ABOUT US

Our Vision

A world where data helps without harm.

Picture of the Data Science Alliance Crew in San Diego.

Our Mission

To build a thriving and sustainable responsible data science and AI ecosystem.

The Data Science Alliance (DSA) is dedicated to using data and AI as a force for good. This technology is advancing faster than ever before, and the need for ethics and safeguards has never been greater. Through our projects, internships, volunteer programs, and events, we’re building a future where these tools work for people, not against them. But we can’t do it alone.

We invite you to join us. With your support, we are fostering a community that inspires, uplifts, and leads ethical innovation.

Two friends and allies embracing each other.

DSA Values

Respect

We value the unique perspectives and ideas that arise from a diverse and inclusive community.

Openness

We strive for honesty and transparency in our projects and operations.

Growth

We’re nurturing a community that is engaged with our mission. We aim to develop as individuals and as a team, inspired to learn, innovate, and collaborate.

Agility

We work to stay ahead of the curve as technological innovations are ever-evolving.

Meet the Board

In 2019, this passionate group of data and tech leaders created the Data Science Alliance as a beacon for those committed to navigating the evolving tech landscape with integrity and purpose.

Board Member Taner Halicioğlu

Taner Halicioğlu

Board Member Dr. Ilkay Altintas

Dr. Ilkay Altintas

Board Member Dr. Bradley Voytek

Dr. Bradley Voytek

Board Member Richard Chute

Richard Chute

Board Member Nedim Halicioğlu

Nedim Halicioğlu

Board Member Kylie Taitano

Kylie Taitano

Board Member Alex Bates

Alex Bates

Meet the Team

We are the builders committed to a future where data scientists and enthusiasts champion the responsible data science principles of Fairness, Transparency, Privacy, and Veracity.

Team Member Patricia Lopez

Patricia Lopez

Executive Director

Team Member Ryan Lopez

Ryan Lopez

Director of Operations
& Projects

Team Member Dr. Adir Mancebo Jr.

Dr. Adir Mancebo Jr.

Data Science Manager

Team Member Phish Jeffrey KnightMoore

Phish Jeffrey KnightMoore

Principle Brand Designer

Team Member Kallyn Hobmann

Kallyn Hobmann

Communications & Marketing Manager

Team Member Orion Tang

Orion Tang

Designer

Team Member Ana Caballero

Ana Caballero

Outreach & Creative Programs Associate

Team Member Shay Samat

Shay Samat

Data Scientist

Part-time and Interns

Our Part-Time workers and interns are vital to building an ecosystem where data science and AI are used responsibly. Through hands-on experience and mentorship, we nurture the next generation of ethical and thoughtful practitioners.

Part-Time Product Designer Jacie Littell

Jacie Littell

Part-Time Product Designer

Part-Time Developer Diego Pereyra

Diego Pereyra

Part-Time Developer

Tamika Hsieh

2D Artist Intern

Ry'Lee Davis

Design Intern

Page Mach

2D Artist Intern

Ryan Soe

Developer Intern

Noael Jabrael

Data Science Intern

Nicole Shirley

Developer/Design Intern

Gabriel Gonsalves

Data Science Intern

Amy Lim

Outreach Intern

Isabelle Sun

Data Science Intern

Clarisa Camacho

2D Artist Intern

The Responsible Data Working Group

This diverse group of professionals and industry leaders generously share their time, insight, and expertise; helping shape our projects and programming.

Working Group Member Rajesh Gupta

Rajesh Gupta

HDSI Director at UCSD

Working Group Member Dr. Katie Shilton

Dr. Katie Shilton

Associate Professor, College of Information Studies at University of Maryland, College Park

