Winning Poster Presentations

Congratulations to all of our poster presentation winners! 

Undergraduate Students

1st Place - Monika Vlad - Every Child Deserves to Belong
2nd Place - Dalton Shaver - OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM: Improving Mission Effectiveness by Identifying Trends in Successful Terrorism
3rd Place - Vanessa Sunar - Roller Coasters - What is Your Thrill?

Graduate Students

1st Place - Lythia Amoakon & Maria Casas - Flight Delays: A Feature Importance Analysis
2nd Place - Emma Pham - A Longitudinal Analysis of the Pattern of Change Over Time for Soybean Yield (1990 - 2013) by Country
3rd Place - Lindsay Duncan & Tim Martin - Was Inflation Predictable? Classical vs. Modern Monetary Theory

Agenda

7:30-8:30am: Student Poster Competition Judging (sponsors only)

8:30-10:25am: Student Poster Presentations and Breakfast

10:30am: "Welcome"
Dr. Sumanth Yenduri, Dean, College of Computing and Software Engineering, KSU

10:45am: "Data Science Dollars: Roles, Salaries and Future Trends in Data Science"
Dr. Beverly Wright, Head - Data Science Solutions, Burtch Works

11:15am: "Analytics Careers at CGI"
Doug Leal, Director of Consulting, CGI
Brad Bonner, Director of Consulting, CGI

11:25am: "Analytics Careers at Best Buy"
Wes Straight, Director of Technology Transformation, Best Buy
Warren Hearnes, Vice President, Head of Data Science, Best Buy
Jimmy Hendricks, Senior Director, Data Science, Best Buy

11:35am: "My Research Journey as CSAR Data Scientist and Collaboration with Travelers"
Sudhashree Sayenju, PhD Candidate in Analytics and Data Science, KSU

11:55am: "How Data Analytics are Shaping the Utility of the Future"
Tim Jarrell, Vice President, Power Supply, Rates and DER Strategy, Cobb EMC

12:25: Announcement of Student Poster Presentation Winners
Cheryl Pressley, Data Analytics and Reporting Leader, Southern Company 

Keynote Speakers

Tim Jarrell
Vice President, Power Supply, Rates and DER Strategy
Cobb EMC

Tim Jarrell is vice president of power supply, rates and DER strategy for Cobb EMC. Tim’s team is responsible for all power supply planning, contracts and compliance, residential and commercial rate strategies and distributed energy resource development and strategy. In this role, Cobb EMC has expanded its renewable energy portfolio by 360%, implemented a campus solar and battery energy storage project and is currently implementing a campus microgrid. Prior to this role, Tim served as Cobb EMC’s associate vice president for information system programs and project management office.
Tim has spent 25 years in the energy industry; beginning his career as an electric power trader with SCANA Energy Marketing in 1996. During this time, Tim was a trader in most major markets of the U.S. He later transitioned into a senior rates analyst role working with the gas and electric side of South Carolina Electric & Gas. Later, he became rates manager for SCANA Energy in the deregulated natural gas market in Georgia after completing the Future Leaders in Gas High Tech program at SCE&G. Tim then spent six years as a senior project manager for Energy Consulting, LLC, where he worked on risk management programs and power supply contracts for multiple EMCs.

Tim has received the Project Management Professional Certification (PMP) along with a Six Sigma Black Belt designation.
Tim has a Bachelor’s degree in marketing management from Florida State University, Masters in Organizational Management from University of Phoenix and additional post graduate work in accounting and finance from Keller Graduate School of Management.

Outside of the office, Tim is active in numerous Cobb County community organizations. He serves as Treasurer of the Allatoona High School PTSA, a charter member of the Senior Resource Foundation of Cobb County, Advisory Board member for the Devereux Foundation, 2012 alumni of Leadership Cobb, member of the PMI Atlanta chapter, Georgia Solar Energy Association and SAS Utility Advisory Board.

Tim and his wife Nicole have two adult daughters, Victoria, and Hensley.

Beverly Wright, PhD, CAP
Head - Data Science Solutions
Burtch Works

Dr. Beverly Wright has over 30 years leading and delivering data science and analytics solutions through corporate, consulting, and academic experiences. She has served as executive, leader, and advisor of data science and analytics teams to help provide solutions for solving complex business problems. 

As Head of Data Science Solutions for Burtch Works, Beverly provides guidance to a variety of businesses and non-profit organizations to frame and solve critical issues using modeling and advanced analytics resources.

She also provides executive training for high-level professionals through her role as Director of Data Science at University of Georgia. 

Beverly gives back to her community through operating a nonprofit through Technology Association of Georgia called TAG Data Science & Analytics – FOR GOOD Initiative, where she leveraging volunteers, data, tools, and other resources to tackle community challenges. 

She also serves as Chair for TAG Data Science & Analytics, Chair for INFORMS Analytics Society, Past Chair, INFORMS Analytics Certification Board, Board Member at Georgia Institute of Technology’s Master of Science in Analytics program, Board member at Miami Dade College – AI Program, and podcast host for TAG Data Talk.

Beverly earned a Certified Analytics Professional (CAP®) and possesses a PhD in Marketing Science, MS in Analytical Methods, and BBA in Decision Sciences.

Featured Speakers

Brad Bonner
Director of Consulting
CGI

Doug Leal
Director of Consulting
CGI

Wes Strait
Director of Technology Transformation
Best Buy

Warren Hearnes
Vice President, Head of Data Science
Best Buy

Jimmy Hendricks
Senior Director, Data Science
Best Buy

Sudhashree Sayenju
PhD Candidate, Analytics and Data Science
Kennesaw State University