With Wednesday’s appointment of its first chief data officer, the city of Rochester joins a select group of municipalities nationwide.
As Rochester’s data boss, Dhimant Master will oversee the implementation of a data strategy and foster an evidence-based culture in the city workforce.
“Dhimant Master brings a deep insight into the dynamic applications of data and will help us improve customer service and develop even more effective programs that deliver measurable results for the people of Rochester,” says Mayor Malik Evans. “The city data strategy and the data maturity of our workforce are critical components of our efforts to create a safe, equitable and prosperous Rochester by inspiring hope and delivering opportunity for everyone.”
Master is tasked with advancing the city’s ability to apply data to evaluate programs, implement policies and make decisions. He will work with departmental leaders, staff, and other stakeholders to better integrate data analysis into city operations and measure the effectiveness of city services for Rochester’s residents, employers and visitors, officials say. Master is expected to advise the mayor and senior administration leaders as well.
“Throughout my career, I have cultivated a passion for fostering data-driven cultures and leveraging data to drive meaningful insights and outcomes,” Master says.
The position, which was advertised earlier this year, reports to the deputy mayor.
Master is also responsible for the city’s participation in Bloomberg Philanthropies’ What Works Cities Certification process to work toward a standard of excellence for data-driven, well-managed local government.
Two years ago, Rochester was one of 11 cities worldwide to be inducted in Bloomberg’s City Data Alliance. The alliance provides premier consultation, coaching, and peer-city engagement on the use of data to strengthen and innovate municipal services, the city says.
Last year, Evans, with other mayors, signed a declaration, which in part reads: “We believe that data is one of the most valuable tools for effective public sector administration and management. We believe in leveraging data—and increasing the capacity of our government—to understand resident needs and inform solutions that move our cities forward.”
Master’s position is a result of this commitment to use data to effect lasting change. Most recently, Master was head of business intelligence, analytics, data and robotics process automation at Crown Castle, a communications infrastructure company.
He is completing his graduate degree in data science from Harvard University, which adds to two others from the University of Rochester and Syracuse University.
Smriti Jacob is Rochester Beacon managing editor. The Beacon welcomes comments and letters from readers who adhere to our comment policy including use of their full, real name. Submissions to the Letters page should be sent to [email protected].
Maybe…just maybe, the Data-Driven results will point to an education issue. You know, the one that has existed in Urban Rochester for decades now. Maybe, this data will be looked at seriously and it will discover the obvious….WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE EDUCATION ISSUE IN THE URBAN SECTOR. If you get this data and you don’t act on it, you won’t get the desired results. One the data points out the obvious, do something. Address the decades long education failure. The Charter schools seem to considerably better with less. Could it be the paid RCSB? Maybe the Teachers Union (Adam Urbanski)? Or maybe a combination working together with a poor outcome. I agree, drill Dihmant, DRILL.
Rochester, welcome to Data-Driven, a process perfected by business that can also create spectacular improvements in value when applied to government.
This can only work if the data and the analysis are both fully transparent. Doing the smoky back room processes in a computer adds nothing except expense.
I looked on the Bloomberg site… sadly, nothing but handwaving. Not one dataverified success story. So, I remain hopeful but skeptical. This organization appears based on my quick tour of the site appears to have nothing to offer Rochester.
We are a data rich community e.g. I am familiar with the high quality of our health data interchange data systems, for example. Data is the new oil. Dihmant, lets drill!