Jill Walsh Joins Connecticut Data Collaborative

The Connecticut Data Collaborative has announced that Jill Walsh has joined the organization as Geographic Information System (GIS) and Data Analyst. Walsh has extensive experience in analyzing and mapping data for policy makers, creating tailored analyses and presentations on demographic trends for community partners, and working with public and private agencies to inform decision-making.

The Connecticut Data Collaborative (CT Data) is a public-private partnership that advocates for the public availability of open and accessible data, serving nonprofits, advocates, policymakers, community groups, and funders in using data to drive policy and improve programs and services, budgeting and decision making at the state, regional and local levels.

As Data Analyst, Walsh will support CTData’s mission by conducting data and geospatial analyses for initiatives across several areas of CTData, including the Hartford Data Collaborative. She brings a background in city planning, having served as a Geographic Analyst at the New York City Department of City Planning, and is passionate about the responsible use of data for informed community decision-making.

A geographic information system (GIS) is a system that creates, manages, analyzes, and maps all types of data, providing a foundation for mapping and analysis that is used across nearly every industry, including public policy development and analysis. GIS helps users understand patterns, relationships, and geographic context. The benefits include improved communication and efficiency as well as better management and decision making.

Executive Director Michelle Riordan-Nold said that Walsh “is a strong addition to our team, and will play a pivotal role in advancing our work, creating resources and tools to help data users access public data more easily and performing data analysis to help informed decision-making, which is at the core of our work in Connecticut.”

“I’m excited to join the CTData team, and I’m looking forward to supporting organizations across Connecticut in making informed decisions based on responsible data analysis,” said Walsh, who earned a Master of City and Regional Planning at Rutgers University’s Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, and a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies at Fordham University.

In addition to her work with the NYC Department of City Planning, Walsh previously worked with the Municipal Art Society in New York City, New Jersey Bicycle & Pedestrian Resource Center, Metro-North Railroad, and Cities of Service AmeriCorps VISTA in Las Vegas, NV.

CT Data empowers an ecosystem of data users by democratizing access to public data and building data literacy skills. CTData serves residents, nonprofits, policymakers, and funders in using data to drive policy, program, and service improvements. The organization strives to promote and engage data users in implementing equitable data practices across the state.

More than 200 data sets are now accessible to the public on the CTData website, including a wide array of subjects and policy categories. Most recently, CTData has added newly released U.S. Census American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates for Connecticut’s 169 cities and towns, with topics including income, education, housing, remote-working, and more.

Among its areas of responsibility, CTData has been designated as the lead organization for the State of Connecticut in the U.S. Census Bureau’s State Data Center Program and as Connecticut’s official source for data related to the 2020 Census.

CT Data offices are located on Constitution Plaza in downtown Hartford; more information and datasets are available on the website at ctdata.org.