{"id":11588,"date":"2026-02-24T21:51:35","date_gmt":"2026-02-24T21:51:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/?page_id=11588"},"modified":"2026-04-07T16:32:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T16:32:10","slug":"rising-analytics-professionals-workshop","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/rising-analytics-professionals-workshop\/","title":{"rendered":"Analytics+ Essentials Workshop"},"content":{"rendered":"<!--themify_builder_content-->\n<div id=\"themify_builder_content-11588\" data-postid=\"11588\" class=\"themify_builder_content themify_builder_content-11588 themify_builder tf_clear\">\n                    <div  data-css_id=\"c1q7792\" id=\"homepage-intro\" data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_row themify_builder_row fullwidth_row_container tb_c1q7792 tb_first tf_w\">\n                        <div class=\"row_inner col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tf_box tf_rel\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col-full tb_2p8p792 first\">\n                            <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_subrow themify_builder_sub_row tf_w col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tb_7lse792\">\n                <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column sub_column col-full tb_imxj792 first\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_ih0y792   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <h1><strong>Analytics+ Essentials Workshop<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h1>\n<p><strong><em>Sunday, April 12, 2026 from <\/em><\/strong><strong><em>4 &#8211; 6pm\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_row themify_builder_row tb_3zk1649 tf_w\">\n                        <div class=\"row_inner col_align_top tb_col_count_2 tf_box tf_rel\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col4-2 tb_5nqd649 first\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_0dv7869   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p>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\u2011related roles. The session is an interactive, hands\u2011on soft\u2011skills workshop focused on practical communication and networking strategies that attendees can apply immediately to create positive and meaningful interactions throughout the conference.<\/p>\n<p>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\u2019s career, and practical lessons learned along the way.<\/p>\n<p>Registration is not required but encouraged.<\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text --><!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_zy6g273   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p style=\"text-align: left\"><em>Additional\u00a0details and the full agenda will be shared closer to the event.<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text --><!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_pp90358   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <h2>Soft Skills Workshop<\/h2>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_subrow themify_builder_sub_row tf_w col_align_top tb_col_count_2 tb_m94p1\">\n                <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column sub_column col4-2 tb_ozhx1 first\">\n                    <!-- module image -->\n<div  class=\"module module-image tb_5ee5864 image-card-layout   tf_mw\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div class=\"image-wrap tf_rel tf_mw\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/02\/07c5a40cb2a84520b8b2f8f02b5fd1b1-8caba0e3ebcb4cb7a81f6a0696a9a6ee-Jessica_crop_1.jpg\" class=\"wp-post-image wp-image-11396\" title=\"Jessica Weaver, CAP-X\" alt=\"Founder, Mosaic Consulting, LLC\" srcset=\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/02\/07c5a40cb2a84520b8b2f8f02b5fd1b1-8caba0e3ebcb4cb7a81f6a0696a9a6ee-Jessica_crop_1.jpg 300w, https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/02\/07c5a40cb2a84520b8b2f8f02b5fd1b1-8caba0e3ebcb4cb7a81f6a0696a9a6ee-Jessica_crop_1-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>    \n        <\/div>\n    <!-- \/image-wrap -->\n    \n        <div class=\"image-content\">\n                    <h3 class=\"image-title\">\n                                    Jessica Weaver, CAP-X                            <\/h3>\n                        <div class=\"image-caption tb_text_wrap\">\n            Founder, Mosaic Consulting, LLC        <\/div>\n        <!-- \/image-caption -->\n            <\/div>\n    <!-- \/image-content -->\n        <\/div>\n<!-- \/module image -->        <\/div>\n                    <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column sub_column col4-2 tb_zhgr29 last\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_cga2605   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <h4>\u00a0Facilitator<\/h4>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text --><!-- module accordion -->\n<div  class=\"module module-accordion tb_qqu9323 \" data-behavior=\"toggle\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n    \n    <ul class=\"ui module-accordion   tb_default_color\">\n            <li>\n            <div class=\"accordion-title tf_rel\">\n                <a href=\"#acc-qqu9323-0\" class=\"tb_title_accordion\" aria-controls=\"acc-qqu9323-0-content\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n                    <i class=\"accordion-icon\"><svg  class=\"tf_fa tf-ti-plus\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><use href=\"#tf-ti-plus\"><\/use><\/svg><\/i>                    <i class=\"accordion-active-icon tf_hide\"><svg  class=\"tf_fa tf-ti-minus\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><use href=\"#tf-ti-minus\"><\/use><\/svg><\/i>                    <span class=\"accordion-title-wrap\">Bio<\/span>                <\/a>\n            <\/div><!