Working Group Member Dr. David Danks

Dr. David Danks

Professor of Data Science and Philosophy at UCSD

Working Group Member Di Le

Di Le

Sr. Staff AI/ML Design Strategist

Working Group Member Grant Kluzak

Grant Kluzak

NAVWAR Data Director

Working Group Member Maritza Johnson

Maritza Johnson

Director of Center for Data Science, AI, and
Society at USD

Working Group Member Ion Nemteanu

Ion Nemteanu

AI Consultant

Working Group Member Irene Giannoumis

Irene Giannoumis

Senior Technical Program Manager at Google

Working Group Member Steve Hobmann

Steve Hobmann

Principal Business Analyst
at Amgen

Working Group Member Maria Lupetini

Maria Lupetini

ML/AI Leader & Data
Science Consultant

Working Group Member Vitor Carvalho

Vitor Carvalho

Principal Applied Science Manager at Microsoft

Working Group Member Zhen Zhai

Zhen Zhai

Sr. Manager of Data Science at Blizzard Entertainment

Working Group Member Huy Ly

Huy Ly

CEO of Meijun

Working Group Member G Anthony Reina

G Anthony Reina

Senior Data Scientist at Resilience

Working Group Member Kayla Monnette

Kayla Monnette

UX Designer at Epic

Working Group Member Rakesh Senthilvelan

Rakesh Senthilvelan

Data Scientist at Booz
Allen Hamilton

Working Group Member Bijan Arbab

Bijan Arbab

Director of System Telemetry at Intel

Working Group Member Marianne C. Halloran, PhD

Marianne C. Halloran, PhD

Data Science Manager
at Roche

Taner Halicioğlu

Taner Halicioğlu

Data scientist, startup pioneer, and DSA founder Taner Halicioğlu practiced the art of data science before it had a name—leveraging data in concert with his skills as a software developer and systems engineer, helping tech giants Cisco, LoudCloud, and eBay scale their capacity to match their goals. He continued to turn founders’ visions into realities when he joined Facebook as its first full-time employee. After leaving Facebook in 2009, he was recruited to launch Starcraft 2 successfully for Blizzard—a dream job for a longtime gamer and worldbuilder. In 2017, he established the Halicioglu Data Science Institute at his alma mater, UC San Diego, to expand the practice of data science to solve problems worldwide.

Dr. Ilkay Altintas

Dr. Ilkay Altintas

Dr. Ilkay Altintas earned the moniker “Lady of Fire” for her groundbreaking work using real-time data to predict and contain wildfires. However, as Chief Data Science Officer of the San Diego Supercomputer Center, it's hardly the first thing she's set ablaze. Ilkay is also the Founder and Director of the Workflows for Data Science (WoRDs) Center, and she teaches the next generation of big data experts as a Fellow at the Halicioğlu Data Science Institute. She faces her toughest students, however, when she testifies before Members of Congress, providing instruction on the impact and value of national investment in science.

Dr. Bradley Voytek

Dr. Bradley Voytek

Before Dr. Bradley Voytek was a respected UC San Diego professor and neuroscientist, he was a renegade data scientist revolutionizing transportation at Uber. Brought in to bring direction to the chaos at the nascent startup, he helped Uber use data to change how we move through cities worldwide. Then, Brad dusted off his PhD in Neuroscience from UC Berkeley, determined to bring a data scientist's acumen to traditional research while serving as both a start-up investor and advisor. He is also a founding faculty member at the Halicioglu Data Science Institute and the Neurosciences Graduate Program at UCSD. Brad also moonlights as a consultant to the United States National Academy of Sciences Science & Entertainment Exchange

Richard Chute

Richard Chute

From watching Star Trek in its original run on TV and getting a first-edition copy of Star Wars for Christmas, to watching Cosmos as a young college student, Richard Chute has always been fascinated by space exploration. He is now the Chief Development Officer of The Planetary Society, the world's largest independent space interest group whose mission is to empower the world's citizens to advance space science and exploration. In the workplace, Richard is an advocate for the responsible use of data science. Equipped with a healthy appreciation for science, his path led him to nonprofit fundraising, and he is excited to support the Data Science Alliance's mission to use data science to empower communities.

Nedim Halicioğlu

Nedim Halicioğlu

Not many people who understand cognitive neuroscience become attorneys, and not many attorneys become founders. Nedim Halicioğlu has defied the odds. He has founded several startups and evaluated the prospects of hundreds more. Ned has an eye for finding and elevating talent, and brings an attorney's acuity to the companies he shepherds. He currently handles investment strategies for Keshif Ventures, LLC, and serves on the board of NotesFirst, Inc. — a state-of-the-art medical record app bringing access to underserved communities and emerging markets around the world.

Kylie Taitano

Kylie Taitano

Kylie Taitano is the co-founder and CEO of the nonprofit Code With Her, an organization that empowers thousands of students from underrepresented communities through coding workshops, mentorship, and culturally grounded STEM education. Kylie earned her Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from UC San Diego in 2014 and serves on the department’s Alumni Advisory Board. She began her career at Intuit, where she spent nine years as a Software Engineer before becoming a Software Engineering Manager. Today, she leads a TurboTax Online platform team, serving tens of millions each year. Rooted in her CHamoru heritage, Kylie also serves on the Board of the House of Chamorros in Balboa Park.

