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Practitioners Share Their Best Practices and Lessons Learned (Panel)

Wednesday, December 7, 2022
03:45 PM - 04:45 PM
All Levels

In this closing keynote discussion, successful practitioners will discuss their experiences and lessons learned in implementing and sustaining data governance and data quality programs. Topics will include: 

  • If you had to start over again what would you do differently
  • How did you overcome roadblocks
  • What are the ongoing challenges of sustaining an established program
  • What professional and personal traits do you look for in new hires?
  • How are you measuring your progress and success?
  • What are the secrets to engaging more participation from other departments or lines of business
  • How to expand your program from project level to enterprise data governance


Gretchen Burnham

Gretchen Burnham

Principal Data Management Consultant
First San Francisco Partners

Gretchen Burnham, CDMP is an experienced Data Management Consultant with many years of experience in business metadata management, data governance and stewardship, and product master data management. Gretchen has a strong focus on the concrete delivery of business value through data management and governance best practices.
 
Michael Nicosia

Michael Nicosia

VP, RBS Finance Data, Reporting & Analytics
Retail Business Services (RBS) LLC

Michael Nicosia is a highly skilled and versatile Data Strategy, Governance, and Transformation thought leader with almost 30-years of broad business acumen across different areas, including business strategy, data governance and management, cost optimization, and organizational transformation. Currently, Mr. Nicosia is the Vice President of Data, Reporting & Analytics within the Finance function at Retail Business Services (RBS) LLC — an Ahold Delhaize company. In this role, he is responsible for developing and implementing a Finance Data and Reporting Strategy, the Governance for data and analytics, introducing best practice Data Management activities, and building out a new data and analytics stewardship community.

Prior to this role, Mr. Nicosia was Head of Enterprise Data Governance at TIAA where he was responsible for redesigning and implementing a new risk-based, business-aligned Data Governance framework and operating model.

Heidi Lawson

Heidi Lawson

Director, Workplace Investing Data Enablement
Fidelity Investments

Heidi is currently a Director for Data Enablement at Fidelity Investments, a multinational financial services company. In this role, she is responsible for creating and promoting a culture that continuously improves the understanding, quality, security, and value of Fidelity’s Workplace Investing data while working across business units to influence enterprise-wide alignment.

With nearly 20 years of experience in Business Intelligence, Data Management, Analytics, and Project Management, Heidi has a proven track record of establishing frameworks, standards, processes, and best practices for ensuring the proper valuation, ethical exploitation, and protection of data and analytic assets. Her industry experience spans pharma, healthcare, health insurance, consulting, and financial services

Heidi earned her Master of Science degree in Information Technology Management from North Carolina State University, and her Bachelor of Science degree in Business with a concentration in Accountancy from California State University, Fresno. She is also a certified Project Management Professional.

Randall Huff

Randall Huff

Data Governance Manager
Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina

Randall is a driven leader focused on Data Governance technology, engagement, and processes at Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina. Randall loves opportunities to showcase the great work of his team and progression of the Data Governance journey across the company. He strongly advocates the importance of optimizing data/analytics strategy, data/analytics governance, data quality, information lifecycle management, master data management, and reference data management across any and all industries.
Milda Aksamitauskas

Milda Aksamitauskas

State CDO Network Coordinator
Georgetown University

Milda is an experienced data and analytics strategist. As the first Chief Data Officer at the Wisconsin Department of Justice, she established the data governance and analytics infrastructure from the ground up, started a data governance group, and created the first data catalog. Milda’s professional brand is due to her strong commitment to public service, gained through 20 years of experience working in state and local government. Milda has served as an economist at the Department of Revenue, a senior policy analyst in the Medicaid program, and led a research scientist team at the Office of Health Informatics. She is an invited contributor of posts about government data, including a featured article, "Should a government form ask for your race?" Intrigued by the new possibilities during the pandemic, Milda self-arranged a data governance consulting project in an EU country where she provided expert guidance for a country-wide open data initiative.