abouT ME
MEENA DAS
CEO
Hi there! I'm Meena. I'm a humanity-centric data and AI equity consultant for nonprofits and social impact agencies. I have a 15+ of experience in the Tech and Nonprofit industry. I support nonprofits in doing their best work using data and AI.
Here are 7 things about me:
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After working for years in data, my work today is designed on the belief that data is that beautiful, powerful thing with which everybody – regardless of our individual identities in this complex world – deserves a meaningful relationship. And the value of that data is not merely in the what but the why (its purpose).
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I am hyper-focused on intentionality behind everything we do with data – because that's not just numbers, charts, and tables. That data represents people, context, history, and perhaps the pain of those we missed to collect.
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That intention translates to everything from consulting (on data collection projects) to workshopping and speaking (on data equity and human-centric artificial intelligence).
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Building community, pushing for continuous earning, and remembering my roots are my most important values in building my work. The truth is, if this work needs to be sustainable for our long-term health, we need to live our values in our actions. An example is - my elaborate self-retreats to remember where I come from before jumping where I want to go.
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I gladly repeat this throughout a project lifecycle to every collaborator: "Let us each play by our strengths". My goal here is two-fold: one, to encourage each individual to recognize and articulate their strengths, and two, to trust in each other's strengths.
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I am grateful for the work we collectively do in this industry because it allows us to explore our humanity deeply – to care and believe in justice, causes, and changes – all patiently for the long-term future.
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Follow my LinkedIn newsletter, data uncollected.
abouT ME
EMMA LEE,
OPERATIONS ASSOCIATE
Hi there! I am Emma, Operations Associate for Namaste Data. Â I am thrilled to be part of this company. To share a little bit about myself, I was born and raised in Canada, lived in Seoul in my early 20s, and now living in New York City. My career is a blend of experience in various roles around people and tech management in various sectors.
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Throughout my journey, I have come to value putting people first while still aiming to be effective and efficient with my why. I am a strong believer in progressing with ethics at the center.
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This is what I like about the community we are building here at Namaste Data. I love contributing my skills in my story to help connect with real humans, real stories in this community. Outside work, I usually take a lot of walks with my German Shepherd dog and toddler; and cook a lot of Korean food.
I am looking forward to meeting you!
abouT ME
DR. ABBE EDELSON,
SENIOR ASSOCIATE
Hi there! I am Abbe Edelson, a researcher and writer with a background in community-based research and community development. Outside my doctorate, I have over 15 years experience working on a range of projects in the nonprofit sector including documenting best practices for developing community hubs (for the Ontario government) and as a researcher for APCOL, an anti-poverty community organizing and learning project.
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My research for her doctoral studies examined individual and collective learning in three community-based planning groups located in Mimico, in southwest Toronto. I earned my PhD in Social Justice Education from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto (2020).
I have an an extensive background in qualitative research, conducting interviews, analyzing data and facilitating focus groups. I have also enjoyed an extensive media career, and worked in radio, television and print.
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I am looking forward to meeting you!