Alex Bates

Alex Bates

Alex Bates was drawn into the world of technology because it was rebellious. From hacking schematics from the early Internet as an '80s kid, to publishing a computational solution to diagnose early-stage glaucoma as an undergraduate, Alex has combined data and industriousness to innovate. After applying analytics on some of the world’s largest data warehouses at Teradata, Alex was co-founder and CTO of Mtell, acquired by AspenTech in 2016.

Patricia Lopez

Patricia Lopez

Executive Director

Patricia is a tenacious tech entrepreneur with over 15 years of executive experience. Prior to joining Data Science Alliance, she was the CEO and co-founder of NotesFirst, a cloud-based platform that helps doctors capture and improve the quality of health data in emerging markets of the world. She was selected as a Fellow and Speaker at the 2018 Women's Entrepreneurship Summit held by the United Nations in New York City, and was featured in Forbes' “60 Women-Led Startups That Are Shaking Up Tech Across The Globe”. At the age of 21, Patricia started her first company, LFC Solutions.Net - the first online accounting platform in the Philippines. With her boundless energy and passion for Responsible Data Science, she is determined to help DSA grow.

Ryan Lopez

Ryan Lopez

Director of Operations & Projects

Ryan is a self-described “techpreneur” having contributed to or founded companies in healthcare, IT, and entertainment. Applying his tinkerer and doer mindset he has also taken on various roles within those companies, including: R&D engineer, systems engineer, project manager, software developer, product manager, and CTO. For Ryan, DSA is an inspiration and an incredible opportunity to help evolve the landscape of data analysis and careful application of AI.

Dr. Adir Mancebo Jr.

Dr. Adir Mancebo Jr.

Data Science Manager

Born and raised on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro, Adir fell in love with San Diego when he first visited the US more than a decade ago. A trained economist with over 10 years of experience, Adir earned both his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Economics at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) in Brazil - where he received the award for Best Undergraduate Thesis in the Department of Economics in 2012. He recently earned his PhD in Economics at Florida International University and also holds a Data Scientist Professional Certificate from DataCamp. Adir's passion for problem-solving with data has led him to a career in the exciting world of data science.

Phish Jeffrey KnightMoore

Phish Jeffrey KnightMoore

Principal Brand Designer

Phish has been a designer for 14 years and has a great love for designing products that improve the lives of others. In 2023, Phish started their first company, Corsin Haus Inc, with a focus on providing Product Design, Brand Design, and Design System services to small and medium-sized companies. Phish is passionate about the positive impact that DSA can have on data science practices and is excited to be a part of DSA's continued growth. In addition to their work as a product designer, Phish is also a small farmer and parent to two kids.

Kallyn Hobmann

Kallyn Hobmann

Communications & Marketing Manager

Kallyn is known for uniting the community through authentic storytelling. Before joining Data Science Alliance, she earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a minor in Media Arts, Science & Technology at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. As an anchor and multimedia reporter at an ABC News station, Kallyn spent three years producing dynamic stories that gave others a voice and kept the public well-informed. She now uses her journalistic background to advance the Responsible Data Science conversation with visual and written content that educates and inspires action.

Orion Tang

Orion Tang

Designer

Orion is a recent UC San Diego graduate with a degree in human-computer interaction and a focus on creating intuitive, user-centered designs. He brings a playful lens to function problems, blending creativity with usability. When not designing, Orion is deeply involved in the San Diego dance scene, working towards joining a competitive team in the near future.

Ana Caballero

Ana Caballero

Outreach & Creative Programs Associate

Ana studied at the University of California, San Diego and graduated in June 2025 with a double major in Cognitive Science - design and interaction and International Business, as well as a minor in Computational Social Science. She has previously worked on UI UX design projects as well as company outreach and industry engagement programs for the UC San Diego Career Center. Started as an intern at DSA in June 2024 and continues to explore and develop in the non-profit sector.

Shay Samat

Shay Samat

Data Scientist

Shay brings expertise in machine learning and data science to DSA, holding a B.S. in cognitive science with machine learning specialization from UC San Diego and pursuing an M.S. in computer science with artificial intelligence specialization at Georgia Tech. He specializes in developing predictive models and extracting actionable insights through advanced analytics. A strong advocate for responsible data science, Shay delivers innovative solutions in collaborative environments while maintaining ethical data practices.