Analytics+ Essentials Workshop

Sunday, April 12, 2026 from 4 – 6pm

This workshop (formerly Rising Analytics Professionals) is designed for individuals who are new to the analytics profession, including students, recent graduates, those early in their careers, and professionals transitioning into analytics‑related roles. The session is an interactive, hands‑on soft‑skills workshop focused on practical communication and networking strategies that attendees can apply immediately to create positive and meaningful interactions throughout the conference.

Following the workshop, a panel of diverse professionals will share their career journeys and offer candid insights into working in the analytics field. Panelists will discuss their roles, the skills that matter most early in one’s career, and practical lessons learned along the way.

Registration is not required but encouraged.

Additional details and the full agenda will be shared closer to the event.

Soft Skills Workshop

Jessica Weaver, CAP-X

Founder, Mosaic Consulting, LLC

Facilitator

Bio

Jessica Weaver, PhD, is a Certified Analytics Professional – EXPERT (CAP-X), Certified Gallup Strengths Coach, Emotional Intelligence EQ-i 2.0 Coach, and the founder of Mosaic Consulting, LLC, a human-centered consulting firm that appreciates and celebrates the complexity of system-of-systems, human-machine teaming (HMT) in the workplace. With over 20 years of professional experience in operations research, analytics, systems engineering, data governance, and organizational psychology, Dr. Weaver brings a holistic perspective and approach to organizational problem solving, specializing in working with interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary professional teams. She is currently most excited about her coaching and facilitation roles, providing vital professional development and learning in topics such as communication, emotional intelligence, leadership, and change management. Her leadership philosophy is grounded in the belief that “technology does not solve problems; people do. Technology is merely a tool.”

Panel Discussion

Sophia Edwards

Founder and Chief Data and Analytics Officer at Unlocking Analytics

Moderator

Bio

Sophia Edwards is the Founder and Chief Data & Analytics Officer at Unlocking Analytics, where she advises companies on how to use data and AI to create clarity, make better decisions, and drive growth. She brings a blend of technical depth and executive leadership experience, with a track record of building analytics functions from the ground up and helping leadership teams navigate risk, growth, and transformation. Prior to founding Unlocking Analytics, she spent almost eight years at Deinde Financial, where she led analytics across credit, fraud, retention, and profitability, helping scale the business from the ground up. She built a high-retention team, led the development and governance of multiple models, improved portfolio performance, and partnered across marketing, finance, and operations to turn analytics into business results. Earlier in her career, she developed analytics products for Fortune 500 clients, built NLP tools for financial services use cases, and became a co-inventor on two patents in attribution modeling.

Kenza Choukry

Research Data Analyst, IQS Research

Panelist

Bio

Kenza Choukry is a Research Data Analyst at IQS Research with a background in statistics, business analytics, and applied research. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Statistics from San Diego State University and her master’s degree in Business Analytics from the University of Louisville.

Kenza began her career in analytics, focusing on statistical analysis and machine learning to improve business processes and support data-driven decision-making. Over the years, she has developed expertise in analytical methods, data management, business intelligence, and risk assessment tools. In her current role at IQS Research, she develops advanced analytical approaches for a wide range of research projects, helping clients make informed decisions through clear, actionable insights.

She is passionate about using data to make a real-world impact and especially values work that supports communities and meaningful change. Outside of work, Kenza is multilingual in Arabic and French and enjoys tennis, swimming, and cooking.

Vahid Eghbal

Senior Research Scientist, Kinaxis

Panelist

Bio

Vahid is a Senior Research Scientist at Kinaxis, where he works at the intersection of machine learning and operations research to improve large-scale supply chain planning and optimization. Before joining Kinaxis, he was a postdoctoral fellow in the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISyE) at Georgia Tech and part of the NSF AI Institute for Advances in Optimization (AI4OPT). He also holds a PhD in Business Analytics from the University of Iowa, and his work has included applied projects with federal partners such as the FDA, FEMA, and DOT, connecting advanced analytics with practical decision-making in logistics and supply chains.

Thanos Lolos

Principal Data Scientist, Navy Federal Credit Union

Panelist

Bio

Dr. Lolos is a Principal Data Scientist at Navy Federal Credit Union with deep expertise in Operations Research (OR). He specializes in optimization, simulation, machine learning, and AI, leveraging rigorous mathematical modeling to solve complex business problems. He holds both a PhD in OR and an MBA from Georgia Institute of Technology, combining strong analytical depth with strategic insight to drive innovation and deliver high-impact solutions.

Samridhi Vats

Business Analyst, Amazon

Panelist

Bio

Samridhi Vats is an analytics professional at Amazon, where she works at the intersection of data, product, and operations to support decision-making in large-scale systems. Her day-to-day work involves building analytics frameworks, defining metrics, and translating complex data into actionable insights for cross-functional teams.

Prior to Amazon, she pursued her Master’s in Business Analytics at Purdue University and is a Certified Analytics Professional (CAP) through INFORMS. In parallel, Samridhi actively contributes to the analytics community through research engagement and involvement in data-focused communities, and she is passionate about mentoring early-career professionals navigating paths into analytics.

She is particularly interested in bridging industry practice with evolving analytics frameworks and exploring how data can be more effectively leveraged in the age of AI.

Analytics+ Essentials Workshop

Soft Skills Workshop

Jessica Weaver, CAP-X

Facilitator

Panel Discussion

Sophia Edwards

Moderator

Kenza Choukry

Panelist

Vahid Eghbal

Panelist

Thanos Lolos

Panelist

Samridhi Vats

Panelist

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