The APDU Annual Conference takes place each year in the Washington, DC area. It brings together data users and producers for discussions and presentations on a wide range of topics, including:
- Statistical policy
- Data collection, production, and delivery
- Emerging data issues
- Relevant data dissemination technologies
For more information or sponsorship opportunities, please contact us at info@APDU.org.
Details on past conferences are provided below.
2024 Annual Conference

2024 Annual Conference
Unlocking the Power of Public Data
July 23-24, 2024
Georgetown University Capitol Campus
500 First St NW
Washington, D.C. 20001
One of the few constants in the world is change – our lives, towns, neighborhoods and economic conditions are continuously changing over time. Public data are a democratic means to track these changes since they are available to advocates, businesses, journalists, public employees, scientists, think tanks, and the public at large. Join us to discuss how data are used by a variety of stakeholders to reveal these trends at the 2024 Annual Conference: Unlocking the Potential of Public Data.
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2023 Annual Conference

2023 APDU Annual Conference:
Expanding the Universe of Public Data
Date: July 25 – 26, 2023
Location: Amazon Skills Center, 1550-G Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA 22202
Public data doesn’t need to just refer to the federal statistical system: there is a universe of publicly available data coming from a variety of sources including state and local governments and nonprofits. There is an opportunity to unlock the value of public data by examining its multidimensionality across federal, state, and local levels. Come to APDU’s 2023 Annual Conference to explore this expanding universe of public data!
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2022 Annual Conference

2022 APDU Annual Conference
Date: September 20, 2022
Location: Westin Arlington Gateway (Arlington, VA)
It’s been three years since APDU held an in-person annual conference, and much has changed in public data. Several Federal statistical agencies have new leadership, public data has come under increasing scrutiny, and innovative new research has taken the use of public data in new directions.
Attend the 2022 APDU Annual Conference to learn more about the future of public data – attendees will hear from leaders such as Census Bureau Director Rob Santos. Join us for a networking lunch and happy hour at the end of the day to reconnect with peers.
- Reconnect with other public data users
- Influence the future of equity in public data
- Celebrate (or critique) the state of public data
Included in your conference registration fee there are additional opportunities to learn and engage. We’ve talked collectively for years about the Future of Work – well, over the past two years, we’ve lived it! What does that mean now? With the changing world, what does the future of our communities, data, and working world look like?
APDU is partnering with the Community Indicators Consortium (CIC) and the Projections Managing Partnership (PMP) on content throughout the week. Your registration for the APDU Annual Conference will also provide access to the CIC and PMP conferences in the days following the September 20 event. Registration does not include the PMP Summit on Friday, September 23rd, that day is by invitation only.
Join APDU, CIC, and the LMI Institute September 20 – 23 to hear from experts and data leaders about current innovations and ideas in the public data, community indicators, and projections data space. To learn more about each event, explore the detailed agendas.
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2021 Annual Conference

With economic, public health, and governance challenges arising from COVID-19 and political polarization, trustworthy public data is vital to open and honest policy debates. Federal statistical data is used to understand the shifting American landscape, helping make sense of the new normal at work, in our communities, in governance – the list goes on. With trust in institutions waning among some, accurate public data can help restore trust and encourage cooperation.
Register today for the APDU Virtual Annual Conference to be a part of this important discussion. APDU is where users, producers, and disseminators of government statistical data come together to learn of changes in public data, provide feedback to statistical agencies, and share best practices in the use of data.
2020 Annual Conference