-- .accordion-title -->\n            <div id=\"acc-qqu9323-0-content\" data-id=\"acc-qqu9323-0\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"accordion-content tf_hide tf_clearfix\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_subrow themify_builder_sub_row tf_w col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tb_g4n9921\">\n                <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column sub_column tb_va63921 first\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_v1lw921   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p><strong>Jessica Weaver, PhD<\/strong>, is a Certified Analytics Professional \u2013 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 <strong>\u201ctechnology does not solve problems; people do. Technology is merely a tool<\/strong>.<strong>\u201d<\/strong><\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <\/div><!-- .accordion-content -->\n        <\/li>\n        <\/ul>\n\n<\/div><!-- \/module accordion -->        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n        <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_zkdu377   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <h2>Panel Discussion<\/h2>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_subrow themify_builder_sub_row tf_w col_align_top tb_col_count_2 tb_qqlo844\">\n                <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column sub_column col4-2 tb_74h4844 first\">\n                    <!-- module image -->\n<div  class=\"module module-image tb_4vbk844 image-card-layout   tf_mw\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div class=\"image-wrap tf_rel tf_mw\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"634\" height=\"749\" src=\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/04\/Sophia-Edwards-headshot.jpeg\" class=\"wp-post-image wp-image-12815\" title=\"Sophia Edwards\" alt=\"Founder and Chief Data and Analytics Officer at Unlocking Analytics\" srcset=\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/04\/Sophia-Edwards-headshot.jpeg 634w, https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/04\/Sophia-Edwards-headshot-254x300.jpeg 254w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 634px) 100vw, 634px\" \/>    \n        <\/div>\n    <!-- \/image-wrap -->\n    \n        <div class=\"image-content\">\n                    <h3 class=\"image-title\">\n                                    Sophia Edwards                            <\/h3>\n                        <div class=\"image-caption tb_text_wrap\">\n            Founder and Chief Data and Analytics Officer at Unlocking Analytics        <\/div>\n        <!-- \/image-caption -->\n            <\/div>\n    <!-- \/image-content -->\n        <\/div>\n<!-- \/module image -->        <\/div>\n                    <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column sub_column col4-2 tb_imw7844 last\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_y7r4844   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <h4>Moderator<\/h4>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text --><!-- module accordion -->\n<div  class=\"module module-accordion tb_kz1w844 \" data-behavior=\"toggle\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n    \n    <ul class=\"ui module-accordion   tb_default_color\">\n            <li>\n            <div class=\"accordion-title tf_rel\">\n                <a href=\"#acc-kz1w844-0\" class=\"tb_title_accordion\" aria-controls=\"acc-kz1w844-0-content\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n                    <i class=\"accordion-icon\"><svg  class=\"tf_fa tf-ti-plus\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><use href=\"#tf-ti-plus\"><\/use><\/svg><\/i>                    <i class=\"accordion-active-icon tf_hide\"><svg  class=\"tf_fa tf-ti-minus\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><use href=\"#tf-ti-minus\"><\/use><\/svg><\/i>                    <span class=\"accordion-title-wrap\">Bio<\/span>                <\/a>\n            <\/div><!-- .accordion-title -->\n            <div id=\"acc-kz1w844-0-content\" data-id=\"acc-kz1w844-0\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"accordion-content tf_hide tf_clearfix\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_subrow themify_builder_sub_row tf_w col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tb_6eyf844\">\n                <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column sub_column tb_q0wk844 first\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_dks8844   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p><strong>Sophia Edwards<\/strong> is the Founder and Chief Data &amp; 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.<\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <\/div><!-- .accordion-content -->\n        <\/li>\n        <\/ul>\n\n<\/div><!-- \/module accordion -->        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_subrow themify_builder_sub_row tf_w col_align_top tb_col_count_2 tb_w5i5434\">\n                <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column sub_column col4-2 tb_k2bu434 first\">\n                    <!