

  • Kimberly Williams-Rivera, Senior Director of Management Information Systems & Performance, Our Piece of the Pie

Purpose: Data Oversight Committee provides technical oversight for the Data License Request (DLR) process from the point of application through the production of matched datasets and review of DLR products, including reports. The Data Oversight Committee consists of representatives of HDC Data Providers and Community Members with program, policy, research, evaluation, and data expertise.

Responsibilities:

  • Supports technical activities of staff 

  • Review, rejects, revises, and/or approves Data License Requests 

  • Approves data outputs prior to release to the requestor 

  • Reviews outputs of Data License Requests prior to dissemination 

Meeting Schedule: Meets quarterly

 
 

HDC Legal Agreements

Legal agreements are foundational to the existence of a shared data infrastructure. The following is an overview of HDC Legal Documentation.

  • The EMOU documents the vision, mission, and governance process. The MOU is signed by all Data Providers as they enter the collaboration. The MOU references the Data Sharing Agreement, Data Use License, and policies and procedures for HDC data access and use.

    Each organization who is a data sharing partner of HDC signs the EMOU; with signed copies maintained by HDC. A partner can end their participation with HDC at any time.


  • The DSA includes the specific terms and conditions that govern how data are transferred, stored, and managed within the HDC. This document is signed by involved partners, which could include the CT Data Collaborative, MHIS, and the Data Provider. The DSA references the EMOU and the Data Use License.

    A HDC project may require specific DSAs signed by each Data Provider.

  • The DUL outlines the role and responsibilities of the end user--the licensee. This document includes the project objectives, methodology, data fields, and data security plan including plans to mitigate risk of re-identification, dissemination plan, and timeline of project completion. A completed DUL must be signed by the end user of each approved project prior to data access

  • All non-governmental agency data partners (non-profits) may need to have notice of informed consent for program participants in place prior to data sharing. HDC can provide an informed consent template for Data Providers.