Annual Connecticut Data Conference Upcoming Nov. 9 & 10

On November 9 and 10, people across Connecticut with an interest in how data is used in government, business and the private sector will convene online for the Connecticut Data Collaborative’s 2020 Conference, Data for Everybody: Ethical Practices, Equitable Solutions.

During the two-day virtual conference, attendees will:

• Learn how to meaningfully engage the community and apply ethical and equitable data practices
• Hear about ongoing initiatives to address inequities through data in Connecticut
• Develop new connections with other data users

The Connecticut Data Collaborative (CTData) is a statewide public-private partnership that focuses on ensuring that public data is open and accessible. This year’s annual statewide conference explores the intersection of equity and ethics in data, to help data users in Connecticut integrate these principles and practices into daily data work.

The conference will open on Monday, November 9 with remarks by Michelle Riordan-Nold, Executive Director of CTData, and Bishop John Selders, Director of Moral Monday CT and the Assistant Dean of Students at Trinity College. The Tuesday, November 10 conference sessions will open with a morning keynote panel discussing Systemic Inequities Revealed by Covid, featuring two state Commissioners: Beth Bye of the Office of Early Childhood and Vanessa Dorantes of the Department of Children and Families.

Sessions on both days of the virtual conference (November 9 and 10) will be held via Zoom, with the same link providing access on both days. The conference will begin at 11 AM and go until 4 PM each day, with a break from 12 PM – 1 PM for lunch. The event is free of charge, and will not be recorded.

Individuals interested in attending can reserve a place by using this link to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/data-for-everybody-ethical-practices-equitable-solutions-registration-122732150165 . Advance registration is required.

“This conference will provide people throughout the state with an opportunity to learn about the significant role that data plays when it comes to ethical and equitable practices, in the health care field and throughout the public and private sectors,” said Michelle Riordan-Nold, Executive Director at Connecticut Data Collaborative. “Whether you are a decision-maker who needs to understand how to use data, or a person interested in data who wants to learn new skills and experience new opportunities, this conference will provide that for you.”

On the conference’s opening day, in addition to the keynote speakers, six additional experts in their respective fields will be sharing their perspectives. Discussing Equitable Data Collection to Promote Health Equity in an hour-long session will be:

• Chavon Hamilton, Founder/Executive Director of the Hartford Health Initiative
• Orlando Velazco, Health Equity Director at the Office of Health Equity at the Connecticut Department of Public Health
• Marie Spivey, Principal at SEET Consultants

Leading an afternoon session on Systemic Change through Data Sharing will be:

• Kim Oliver, Director of the Department of Families, Children, Youth and Recreation for the City of Hartford
• Richard Gold, Independent Consultant
• Ajit Gopalakrishnan, Chief Performance Officer at Connecticut State Department of Education

On November 10, the afternoon sessions will include two panels discussing the intersection of equity and ethics in data.

Exploring the topic Beyond Redlining: Re-imagining Housing Policy in Connecticut will be:

• Finnoula Darby-Hudgens, Director of Operations at Connecticut Fair Housing Center
• Kiley Gosselin, Executive Director at Partnership for Strong Communities
• Melissa Marichal, Staff Attorney at Connecticut Fair Housing Center

The panel on Co-Creating Equity though Participatory Research will include:

• Sue Gallagher (Ed.D.), Chief Innovation Officer at Children’s Services Council of Broward Country
• Carl Dasse (Ph.D.), Senior Data Systems and Evaluation Manager at Children’s Services Council of Broward County

Also included on the schedule are networking/input sessions each day; topics each day will be Voting Data & Equity and Ethics in Data Community of Practice on November 9 and Equity in the State Data Plan on November 10. The full conference schedule can be seen at www.ctdata.org/conference-about.

CTData, as an advocate for accessible data, runs the CTData Academy, so individuals, businesses and organizations can become more informed data users and critical data consumers. The Data Academy accomplishes this through informational sessions and workshops throughout the year to help participants become more comfortable with using and disseminating data.

In addition to CTData Academy, CT Data provides customized data training, hosts easy-to-use, downloadable data, creates customized data visualizations and interactive data tools, provides data consulting services, and supports a community of data users through events and conferences.

More than 200 data sets are now accessible to the public on the CTData website, including a wide array of subjects and policy categories. CTData was recognized in 2020 by the Connecticut Entrepreneur Awards in the Education category. More information is available at www.ctdata.org.