-- module image -->\n<div  class=\"module module-image tb_bqxi434 image-card-layout   tf_mw\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div class=\"image-wrap tf_rel tf_mw\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"634\" height=\"784\" src=\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/04\/Kenza-headshot.jpg\" class=\"wp-post-image wp-image-12827\" title=\"Kenza Choukry\" alt=\"Research Data Analyst, IQS Research\" srcset=\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/04\/Kenza-headshot.jpg 634w, https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/04\/Kenza-headshot-243x300.jpg 243w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 634px) 100vw, 634px\" \/>    \n        <\/div>\n    <!-- \/image-wrap -->\n    \n        <div class=\"image-content\">\n                    <h3 class=\"image-title\">\n                                    Kenza Choukry                            <\/h3>\n                        <div class=\"image-caption tb_text_wrap\">\n            Research Data Analyst, IQS Research        <\/div>\n        <!-- \/image-caption -->\n            <\/div>\n    <!-- \/image-content -->\n        <\/div>\n<!-- \/module image -->        <\/div>\n                    <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column sub_column col4-2 tb_fr13434 last\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_hq9l434   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <h4>Panelist<\/h4>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text --><!-- module accordion -->\n<div  class=\"module module-accordion tb_acq8434 \" data-behavior=\"toggle\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n    \n    <ul class=\"ui module-accordion   tb_default_color\">\n            <li>\n            <div class=\"accordion-title tf_rel\">\n                <a href=\"#acc-acq8434-0\" class=\"tb_title_accordion\" aria-controls=\"acc-acq8434-0-content\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n                    <i class=\"accordion-icon\"><svg  class=\"tf_fa tf-ti-plus\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><use href=\"#tf-ti-plus\"><\/use><\/svg><\/i>                    <i class=\"accordion-active-icon tf_hide\"><svg  class=\"tf_fa tf-ti-minus\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><use href=\"#tf-ti-minus\"><\/use><\/svg><\/i>                    <span class=\"accordion-title-wrap\">Bio<\/span>                <\/a>\n            <\/div><!-- .accordion-title -->\n            <div id=\"acc-acq8434-0-content\" data-id=\"acc-acq8434-0\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"accordion-content tf_hide tf_clearfix\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_subrow themify_builder_sub_row tf_w col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tb_lolu925\">\n                <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column sub_column tb_041c925 first\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_p8ye925   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-weight: bold\">Kenza Choukry<\/span> is a Research Data Analyst at IQS Research with a background in statistics, business analytics, and applied research. She earned her bachelor\u2019s degree in Statistics from San Diego State University and her master\u2019s degree in Business Analytics from the University of Louisville.<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">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.<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">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.\u00a0<\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <\/div><!-- .accordion-content -->\n        <\/li>\n        <\/ul>\n\n<\/div><!-- \/module accordion -->        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_subrow themify_builder_sub_row tf_w col_align_top tb_col_count_2 tb_6jtq711\">\n                <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column sub_column col4-2 tb_2x79711 first\">\n                    <!-- module image -->\n<div  class=\"module module-image tb_75vu711 image-card-layout   tf_mw\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div class=\"image-wrap tf_rel tf_mw\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"2560\" src=\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/04\/Vahid-Eghbal-scaled.jpg\" class=\"wp-post-image wp-image-12826\" title=\"Vahid Eghbal\" alt=\"Senior Research Scientist, Kinaxis\" srcset=\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/04\/Vahid-Eghbal-scaled.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/04\/Vahid-Eghbal-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/04\/Vahid-Eghbal-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/04\/Vahid-Eghbal-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/04\/Vahid-Eghbal-1536x2048.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/>    \n        <\/div>\n    <!-- \/image-wrap -->\n    \n        <div class=\"image-content\">\n                    <h3 class=\"image-title\">\n                                    Vahid Eghbal                            <\/h3>\n                        <div class=\"image-caption tb_text_wrap\">\n            Senior Research Scientist, Kinaxis        <\/div>\n        <!-- \/image-caption -->\n            <\/div>\n    <!-- \/image-content -->\n        <\/div>\n<!-- \/module image -->        <\/div>\n                    <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column sub_column col4-2 tb_0rde711 last\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_kmxi711   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <h4>Panelist<\/h4>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text --><!