Kim Pierson, Interim Director

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Kim Pierson (she/her) is the Interim Director of the RILDS Center, overseeing quantitative and geospatial analytical services to state agencies, academic institutions, and community-based organizations. Over the past 15 years, Kim has served in various capacities, including as a data analyst, director of data analytics, and the program director from 2016-2021. 

Kim holds a  master's degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Illinois.    

Meet Kim: I love the fall and winter months the most, but during summer, you'll find me raising monarch caterpillars and butterflies in my free time. 

Dave Grenier (he/him) is the RILDS Engineering Director, prioritizing RILDS feature development on the RILDS. In 2015, David joined to lead our Engineering Team. He has spent much of his time building a machine learning tool to improve the accuracy and efficiency of data linkage. 

Dave has a master's degree in Applied Mathematics from the University of Rhode Island and a bachelor's degree from the University of Pittsburgh. He has previously worked as a programmer and project manager. 

Meet Dave: I live in Providence with my dog Rottfried Wilhelm Leibniz and cat Sir Isaac Mewton. 

Rockwell Richards (he/him) is a Senior Data Analyst, performing quantitative analyses and producing compelling reports on a integrated, longitudinal data pertaining to critical policy issues. 

In 2022, Rockwell joined RILDS from General Dynamics Electric Boat, where he previously worked as an engineer. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing, both from the University of Rhode Island. 

Meet Rockwell: In the summer I enjoy spending my spare time paddleboarding through the salt ponds of South County. In the winter I spend my time wishing it was summer. Thankfully my season tickets to Rhode Island basketball help me get through it---go Rams!

Akash Shanmugam is a Data Engineer.

Meet Akash: Coming soon!

Sarah Cote (she/her) joined the RILDS teams as a Data Analyst in 2024. She is responsible for performing quantitative analyses and developing insightful visualizations that generate understanding, collaboration, and public good in our state.

A born and raised Rhode Islander, Sarah holds a Master of Social Work degree from Rhode Island College and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Providence College. Prior to joining RILDS, she was the Director for the Health Equity Zone in Cranston. She brings a passion for data democratization, cross-sector collaboration, and supporting opportunities for agencies to infuse data in their work.

Meet Sarah: You can often find me cooking up a new vegetarian recipe, taking a barre or power yoga class, or spending as much time as possible in warm weather with my husband and our 20-year-old long-haired dachshund, Sophie.

Padmashri Saravanan (she/they) is a Data Analyst that joined RILDS in 2024 after completing their Master of Health Science in Epidemiology. They have previously worked as a Data Science Fellow at the National Institutes of Health, have led various data analysis efforts at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, and have been an R educator since 2019. They are also passionate about promoting accessibility in data science education. Padma additionally holds a Master of Science in Mathematics.

Meet Padma: In my spare time, I enjoy trying out new recipes and digging into the lives of reality TV stars. 

Taylor Young (he/they) joined the RILDS team in 2024 as a Data Analyst. They previously worked as an epidemiologist for the Center for Health Equity at Louisville Metro Public Health and Wellness throughout the COVID-19 pandemic as well as in finance and business operations. They are excited to continue their focus and passion for equity through their work at RILDS.

They hold a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree in Epidemiology from the University of Louisville in Kentucky, where they are originally from. 

Meet Taylor: When I am not working, I enjoy cooking/baking, reading, being outdoors, working in the garden, and going on adventures with my husband and our dogs.