Data in the D

Technology EN ↓ 6 episodes

Data in the D is a deep, friendly, no-BS look into Detroit’s data community and the people who make the Motor City move. We mix interviews and conversations with local leaders and practitioners covering data leadership, practitioner perspectives, building data teams, and bringing modern tech into legacy organizations. Brought to you by the team behind the Data in the D conference. Check us out at datainthed.org

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Data in the D

Episodes

Is Using AI On Your Homework Cheating? AI's Impact on Childhood and Education 09.07.2026 49:04

Detroit's data community goes home for this one. Ryan and Aaron are joined by Mary Wilkerson (theology teacher with 25 years working with adolescents — and Aaron's wife) and John Breyer (Director of Partnerships at Longbeard, the Catholic AI company behind Magisterium AI) to talk about what AI is actually doing to kids in classrooms and living rooms. What we cover: - Why students genuinely...

The Detroit Data Engineering Squad 03.06.2026 39:43

This week on Data in the D , Ryan Dolley and Aaron Wilkerson sit down with Harini Rajagopal from AAA Life , Pete Cooney from Jackson National Life , and Jason Touleyrou from Parable to talk about what’s really happening in data engineering. Cloud modernization, AI pressure, cost control, ontology, enterprise architecture, and the messy reality behind the hype straight from practitioners building t...

Navigating a Wild Data Job Market with Michael Butts and Jeff Wohlgamuth of Burtchworks 04.05.2026 34:42

Is the data job market broken — or just reshuffled? The vibes are all over the place. Some people have tons of opportunities; others have been job hunting for six months. What separates the two camps? Ryan and Aaron sit down with Jeff Wolgamuth and Michael Butts from Birchworks, a 19-year executive search firm specializing in data engineering, data science, and AI placements, to get the real story...

Gen Z Data Careers with Lilah Kole 01.04.2026 30:34

What's it like trying to build a data career in 2026? Lilah Kole is 26, based in metro Detroit, and has already stacked an impressive resume — from decision science at IPG Media Brands to Power Platform development at Webasto and Agri, with stops at startups and steel companies in between. Ryan and Aaron sit down with Lilah to get the perspective that most data podcasts miss: what it actually...

Why 'I'm a Data Person' Isn't a Career Anymore | Scott Smith, Wit Solutions 28.02.2026 29:06

Scott Smith has spent 20 years leading analytics consulting at Wit Solutions in Detroit — from the Business Objects and Qlikview days through Power BI and now AI. In this episode, we dig into why just being "a data person" won't cut it anymore, what mid-market companies actually need from their data teams, how vibe coding is shaking up enterprise consulting, and Scott's blunt adv...

Birth of Data in Detroit 30.01.2026 34:42

The founders of Data in the D share the story behind Detroit’s fastest-growing data community—why it started, how the conference came together, and what’s next for analytics data leaders, engineers, and BI teams in the Motor City. Follow us at datainthed.org Featuring Aaron Wilkerson, Ryan Dolley, Jason Touleyrou and Dom Leo.