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Melanie “Mel” Bowdish (she/her) serves as the Director of RILDS and its center, leading a team of engineers and analysts to align state data with agency leaders' priorities across sectors. With expertise in state education, employment, and health data—combined with experience in emerging technology services—Mel is dedicated to advancing RILDS’s mission and supporting the economic success of the Rhode Island community.
A graduate of Brown University’s Urban Education Policy (UEP) Master’s program, Mel brings rich academic experience in educational and workforce policy. Her early career experience includes working with the RILDS as a data analyst and leading the data dashboard production team during the Rhode Island COVID-19 Response. Most recently, she gained experience in the private sector, specializing in professional technology services.
Meet Mel: Outside of work, you can find me at the local farmer’s market, sipping a good cup of coffee or exploring new walking trails around the state with my husband and our dog.
Kim Pierson (she/her) provides transition support to the new RILDS Center's Director, ensuring continuity and alignment. She has held roles including data analyst, director of data analytics, and program director (2016–2021), bringing over 16 years of experience in quantitative and geospatial analysis to support state agencies, academic institutions, and community organizations.
Kim holds a master's degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Illinois.
Meet Kim: I love living in a place with all four seasons, especially fall and winter. While I’m not typically outdoorsy, during spring and summer, you might find me raising monarch caterpillars and butterflies in my free time.
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.
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