-- module accordion -->\n<div  class=\"module module-accordion tb_ydpw711 \" data-behavior=\"toggle\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n    \n    <ul class=\"ui module-accordion   tb_default_color\">\n            <li>\n            <div class=\"accordion-title tf_rel\">\n                <a href=\"#acc-ydpw711-0\" class=\"tb_title_accordion\" aria-controls=\"acc-ydpw711-0-content\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n                    <i class=\"accordion-icon\"><svg  class=\"tf_fa tf-ti-plus\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><use href=\"#tf-ti-plus\"><\/use><\/svg><\/i>                    <i class=\"accordion-active-icon tf_hide\"><svg  class=\"tf_fa tf-ti-minus\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><use href=\"#tf-ti-minus\"><\/use><\/svg><\/i>                    <span class=\"accordion-title-wrap\">Bio<\/span>                <\/a>\n            <\/div><!-- .accordion-title -->\n            <div id=\"acc-ydpw711-0-content\" data-id=\"acc-ydpw711-0\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"accordion-content tf_hide tf_clearfix\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_subrow themify_builder_sub_row tf_w col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tb_h2zc711\">\n                <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column sub_column tb_m0h9711 first\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_v35u711   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size: 12.0pt;font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-weight: bold\">Vahid<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12.0pt;font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif\"> 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.<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12.0pt;font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif\"><br><!--[endif]--><\/span><\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <\/div><!-- .accordion-content -->\n        <\/li>\n        <\/ul>\n\n<\/div><!-- \/module accordion -->        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_subrow themify_builder_sub_row tf_w col_align_top tb_col_count_2 tb_vbf4348\">\n                <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column sub_column col4-2 tb_ze5d348 first\">\n                    <!-- module image -->\n<div  class=\"module module-image tb_wbxk348 image-card-layout   tf_mw\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div class=\"image-wrap tf_rel tf_mw\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"270\" height=\"370\" src=\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/04\/Lolos_Thanos.jpg\" class=\"wp-post-image wp-image-12833\" title=\"Thanos Lolos\" alt=\"Principal Data Scientist, Navy Federal Credit Union\" srcset=\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/04\/Lolos_Thanos.jpg 270w, https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/04\/Lolos_Thanos-219x300.jpg 219w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 270px) 100vw, 270px\" \/>    \n        <\/div>\n    <!-- \/image-wrap -->\n    \n        <div class=\"image-content\">\n                    <h3 class=\"image-title\">\n                                    Thanos Lolos                            <\/h3>\n                        <div class=\"image-caption tb_text_wrap\">\n            Principal Data Scientist, Navy Federal Credit Union        <\/div>\n        <!-- \/image-caption -->\n            <\/div>\n    <!-- \/image-content -->\n        <\/div>\n<!-- \/module image -->        <\/div>\n                    <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column sub_column col4-2 tb_5lmh348 last\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_9vl5348   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <h4>Panelist<\/h4>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text --><!-- module accordion -->\n<div  class=\"module module-accordion tb_0miz348 \" data-behavior=\"toggle\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n    \n    <ul class=\"ui module-accordion   tb_default_color\">\n            <li>\n            <div class=\"accordion-title tf_rel\">\n                <a href=\"#acc-0miz348-0\" class=\"tb_title_accordion\" aria-controls=\"acc-0miz348-0-content\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n                    <i class=\"accordion-icon\"><svg  class=\"tf_fa tf-ti-plus\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><use href=\"#tf-ti-plus\"><\/use><\/svg><\/i>                    <i class=\"accordion-active-icon tf_hide\"><svg  class=\"tf_fa tf-ti-minus\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><use href=\"#tf-ti-minus\"><\/use><\/svg><\/i>                    <span class=\"accordion-title-wrap\">Bio<\/span>                <\/a>\n            <\/div><!-- .accordion-title -->\n            <div id=\"acc-0miz348-0-content\" data-id=\"acc-0miz348-0\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"accordion-content tf_hide tf_clearfix\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_subrow themify_builder_sub_row tf_w col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tb_wixu348\">\n                <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column sub_column tb_zmwa348 first\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_88qi348   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"font-size: 12.0pt;font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif\"><span style=\"font-weight: bold\">Dr. Lolos<\/span> is a Principal Data Scientist at\u00a0Navy Federal Credit Union\u00a0with 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\u00a0Georgia Institute of Technology, combining strong analytical depth with strategic insight to drive innovation and deliver high-impact solutions.