We recently sat down with Lizzie Reid to hear more about her background and her work with the Good Data Institute. After volunteering on a number of GDI pro-bono data analytics projects across 2019 and 2020 with a variety of NFP organisations including the Hunger Project Australia and 180 Degrees Consulting, Lizzie has been promoted to the GDI Fellow role (project leader). Congratulations Lizzie!
1. Tell us a little about your background. Where did you grow up and what did you want to do when you grew up?
I grew up in Waiuku, which is a small town near Auckland, NZ. I wanted to combine my interest in human physiology with science and technology, so I ended up studying biomedical engineering at the University of Auckland. I have since pivoted to data because it is a great way to apply my math, coding and problem-solving skills to interesting business problems.
2. Where do you currently work and what does your role involve on a day to day basis?
I am a senior consultant in the cloud platforms team at PwC, where I help clients implement large scale digital transformations. I work across engineering and analytics teams to build data platforms on the cloud and then implement analytics use cases to help clients discover actionable insights from their data.
I have just accepted a new role as a data engineer at Kasna, which I will start in March. There I will be working with Google Cloud technology to help clients unlock the potential of their data in the cloud.
3. How did you hear about the Good Data Institute and what made you interested in getting involved?
I saw GDI being promoted on LinkedIn by some friends from uni. I decided to join because I thought it would be a great way to round out my technical data skills and give back to the community through deserving NFP causes.
4. Tell us a little bit about your experiences at GDI so far! What types of projects have you worked on and what have you found most rewarding about them?
I have worked on several GDI projects for causes spanning youth mental health, humanitarian issues and racial inequality. The most rewarding part has been seeing the positive impact I can make by applying my professional skills in a volunteering capacity. It is both gratifying and humbling!
5. What are you most excited about as you move into the Fellow role going forward? What types of NFPs and causes interest you most?
I am most excited about providing GDI with more capacity to link NFPs with our amazing group of volunteers so that we can expand our reach and increase our impact on NFP causes. I am keen to maintain relationships with current NFPs and pursue new opportunities in environmental conversation and sustainable energy.
6. Lastly, what are your favourite hobbies? What’s your favourite way to spend a day off?
I am a keen runner and mostly run longer distance events and trail runs. I have also started rock climbing and enjoy using this to explore beautiful corners of NSW. When I’m at home I love to bake sourdough bread, which is a skill I have been crafting since lockdown!