About Us
We are a diverse group of local professionals who help people access data and make it useful in improving community conditions. We help connect people who need data to people who have data and assist in accessing, analyzing, translating, interpreting and presenting data. We can help you ask the right questions to get the right data, put it into a local context, present it visually and put it to work in addressing issues important to you. We subscribe to the principles of the Urban Institute’s National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership and work to democratize data by building local capacity, sharing best practices and helping users sort through the data to surface, explain and address issues of concern. We know this takes technical expertise, knowledge of local context, the ability to convene and collaborate with multiple stakeholders and trust.
Our Team
Dr. Victor Amaya
President and Executive Director
Dr. Victor Amaya’s mission is to ensure that data is not just available, but accessible, actionable, and empowering—so that individuals and organizations can make informed decisions that lead to meaningful change.
Amanda Beavin
Senior Program Manager, Community Data and Research
Amanda helps communities leverage data and stories for change through her expertise in community engagement and geographical research.
Lilliann Paine
Research & Evaluations Program Manager
Lilliann Paine, MPH is a Milwaukee-rooted public health strategist with nearly 20 years of experience using data and evaluation to advance health equity, grounded in cultural humility and a commitment to genuine community voice and ownership.
Amy Rohan
Program Manager, Data Access and Community Engagement
Amy Rohan is an expert in engaging residents on the issues they have identified as priorities and applies this lens when collecting and sharing data.
Michelle Guthrie
Operations Manager
Michelle is committed to strengthening organizational impact by fostering collaboration and streamlining processes, ensuring that accessible, actionable data empowers communities and drives change.
Melanie (Mel) Hernandez
Student Intern
A recent Marquette graduate and current master’s student in Applied Psychology Data Analytics, Melanie Hernandez is dedicated to using data to support informed decision-making and community impact.
Rohan Katti
Senior Program Manager, Data Systems
Rohan is experienced in data management and engaging community stakeholders with the goal of advancing health equity.
Mariana Batalla
Development and Communications Coordinator
Raisa Nafis
Student Intern
Raisa Nafis is a licensed physician from Bangladesh and a Master of Science student in Epidemiology at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. She is passionate about advancing community health and reducing health disparities through public health research and data-driven solutions.
Our Board
Christina Acevedo Packard
Board Treasurer
As a mission-driven financial professional, Christina Acevedo Packard has extensive experience in providing financial management to local, national, and international non-profit organizations.
Maricha Harris
Board Member
Maricha Harris, M.A., is the new Deputy Director for the City of Milwaukee Election Commission. In this role, she works closely with the Executive Director to lead strategic initiatives, oversee projects and serve as an expert in election administration.
T.J. Cobb
Board Chair
T.J. Cobb is a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and is committed to addressing inequities within her community. T.J.’s mission is to inspire and serve others by setting a standard of excellence with integrity and accountability.
Ian B. Bautista
Board Member
Ian B. Bautista serves as the Senior Director of Civic Engagement at the Greater Milwaukee Foundation. He has worked his entire career in the nonprofit and public sectors on the local, regional and national levels.
Mari Almanza
Vice Board Chair
Mari is focused on empowering organizations and communities by harnessing the power of data to address complex challenges and create meaningful solutions.
Cheryl Blue
Board Member
Cheryl Blue was born and raised in Milwaukee, and one of her main goals is to expand Milwaukee’s renaissance to include the 30th Street Industrial Corridor, sparking an economic resurgence for businesses and residents in the area.
Chris Peters
Board Member
Christopher Peters is a registered nurse and assistant professor of nursing in the School of Nursing at UW-Milwaukee.
Our Network
Salma Abadin
Salma Abadin is an Action Researcher and Evaluator with the University of Wisconsin (UW) Population Health Institute with expertise in research design.
Anneliese M. Dickman
Anneliese is a policy researcher and program evaluator. Formerly, she was the research director of Wisconsin’s only non-partisan policy think tank.
Gerardo Mares
Gerardo Mares is a Data Analyst with the Milwaukee Public Schools. He previously worked as a crime analyst for the Milwaukee Police Department.
Mariam Ashour
Mariam Ashour is Trinity Fellow at Marquette University. Before moving to Milwaukee, Mariam worked at the Urban Institute in Washington D.C.
Marques Hogans Sr.
Marques identifies as a Public Health professional with a passion for racial and health equity to influence change for the Social Determinants of Health. He supports DYCU in work involving communities of color and evaluation.
David Pate
David Pate is an expert on low-income African-American men, fatherhood, and child support, and engages with fathers to promote health literacy.
Kris Barnekow, PhD., OTR/L
Kris Barnekow is the owner of Families First, LLC which provides occupational therapy consultation to organizations that serve young children and families.
Sarah Laurent
Sarah Laurent is an Epidemiology PhD candidate at the UW Milwaukee. Her research interests include the effects of the built environment on public health.
Kathleen Pritchard
Katie is the former Executive Director of DYCU. She specializes in helping clients ask the right questions, find the right data, and use it to address community issues.