<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12.0pt;font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif\"><!--[endif]--><\/span><\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <\/div><!-- .accordion-content -->\n        <\/li>\n        <\/ul>\n\n<\/div><!-- \/module accordion -->        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_subrow themify_builder_sub_row tf_w col_align_top tb_col_count_2 tb_247c831\">\n                <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column sub_column col4-2 tb_9hhu831 first\">\n                    <!-- module image -->\n<div  class=\"module module-image tb_kbx0831 image-card-layout   tf_mw\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div class=\"image-wrap tf_rel tf_mw\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/04\/Samridhi-Vats-headshot.jpeg\" class=\"wp-post-image wp-image-12844\" title=\"Samridhi Vats\" alt=\"Business Analyst, Amazon\" srcset=\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/04\/Samridhi-Vats-headshot.jpeg 683w, https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/04\/Samridhi-Vats-headshot-200x300.jpeg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/>    \n        <\/div>\n    <!-- \/image-wrap -->\n    \n        <div class=\"image-content\">\n                    <h3 class=\"image-title\">\n                                    Samridhi Vats                            <\/h3>\n                        <div class=\"image-caption tb_text_wrap\">\n            Business Analyst, Amazon        <\/div>\n        <!-- \/image-caption -->\n            <\/div>\n    <!-- \/image-content -->\n        <\/div>\n<!-- \/module image -->        <\/div>\n                    <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column sub_column col4-2 tb_twj0831 last\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_r74z831   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <h4>Panelist<\/h4>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text --><!-- module accordion -->\n<div  class=\"module module-accordion tb_ru4g831 \" data-behavior=\"toggle\" data-lazy=\"1\">\n    \n    <ul class=\"ui module-accordion   tb_default_color\">\n            <li>\n            <div class=\"accordion-title tf_rel\">\n                <a href=\"#acc-ru4g831-0\" class=\"tb_title_accordion\" aria-controls=\"acc-ru4g831-0-content\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n                    <i class=\"accordion-icon\"><svg  class=\"tf_fa tf-ti-plus\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><use href=\"#tf-ti-plus\"><\/use><\/svg><\/i>                    <i class=\"accordion-active-icon tf_hide\"><svg  class=\"tf_fa tf-ti-minus\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><use href=\"#tf-ti-minus\"><\/use><\/svg><\/i>                    <span class=\"accordion-title-wrap\">Bio<\/span>                <\/a>\n            <\/div><!-- .accordion-title -->\n            <div id=\"acc-ru4g831-0-content\" data-id=\"acc-ru4g831-0\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"accordion-content tf_hide tf_clearfix\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_subrow themify_builder_sub_row tf_w col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tb_0ghu831\">\n                <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column sub_column tb_f11d831 first\">\n                    <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_t501831   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <p><strong>Samridhi Vats<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n<p>Prior to Amazon, she pursued her Master\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <\/div><!-- .accordion-content -->\n        <\/li>\n        <\/ul>\n\n<\/div><!-- \/module accordion -->        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_subrow themify_builder_sub_row tf_w col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tb_zxnf221\">\n                <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column sub_column col-full tb_t4tu221 first\">\n                            <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                    <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col4-2 tb_zvxn92 last\">\n                            <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n                        <div  data-anchor=\"interest\" data-css_id=\"qe2w956\" id=\"updates\" data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_row themify_builder_row fullwidth_row_container tb_has_section tb_section-interest tb_qe2w956 tf_w\">\n            <span  class=\"builder_row_cover tf_abs\" data-lazy=\"1\" id=\"updates\"><\/span>            <div class=\"row_inner col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tf_box tf_rel\">\n                        <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column tb-column col-full tb_1v92956 first\">\n                            <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_subrow themify_builder_sub_row tf_w col_align_top tb_col_count_1 tb_7jyw268\">\n                <div  data-lazy=\"1\" class=\"module_column sub_column tb_8x8t174 first\">\n                            <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n        <!-- module text -->\n<div  class=\"module module-text tb_m78o956   \" data-lazy=\"1\">\n        <div  class=\"tb_text_wrap\">\n        <h2>Interested in learning more?<\/h2>\n<p>Sign up to receive email updates when new information becomes available.