DTS event to explore data’s value in the digital age

Ben Wiles is the inaugural chief data officer at Clemson University, previously serving as inaugural director of institutional effectiveness at Purdue University where he launched enterprise analytics and assessment functions.

He has over twenty years of university teaching experience in mathematics, statistics and education. He has engaged in research projects related to adaptive algorithms for deploying safety systems in passenger vehicles, computational number theory, intelligent tutoring systems, self-determined motivation in undergraduate STEM students and pedagogical methods for teaching cognitively diverse learners of all ages. In his current role, he works to understand how data can facilitate the goals of the university and supports initiatives to realize a more productive data ecosystem.

In support of the profession, he also serves as co-chair of the Higher Education Chief Data Officer Working Group at EDUCAUSE, as an Advisory Board Member for Gartner’s Global Data & Analytics Summit Series and on the Global Editorial Board for CDO Magazine.

Parth Tikiwala is a federal government leader focusing on the intersection of information technology, data and public policy serving in the executive office of the White House.

As the acting director of technology modernization and data and senior policy analyst in the Office of Management and Budget, Parth drives strategic initiatives and innovative solutions that enhance government systems and services. Key among these is the federal data strategy, where Parth serves a pivotal role in iterating and implementing the strategy that helps guide federal agencies.

Parth’s federal career has been marked by impactful contributions through the operationalizing and utilization of data, including senior roles at the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration where he led the agency’s survey methods and enterprise risk management efforts, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, where Parth helped lead the publication of the U.S. Jobs Report.

Parth earned a master's degree in public administration from Harvard Kennedy School, a master in applied economics from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor of science in economics honors from Michigan State University. He is an MBA candidate at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Some of his accolades include earning the prestigious John F. Kennedy Fellowship, merit-based scholarships from the University of Chicago, and the U.S. Labor Secretary's Exceptional Achievement Award.