Folasade Okunlola: Championing Data Analytics and Literacy

Folasade Okunlola, known as Sade to most, is a distinguished name in the field of Data Management and Analytics. With an impressive academic background, including Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science, and a Post Graduate Program in Data Science and Business Analytics, Sade has cemented her place as a thought leader and expert in her field. She is also a Certified Information Professional, Project Management Professional, and Professional Scrum Master.

Sade’s professional journey spans 20 years, during which she has navigated various sectors such as Software Engineering, Manufacturing, Banking, Consulting, and Energy. Her extensive experience has seen her execute and lead numerous projects in software engineering, data quality management, data visualization, digital literacy, and information risk management. She also leverages her expertise by volunteering for non-profits, helping them enhance their community services.

Reflecting on her career choice, Sade shared that her initial ambition was to become a pharmacist, inspired by a beautiful pharmacist she admired during her childhood. However, her path changed when she was introduced to computers. This new-found passion led her to pursue a degree in Computer Science, culminating in a dissertation that combined her interests in medicine and computing, titled “The Design of a Medical Expert System.”

Despite her success, Sade acknowledges the challenges within her field, particularly poor data quality. “Poor quality data leads to poor quality decisions,” she explains, emphasizing the critical need for accurate data to make informed decisions. Securing data ownership at the leadership level is another significant challenge, as it ensures data integrity and high-quality outcomes.

To overcome these challenges and satisfy her clients, Sade dedicates time to understanding their goals, processes, and pain points. Her commitment to continuous learning and professional development has been pivotal in keeping her at the forefront of industry trends and delivering exceptional results.

Among her many accomplishments, Sade has been recognized for developing impactful dashboards that provided critical visibility into process outcomes and data health. This led to significant resource allocation to improve data quality and foster a strong business-IT partnership. Additionally, she played a key role in establishing a customer service capability for a major utility client, enhancing KPIs tracking and analysis.

Looking forward, Sade suggests several strategies for the industry’s betterment. She advocates for robust data literacy programs to empower employees to utilize data effectively. She also emphasizes the importance of enforcing high data quality at the point of capture, suggesting automated verification processes to reduce errors and cleanup efforts. Moreover, she underscores the need for comprehensive data privacy and compliance education to mitigate risks associated with data exposure and regulatory violations.

Sade’s dedication to data analytics and literacy is evident in her weekly LinkedIn articles, “#WannaTalkData,” where she simplifies complex data topics for her audience. Her mission is to inspire and equip others to explore and pursue data analytics confidently.

In an ever-evolving field, Folasade Okunlola continues to be a beacon of knowledge, innovation, and advocacy, driving the importance of data in today’s decision-making processes.