Board member: Welcome Kate!
Welcome to our new board member, community representative Kate Vang. Kate has been an active member of the DataKind UK community since 2015, previously serving as Chapter Lead, where she helped grow its incredible community of volunteers. She first built a career in investment management, then pivoted to pursue her passions for data science and social impact, in large part catalysed by attending her first DataKind UK DataDive project.
Can you tell us about your background and your current role as Data Science Manager at Facebook?
I am passionate about data as a tool to help us challenge our understanding of the complex systems we inhabit: our societies, economies, and technologies. But it took me a while to figure out how to connect the dots between my passion and my professional career.
Even though I coded as a kid and did well in a C programming class at university, I didn’t put those pieces together early on and instead focused on economics for my undergrad in the States. I moved to the UK to finish my degree and do graduate studies in philosophy.
Through several chance events, I started my career working on the trading desk of an investment fund during the global financial crisis. By 2015 I was ready to embrace the idea of data science, and also to pivot my focus towards social impact. I did a lot of volunteering with DataKind UK, including as chapter lead for their Community Committee, and also started a consultancy to work on projects with NGOs. In 2017 I became the first data scientist at The ONE Campaign, an international advocacy organization committed to ending extreme poverty.
In my current role as Data Science Manager, I work on Facebook’s Community Integrity team that aims to protect the community and build safe environments. I support a team of data scientists and partner closely with engineers, product managers, researchers and designers to ensure that our product strategy is informed by data and that we are all maximising progress towards shared, measurable goals.
What led to your interest in social sector data use?
One day a friend mentioned that his colleague had attended a data hackathon that weekend, and the whole event was oriented towards supporting charities with their data. Something inside me clicked, and I asked him to get more details.
That’s what led me to my first DataKind UK DataDive in July 2015. I met so many inspiring, brilliant, and inclusive people that weekend, all collaboratively channelling their technical skills towards real social impact. It was a pivotal moment for me: I left that event knowing that I had found the ingredients to my future professional path.
What excites you about your new role as DataKind UK board member?
After several years being deeply embedded in the DataKind UK volunteer community, I am really excited to bring that perspective to the board. Our volunteers and charity partners are the engine of DataKind UK’s impact, so I will be focused on how the board supports this community to be sustainable, diverse and continually thriving.
And part of my excitement feels very personal: since DataKind UK has given me so much along my journey, it means a lot to have this opportunity to be a steward of its future.
What else are you passionate about?
These days I recharge by gardening, knitting, running, sewing, and lacing up my hiking boots for long walks in the countryside. Music is also a big passion, and I’ve sung in choirs or played in orchestras for most of my life. As a relatively new mom, I’m still working out how to fit in music ensembles with my work and family commitments. In my earlier life I was very active in amateur theatre and opera — my as-yet-unfulfilled secret dream is to perform as a member of a professional opera chorus.
