All About Me - Alayna Daws
Introduction
Hi, my name is Alayna Daws. As a Customer Insights Analyst in the SaaS space, I have had the privilege of working in a fast-paced, collaborative environment where insights I uncover drive impactful decisions. I’m passionate about transforming messy data into clear, actionable insights that empower cross-functional teams to optimize their strategies and performance. I am a Summa Cum Laude graduate from the University of Georgia, holding both a Master of Science and a Bachelor of Science degree in Statistics. I am a third-generation UGA graduate and believe my blood truly runs red and black.
Why Statistics?
My path to statistics has been a little unconventional. I began college pursuing an education in microbiology with the goal to become a virologist. During my first semester at UGA, I took a biostatistics course. This course introduced me to a profession that combined my love for science, love for math, and desire to help others. My first biostatistics professor encouraged me to add a statistics minor, so I added a minor in statistics that evening. Since then, my statistics minor evolved into a major, and I further advanced my studies by earning a graduate degree in Statistics. Statistics has empowered me to better contribute to research in every stage of the scientific process from experimental design to exploratory data analysis. I love that statistics grants me the ability to “play in everyone’s backyard” (John Tukey)!
Background
I’ve always thrived in environments where teamwork and collaboration are key. As a Customer Insights Data Analyst, I’ve had the chance to work in a small team where each person’s contributions really matter. My role involves cleaning and maintaining complex datasets, ensuring data integrity, and delivering insights that help marketing, sales, customer experience, and customers make more informed decisions.
I love turning data into stories, whether through automated reports, interactive dashboards, or presentations. I’ve worked across departments, transforming complex data into visuals and insights that speak to different audiences. From identifying trends to designing predictive models and streamlining reporting processes with Python, I find creative ways to make data actionable for various stakeholders.
I help stakeholders understand the “so what” behind the numbers, enabling data-driven decision-making and optimizing business strategies. My passion is using data to inform the bigger picture and drive meaningful actions.
Technical Skills
I have extensive experience working with R Markdown and R tidyverse, Python, SQL, Git, Qualtrics, and Microsoft Office. These tools allow me to clean, analyze, and visualize data in ways that are both meaningful and actionable for stakeholders across the business. I have utilized HEX for dashboarding, enabling teams to access real-time insights more efficiently.
Academic Background
For my MS degree, I completed a thesis focused on quantifying spatiotemporal relationships among hurricane impacts, social vulnerability, and community resilience, using COVID-19 deaths per capita as a variable. This work gave me experience in statistical modeling and the power of data in addressing real-world challenges.
During my graduate studies, I had the opportunity to serve as a teaching assistant for the statistics capstone course, guiding 22 senior students across 7 research projects. This experience opened my eyes to the joy of supporting diverse projects and collaborating with others to solve complex problems. Over the course of my studies, I assisted with five courses, including Statistical Capstone Course I & II, Applied Regression Analysis, Statistical Methods, and Introduction to Statistical Methods I.
Future Goals
Looking ahead, my goal is to continue using data to help people and organizations make informed, impactful decisions. I’m excited by the opportunity to work alongside talented teams, uncovering insights that empower others and turning complex data into clear, actionable stories.
I’m passionate about advancing my technical skills and working with larger datasets to uncover deeper insights. By improving processes through automation and creating intuitive visualizations, I aim to make data more accessible and impactful for those who need it most.
Life Outside of the Office
My most cherished time is time spent with my family. My younger brother is attending UGA, and I enjoy visiting him in Athens. My guilty pleasure is watching ’80s rom-coms.
Fun Fact
In the Summer of 2019, I attended a camp in West Virginia called the National Youth Science Camp (NYSC). While at NYSC, I met two people from every state in the United States as well as people from 10 different countries across the Americas! NYSC was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. We had no cell service or internet access during the four-week camp. This really gave me an opportunity to connect with other people my age who were just as passionate about science. I also took part in many outdoor activities I never imagined trying, such as a 20-mile mountain biking excursion, whitewater kayaking, and even attending a concert in a cave. Additionally, we conducted various science experiments and attended lectures by leading scientists and doctors from all over the country. One of the most incredible experiences was holding a human heart in my hands.
