Advisory Committee

Data for Social Impact (DSI) is an initiative that builds data capacity and collaboration among St. Louis social sector organizations working to increase impact for and with the communities they serve.

As part of this initiative, the SPI is working to develop a set of free, accessible training and programming opportunities tailored to the priorities and needs of social sector organizations seeking to build capacity in these areas. These resources are being designed with community input through roundtables and informed by local experts from our advisory committee. The advisory committee is comprised of local and national experts in creating data-informed impact who are passionate about building local capacity for data within the St. Louis social sector.

The series is made possible through a partnership with the Social Policy Institute at Washington University in St. Louis and Mastercard’s Center for Inclusive Growth and in collaboration with the St. Louis Regional Data Alliance and Data.org.

Advisory Committee (2023-2024)

  • Afua Bruce Founder and Principal, ANB Advisory Group 
  • Karishma Furtado Data and Research Catalyst, Forward Through Ferguson; Equity Scholar, The Urban Institute 
  • Amy Hawn Nelson Director of Training and Technical Assistance, Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy 
  • Jillian Martin Fulbright Scholar, West Africa University of Cape Coast 
  • David Mascarina Senior Manager of Content Design, data.org 
  • Kathryn Pettit Principal Research Associate, Metropolitan Housing and Communities Policy Center at The Urban Institute; Director, National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership, The Urban Institute 
  • Amen Ra Mashariki Director of Data Strategies, Bezos Earth Fund  
  • Riisa Rawlins Chief Operations and Strategy Officer, St. Louis Regional Health Commission 
  • Allie Chang Ray Consultant, Mutare Network  
  • Ness Sandoval Director, Saint Louis University Geospatial Institute 
  • Esther Shin President, Urban Strategies, Inc. 
  • Vetta Sanders Thompson Co-Director, Center for Community Health Partnership and Research; Associate Dean for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, The Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis   
  • Atia Thurman Lecturer, The Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis 
  • Anne Trolard Staff Scientist, Center for Dissemination and Implementation 

Co-Conveners

  • Dan Ferris, Assistant Dean for Policy Initiatives, Social Policy Institute
  • Jenrose Fitzgerald, Program Coordinator, Social Policy Institute
  • Michal Grinstein-Weiss, Director, Social Policy Institute
  • Paul Sorenson, Co-Director, Community Innovation and Action Center, UMSL and Director, St. Louis Regional Data Alliance
  • Sara Mohamed, Equity and Engagement Lead, Community Innovation and Action Center, UMSL