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One of Maria-Alicia’s closely-held values is that we have a responsibility to work with others to improve the quality of life across all communities. For over 20 years, Maria-Alicia has expressed this value by helping non profits develop data-driven, mission-guided insights.
Maria-Alicia began her career at the Chicago Housing Authority using data to inform the development of strategic plans and community revitalization strategies. She then transitioned to consulting becoming Vice President of AREA, Inc., a national research and public policy consulting firm. At AREA, Inc., she supported clients in the public, private and non profit sectors in designing and implementing data collection and insight development strategies. In 2014, Maria-Alicia joined YMCA of the USA (Y-USA), the national resource office for YMCAs in 10,000 communities. As Senior Director of Insights, she oversees insights strategy driving towards the development of timely and actionable data and insights for the 2,700 YMCAs across the U.S.
Maria-Alicia holds a Master of Public Affairs Degree in Urban Management from the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University and Bachelor of Arts Degree in Law, Letters & Society from the University of Chicago. She is also a certified foresight practitioner.
Outside of work, Maria-Alicia enjoys spreading her love of data-based insights into adoption as well volunteering with the Hands of Hope Adoption and Foster Care Ministry and serving on the Associates Board of The Cradle Adoption Agency. When she is not being a data nerd, you can find her walking through her local arboretum with her husband and daughter.
Representing the Center for Business Analytics’ focus on industry collaboration, the biennial initiative spotlights best practices and applauds data-driven business impact. Honorees are selected by a panel of researchers and practitioners who evaluate nominations based on the complexity of the business challenge, the analytics solution implemented and the solution’s business impact on the organization.
The award has honored companies for using analytics to improve decision making, combat crime, help populations in poverty, enhance athletic performance and improve the carbon footprint of their organizations – among many other achievements. Honorees are recognized in a media outlet and invited to an awards ceremony at Drexel University’s Philadelphia campus.