#Trending in 2020: Data Privacy, Accuracy, and Access
July 27-31, 2020
Virtual Conference
Trending issues in the world of data – issues of privacy, accuracy, and access – are profoundly changing how we think about the collection, production, sharing, and use of data. Register for the APDU Annual Conference today to learn how the coronavirus is impacting public data and evidence-based policymaking. Attendees will also hear about outcomes from the decennial census and the privacy and public health issues that are impacting it in 2020.
APDU is excited to announce that we are delivering the conference virtually through Whova, a conference management app. Conference sessions have been spread over the week to give attendees more flexibility. We have lowered registration fees by 40% to account for the changes, but are working to encourage engagement with other attendees, speakers, and sponsors through Whova app features. Cancellation fees will not apply.
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2018 Annual Conference
Day 1
8:00 am – 8:45 am
Registration & Breakfast
Room: Pentagon Ballroom Foyer
8:45 am – 9:00 am
Welcome Address
Room: Pentagon Ballroom
Speaker:
Cliff Cook, Senior Planning Information Manager, City of Cambridge (MA)
9:00 am – 10:00 am
The Future of Evidence-based Policymaking
Room: Pentagon Ballroom
Congress demonstrated the bipartisan appeal of evidence-based policymaking with the passage of the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act in November 2017. Will the Senate take this legislation up? What other legislative action is in the works? Meanwhile, what have the agencies been doing to respond to the 2017 Commission on Evidence-based Policy work? Learn more about how this initiative may dramatically change the landscape for public data users.
Moderator:
Kevin McAvey, Senior Manager, Manatt Health
Speakers:
- Nick Hart, Director, Evidence-Based Policymaking Initiative, Bipartisan Policy Center
- Nancy Potok, Chief Statistician of the United States, US Office of Management and Budget
10:00 am – 10:30 am
Data Agency Headliners
Room: Pentagon Ballroom
Meet the leaders from several major federal statistical agencies. These leaders will discuss the future of public data in an era of uncertainty.
Moderator:
Ken Poole, Chief Executive Officer, Executive Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness
Speakers:
- Mary Bohman, Administrator, USDA Economic Research Service
- Bill Wiatrowski, Acting Commissioner, Bureau of Labor Statistics
10:30 am – 11:00 am
Exhibit Hall Networking Break
Room: Pentagon Ballroom Foyer
Breakout Sessions
11:00 am – 12:15 pm
Realizing – Making Connections: Linking Data to Solve Public Problems
Room: Pentagon Ballroom
Private and administrative data can supplement or enhance nationally collected public data. How are different organizations building new datasets by linking them to available public data to solve important problems? How can we improve the ways we provide, share and utilize data in the policy-making context?
Moderator:
Pratima Damani, Chief Executive Officer, SP Group
Speakers:
- Jim Demarke, Senior Data Engineer, Experian
- Aaron Klein, Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy, US Department of the Treasury
- Patrick McGarry, Head of Community, data.world
11:00 am – 12:15 pm
Deploying – Lessons from the Data Visualization Process
Room: Eisenhower A
Images are quickly replacing data tables and narratives to summarize data in meaningful ways. Done effectively, they can capture the public’s imagination in understanding information and shaping decisions. What are good strategies for developing new visualizations? This session will examine various aspects of the process: identifying appropriate analytic techniques, examining both public need and policy objectives, preparing data, using alternative methods and tools including Tableau, and conducting user outreach.
Moderator:
Cliff Cook, Senior Planning Information Manager, City of Cambridge (MA)
Speakers:
- Sam Keathley, Workforce Research Analyst, Kentucky Center for Statistics (KYSTATS)
- Annemarie Kuhns, Economist, USDA Economic Research Service
- Devin McGhee, Data Scientist, Kentucky Center for Statistics (KYSTATS)
11:00 am – 12:15 pm
Navigating – Building a Platform to Present Data: Lessons from a Tool to Monitor Children’s Health and Well-Being
Room: Eisenhower B
Rigorous information can drive policymaking in many areas, including efforts to improve children’s health and well-being. California has a comprehensive platform (Kidsdata.org) of facts to facilitate action towards healthy and well children. The resource combines more than 35 trusted public data sources with some 600 measures of child health and well-being. How was this tool pulled together, and what can it teach others creating similar platforms?
Moderator:
Mauricio Ortiz, Economist, Bureau of Economic Analysis
Speakers:
- Beth Jarosz, Senior Research Associate, Population Reference Bureau
- Samantha Sangenito, Data Science and Sustainability Lead, ACEs Connection
- Lori Turk-Bicakci, Senior Manager, Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health
12:15 pm – 1:45 pm
Networking Lunch and Keynote Plenary
Room: Pentagon Ballroom
Moderator:
Kevin McAvey, Senior Manager, Manatt Health
Speaker:
Chris Hooton, Chief Economist, Internet Association
1:45 pm – 2:15 pm
Exhibit Hall Networking Break
