Faces of Shift with Nate Sullivan of Education Analytics
One of the best parts of our community at Shift Workspaces is getting to know our members. We enjoy being able to learn more about what everyone does not just on a professional level, but on a personal one as well. We recently had the chance to learn more about Nate Sullivan of Education Analytics and we hope you enjoy getting to learn more about him as well – Take a look!
Tell us about the work you do at Education Analytics?
Education Analytics is a non-profit education research company. Our projects are all in the K-12 education field, but we tackle a wide range of topics: growth & proficiency analysis, HR and teacher retention, social emotional learning, college and career readiness and educator-prep program analysis. I manage a portfolio of these projects, conducting a lot of research using statistical programming code (R & SQL) and creating reports and online tools to communicate our findings.
Since COVID hit last Spring, my team has developed an online tool for teachers and various education leaders. Our goal is to help teachers get to know their students during this remote-learning experience. We track student progress and compare their current projections with where they most likely would have been if it were not for the COVID disruption.
How did you discover and begin your own journey with this career?
In college I taught Math and Spanish and tutored struggling grade schoolers, but I knew I did not want to be a teacher. My senior year I started working part-time at Education Analytics and quickly discovered I could use my Economics and Math experience to research a wide variety of education policies. Once I graduated, they gave me a full-time offer and I have been here for over six years! Who says millennials do not stick around?!
What about your job inspires you?
Our mission is to improve educational outcomes for K-12 students across the country by using data and rigorous research to drive policy decision-making. It is a motivating mission and I remind myself of it when day-to-day tasks get mundane.
What is a piece of advice you would give to someone who is just starting out in your industry?
It’s easy to get lost in the world of data analysis and to forget what you are looking for and what problem you are trying to solve. I constantly remind myself what my ultimate goal is, balancing what is worth investigating and what I should set aside.
What do you think has contributed to your success?
My coworkers inspire me and are some of my favorite people. Finding a balance between hard work and relaxation has also been critical.
What do you all enjoying doing in your spare time?
Cooking, camping, board games, playing the guitar and sports (soccer, biking, skiing, tennis).
As a longtime member of Shift Workspaces, tell us what makes you want to continue to grow here?
I really enjoy getting to know the variety of people that work at Shift. I love to see George & Madison in the gym and chatting with Claudia in the kitchen always brightens my day!
If you would like to learn more about Nate and his company, feel free to visit their Website as well as their LinkedIn.
