Dear friends and colleagues,
The season of thanksgiving is upon us again.
In reflecting on the many things New Orleans has to be thankful for, we would like to take this moment and this year’s letter of thanks to extend our unconditional support and profound gratitude to Executive Director Allison Plyer for 15 years of tireless commitment to “democratizing data” and what that work has meant for this organization and for our city. We are a better community because of Allison, and we are grateful for her leadership.
Allison has announced that she will serve as Executive Director through the end of her contract in July 2017, after which she will continue to serve as a key content expert and author key publications for The Data Center, while she branches out to tackle new challenges. Between now and July, Allison will work closely with Data Center staff and the Board to successfully transition her role to the new Executive Director.
Not only does Allison leave The Data Center in a sound financial position, the leadership team and uniquely qualified staff of professionals have never been better poised for growth and expansion.
This is not to say that Dr. Allison Plyer’s shoes are to be filled; it is to say that the impression of her footsteps will be carried on.
In considering that legacy, we at The Data Center are grateful for her professional ethics, the academic rigor upon which she insists, and her depth of expertise.
We are grateful to have been the recipients of that expertise as we struggled to understand the incomprehensible post-Katrina situation—working together to figure out how to move forward, and carrying out better decisions in light of the data she showed us how to analyze and use.
We are grateful for her persistent probing and inquiry that inspired us to ask better and more meaningful questions that could be answered with meaningful data and used to make meaningful decisions that continue to have an impact on the lives of New Orleanians.
We are grateful for her deep understanding of data and its importance as an equalizer.
Allison Plyer’s work has enabled us to be better New Orleanians, to make better decisions, and to understand each other better. We will be forever thankful for that.
With gratitude for the enduring commitment to and love for New Orleans that we all share, we wish you all a happy Thanksgiving.
The Data Center Staff and Board of Directors
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The Data Center is supported by Baptist Community Ministries, Booth-Bricker Fund, Mike and Janis Eckert, Entergy Corp., Leslie Jacobs, JPMorgan Chase Foundation, Kabacoff Family Foundation, Keller Family Foundation, Laitram, Methodist Health System Foundation, Roger Ogden, Wayne Pietri, Reily Foundation, RosaMary Foundation, Waggonner & Ball Architects, Walton Family Foundation, United Way of Southeast Louisiana, Whitney Bank, George H. Wilson Jr., and Zemurray Foundation.