<\/p>\n<script charset=\"utf-8\" type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"https:\/\/js.hsforms.net\/forms\/v2.js\"><\/script>\n            <script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n                hbspt.forms.create({\n                    portalId: \"3449182\",\n                    formId: \"2724aa04-19a3-49f0-a991-baddd0911aa0\"\n                });\n            <\/script>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<!-- \/module text -->        <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n<!--\/themify_builder_content-->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Analytics+ Essentials Workshop\u00a0 Sunday, April 12, 2026 from 4 &#8211; 6pm\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1001147,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-11588","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","has-post-title","has-post-date","has-post-category","has-post-tag","has-post-comment","has-post-author",""],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v26.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Analytics+ Essentials Workshop - 2026 INFORMS Analytics+ Conference<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"This workshop 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.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/rising-analytics-professionals-workshop\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Analytics+ Essentials Workshop - 2026 INFORMS Analytics+ Conference\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"This workshop 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.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/rising-analytics-professionals-workshop\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"2026 INFORMS Analytics+ Conference\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/INFORMSpage\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-07T16:32:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/02\/07c5a40cb2a84520b8b2f8f02b5fd1b1-8caba0e3ebcb4cb7a81f6a0696a9a6ee-Jessica_crop_1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"300\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"300\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@INFORMS\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/rising-analytics-professionals-workshop\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/rising-analytics-professionals-workshop\/\",\"name\":\"Analytics+ Essentials Workshop - 2026 INFORMS Analytics+ Conference\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/rising-analytics-professionals-workshop\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/rising-analytics-professionals-workshop\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/02\/07c5a40cb2a84520b8b2f8f02b5fd1b1-8caba0e3ebcb4cb7a81f6a0696a9a6ee-Jessica_crop_1.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-02-24T21:51:35+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-07T16:32:10+00:00\",\"description\":\"This workshop 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.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/rising-analytics-professionals-workshop\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/rising-analytics-professionals-workshop\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/rising-analytics-professionals-workshop\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/02\/07c5a40cb2a84520b8b2f8f02b5fd1b1-8caba0e3ebcb4cb7a81f6a0696a9a6ee-Jessica_crop_1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/02\/07c5a40cb2a84520b8b2f8f02b5fd1b1-8caba0e3ebcb4cb7a81f6a0696a9a6ee-Jessica_crop_1.jpg\",\"width\":300,\"height\":300,\"caption\":\"Jessica Weaver, CAP-X Founder Mosaic Consulting, LLC\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/rising-analytics-professionals-workshop\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Analytics+ Essentials Workshop\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/\",\"name\":\"2026 INFORMS Analytics+ Conference\",\"description\":\"April 12 \u2013 14\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/#organization\",\"name\":\"INFORMS\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2022\/03\/INFORMS_Logo_full_color.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2022\/03\/INFORMS_Logo_full_color.jpg\",\"width\":300,\"height\":72,\"caption\":\"INFORMS\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/INFORMSpage\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/INFORMS\",\"http:\/\/instagram.com\/informs_orms\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/groups\/82644\/profile\",\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/informs\/_saved\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/INFORMSonline\",\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Institute_for_Operations_Research_and_the_Management_Sciences\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Analytics+ Essentials Workshop - 2026 INFORMS Analytics+ Conference","description":"This workshop 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.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/rising-analytics-professionals-workshop\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Analytics+ Essentials Workshop - 2026 INFORMS Analytics+ Conference","og_description":"This workshop 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.","og_url":"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/rising-analytics-professionals-workshop\/","og_site_name":"2026 INFORMS Analytics+ Conference","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/INFORMSpage\/","article_modified_time":"2026-04-07T16:32:10+00:00","og_image":[{"width":300,"height":300,"url":"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/02\/07c5a40cb2a84520b8b2f8f02b5fd1b1-8caba0e3ebcb4cb7a81f6a0696a9a6ee-Jessica_crop_1.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_site":"@INFORMS","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/rising-analytics-professionals-workshop\/","url":"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/rising-analytics-professionals-workshop\/","name":"Analytics+ Essentials Workshop - 2026 INFORMS Analytics+ Conference","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/rising-analytics-professionals-workshop\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/rising-analytics-professionals-workshop\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/02\/07c5a40cb2a84520b8b2f8f02b5fd1b1-8caba0e3ebcb4cb7a81f6a0696a9a6ee-Jessica_crop_1.jpg","datePublished":"2026-02-24T21:51:35+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-07T16:32:10+00:00","description":"This workshop 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.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/rising-analytics-professionals-workshop\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/rising-analytics-professionals-workshop\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/rising-analytics-professionals-workshop\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/02\/07c5a40cb2a84520b8b2f8f02b5fd1b1-8caba0e3ebcb4cb7a81f6a0696a9a6ee-Jessica_crop_1.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/02\/07c5a40cb2a84520b8b2f8f02b5fd1b1-8caba0e3ebcb4cb7a81f6a0696a9a6ee-Jessica_crop_1.jpg","width":300,"height":300,"caption":"Jessica Weaver, CAP-X Founder Mosaic Consulting, LLC"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/rising-analytics-professionals-workshop\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Analytics+ Essentials Workshop"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/#website","url":"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/","name":"2026 INFORMS Analytics+ Conference","description":"April 12 \u2013 14","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/#organization","name":"INFORMS","url":"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2022\/03\/INFORMS_Logo_full_color.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2022\/03\/INFORMS_Logo_full_color.jpg","width":300,"height":72,"caption":"INFORMS"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/INFORMSpage\/","https:\/\/x.com\/INFORMS","http:\/\/instagram.com\/informs_orms","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/groups\/82644\/profile","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/informs\/_saved\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/INFORMSonline","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Institute_for_Operations_Research_and_the_Management_Sciences"]}]}},"builder_content":"<h1><strong>Analytics+ Essentials Workshop<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h1> <p><strong><em>Sunday, April 12, 2026 from <\/em><\/strong><strong><em>4 - 6pm\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>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\u2011related roles. The session is an interactive, hands\u2011on soft\u2011skills workshop focused on practical communication and networking strategies that attendees can apply immediately to create positive and meaningful interactions throughout the conference.<\/p> <p>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\u2019s career, and practical lessons learned along the way.<\/p> <p>Registration is not required but encouraged.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left\"><em>Additional\u00a0details and the full agenda will be shared closer to the event.<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2>Soft Skills Workshop<\/h2>\n<img src=\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/02\/07c5a40cb2a84520b8b2f8f02b5fd1b1-8caba0e3ebcb4cb7a81f6a0696a9a6ee-Jessica_crop_1.jpg\" title=\"Jessica Weaver, CAP-X\" alt=\"Founder, Mosaic Consulting, LLC\" srcset=\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/02\/07c5a40cb2a84520b8b2f8f02b5fd1b1-8caba0e3ebcb4cb7a81f6a0696a9a6ee-Jessica_crop_1.jpg 300w, https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/02\/07c5a40cb2a84520b8b2f8f02b5fd1b1-8caba0e3ebcb4cb7a81f6a0696a9a6ee-Jessica_crop_1-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/> <h3> Jessica Weaver, CAP-X <\/h3> Founder, Mosaic Consulting, LLC\n<h4>\u00a0Facilitator<\/h4>\n<ul><li><h4>Bio<\/h4><p><strong>Jessica Weaver, PhD<\/strong>, is a Certified Analytics Professional \u2013 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 <strong>\u201ctechnology does not solve problems; people do. Technology is merely a tool<\/strong>.<strong>\u201d<\/strong><\/p><\/li><\/ul>\n<p><strong>Jessica Weaver, PhD<\/strong>, is a Certified Analytics Professional \u2013 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 <strong>\u201ctechnology does not solve problems; people do. Technology is merely a tool<\/strong>.<strong>\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>Panel Discussion<\/h2>\n<img src=\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/04\/Sophia-Edwards-headshot.jpeg\" title=\"Sophia Edwards\" alt=\"Founder and Chief Data and Analytics Officer at Unlocking Analytics\" srcset=\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/04\/Sophia-Edwards-headshot.jpeg 634w, https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/04\/Sophia-Edwards-headshot-254x300.jpeg 254w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 634px) 100vw, 634px\" \/> <h3> Sophia Edwards <\/h3> Founder and Chief Data and Analytics Officer at Unlocking Analytics\n<h4>Moderator<\/h4>\n<ul><li><h4>Bio<\/h4><p><strong>Sophia Edwards<\/strong> is the Founder and Chief Data &amp; 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.<\/p><\/li><\/ul>\n<p><strong>Sophia Edwards<\/strong> is the Founder and Chief Data &amp; 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.<\/p>\n<img src=\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/04\/Kenza-headshot.jpg\" title=\"Kenza Choukry\" alt=\"Research Data Analyst, IQS Research\" srcset=\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/04\/Kenza-headshot.jpg 634w, https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/04\/Kenza-headshot-243x300.jpg 243w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 634px) 100vw, 634px\" \/> <h3> Kenza Choukry <\/h3> Research Data Analyst, IQS Research\n<h4>Panelist<\/h4>\n<ul><li><h4>Bio<\/h4><p>Kenza Choukry is a Research Data Analyst at IQS Research with a background in statistics, business analytics, and applied research. She earned her bachelor\u2019s degree in Statistics from San Diego State University and her master\u2019s degree in Business Analytics from the University of Louisville.<\/p> <p>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.<\/p> <p>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.\u00a0<\/p><\/li><\/ul>\n<p>Kenza Choukry is a Research Data Analyst at IQS Research with a background in statistics, business analytics, and applied research. She earned her bachelor\u2019s degree in Statistics from San Diego State University and her master\u2019s degree in Business Analytics from the University of Louisville.<\/p> <p>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.<\/p> <p>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.\u00a0<\/p>\n<img src=\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/04\/Vahid-Eghbal-scaled.jpg\" title=\"Vahid Eghbal\" alt=\"Senior Research Scientist, Kinaxis\" srcset=\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/04\/Vahid-Eghbal-scaled.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/04\/Vahid-Eghbal-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/04\/Vahid-Eghbal-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/04\/Vahid-Eghbal-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/04\/Vahid-Eghbal-1536x2048.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/> <h3> Vahid Eghbal <\/h3> Senior Research Scientist, Kinaxis\n<h4>Panelist<\/h4>\n<ul><li><h4>Bio<\/h4><p>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.<br><\/p><\/li><\/ul>\n<p>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.<br><\/p>\n<img src=\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/04\/Lolos_Thanos.jpg\" title=\"Thanos Lolos\" alt=\"Principal Data Scientist, Navy Federal Credit Union\" srcset=\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/04\/Lolos_Thanos.jpg 270w, https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/04\/Lolos_Thanos-219x300.jpg 219w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 270px) 100vw, 270px\" \/> <h3> Thanos Lolos <\/h3> Principal Data Scientist, Navy Federal Credit Union\n<h4>Panelist<\/h4>\n<ul><li><h4>Bio<\/h4><p>Dr. Lolos is a Principal Data Scientist at\u00a0Navy Federal Credit Union\u00a0with 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\u00a0Georgia Institute of Technology, combining strong analytical depth with strategic insight to drive innovation and deliver high-impact solutions.<\/p><\/li><\/ul>\n<p>Dr. Lolos is a Principal Data Scientist at\u00a0Navy Federal Credit Union\u00a0with 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\u00a0Georgia Institute of Technology, combining strong analytical depth with strategic insight to drive innovation and deliver high-impact solutions.<\/p>\n<img src=\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/04\/Samridhi-Vats-headshot.jpeg\" title=\"Samridhi Vats\" alt=\"Business Analyst, Amazon\" srcset=\"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/04\/Samridhi-Vats-headshot.jpeg 683w, https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/files\/2026\/04\/Samridhi-Vats-headshot-200x300.jpeg 200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/> <h3> Samridhi Vats <\/h3> Business Analyst, Amazon\n<h4>Panelist<\/h4>\n<ul><li><h4>Bio<\/h4><p><strong>Samridhi Vats<\/strong> 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.<\/p> <p>Prior to Amazon, she pursued her Master\u2019s 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.<\/p> <p>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.<\/p><\/li><\/ul>\n<p><strong>Samridhi Vats<\/strong> 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.<\/p> <p>Prior to Amazon, she pursued her Master\u2019s 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.<\/p> <p>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.<\/p>\n<h2>Interested in learning more?<\/h2> <p>Sign up to receive email updates when new information becomes available.<\/p> <p>[hubspot_form id=\"2724aa04-19a3-49f0-a991-baddd0911aa0\"]<\/p>","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/11588","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1001147"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11588"}],"version-history":[{"count":64,"href":"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/11588\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12846,"href":"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/11588\/revisions\/12846"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/meetings.informs.org\/wordpress\/analytics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11588"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}