Room: Pentagon Ballroom Foyer
Breakout Sessions
2:15 pm – 3:30 pm
Realizing – Preserving ‘Born-digital’ Public Data: A Key Role for Librarians
Room: Stars & Stripes
Data stewards – producers, data centers, and archivists – have grappled for decades with the challenges of preserving and providing access to born-digital government information. Librarians have been at the center of this effort, creating new partnerships and developing new practices to ensure continued access to public data that may not be archived systematically. Librarians from universities across the country will talk about their successes and challenges in this fight.
Moderator:
Shari Laster, Head, Open Stacks, Arizona State University
Speakers:
- Deborah Caldwell, Graduate Research Assistant, The PEGI Project, University of North Texas
- James Jacobs, US Government Information Librarian, Stanford University
- Margaret Janz, Data Curation Librarian, University of Pennsylvania
2:15 pm – 3:30 pm
Deploying – Innovations in Indicators in Housing, Consumer Credit, Labor Markets
Room: Eisenhower A
People across sectors are developing creative indicators and tools that deliver new insights for more informed decision-making at the local and national levels. Three presenters will describe projects that are breaking new ground in the areas of consumer credit, community development, and labor markets. Learn about creative strategies being used to develop indexes that can provide users with new ways of understanding available public data.
Moderator:
Kathy Pettit, Senior Research Associate, Urban Institute
Speakers:
- Cheryl Cooper, Program Lead, Household Balance Sheet Research Agenda, Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection
- Justin Fleming, Director of Real Estate, Cleveland Neighborhood Progress
- Brad Hershbein, Economist, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research
2:15 pm – 3:30 pm
Navigating – Communicating about Privacy Concerns Around Public Data
Room: Eisenhower B
A primary concern around public data involves privacy and ethical concerns. How can we responsibly improve data accessibility while accounting for these issues? Experts will discuss lessons learned and best practices for communicating about privacy and building trust in public data.
Moderator:
Della Jenkins, Executive Director, Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy (AISP), University of Pennsylvania
Speakers:
- Kelsey Finch, Senior Counsel, Future of Privacy Forum
- Rachel Anderson, Director, Policy and Practice, Data Quality Campaign
3:30 pm – 3:45 pm
Exhibit Hall Networking Break
Room: Pentagon Ballroom Foyer
3:45 pm – 4:30 pm
Public Data University Presents: The 2018 Data Viz Awards
Room: Pentagon Ballroom
Award winners will provide a brief overview of their award-winning projects. Identify creative approaches that others have used to visualize their data. Discover innovative ideas that you can adopt and make your own.
Moderator:
Ron Nakao, Economics, Data and Computational Social Science Librarian, Center for Interdisciplinary Digital Research (CIDR), Stanford University Libraries
Speakers:
- Sue King, Public Affairs Director, USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service
- Cheryl Knott, GIS Project Manager, Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance
- Mark Mather, Associate Vice President, Population Reference Bureau
- Steven Romalewski, Director, CUNY Mapping Service, Center for Urban Research at The Graduate Center
4:30 pm – 6:00 pm
Happy Hour – Networking Event
Room: Pentagon Ballroom Foyer
Day 2
8:30 am – 9:30 am
Registration & Breakfast
Room: Pentagon Ballroom Foyer
9:00 am – 9:45 am
Washington Briefing Plenary
Room: Pentagon Ballroom
Learn more about the issues and challenges facing key federal statistical programs (e.g., Census, BLS, BEA, NCHS, and others). This session will also examine key concerns among stakeholders and how to talk about them to political leaders and other decision makers.
Moderator:
Mary Jo Hoeksema, Director of Government and Public Affairs, Population Association of America
Speaker:
James Dyer, Senior Advisor, Baker Donelson
9:45 am – 10:15 am
Building the Case for Public Statistics – Understanding How Legislators Make Policy and Budget Decisions Workshop Part 1
Room: MacArthur
Data advocates have limited time and so do policymakers. How do data users educate policymakers as efficiently as possible? What is the legislative decision-making process, and when are interactions with decision makers most likely to have an impact? This session provides a primer on the federal budget appropriations process and insights about how congressional offices process information.
**
Instructor:**
Dale Oak, President, Oak Federal Solutions
9:45 am – 10:15 am
#IgniteAPDU Talks (An APDU Public Data University Presentation)
Room: Pentagon Ballroom
Learn about hot trends and topics through 5-minute presentations from conference participants.
Moderator:
Kathy Pettit, Senior Research Associate, Urban Institute
Speakers:
- Ally Burleson Gibson, Survey Statistician, US Census Bureau
- Adam Grundy, Section Chief, US Census Bureau
- Mehdi Hashemipour, Data Scientist, US Department of Transportation
- Laura McKieran, Executive Director, CI:Now
- Teresa White, Public Affairs Specialist, USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service
10:15 am – 10:45 am
Exhibit Hall Networking Break
Room: Pentagon Ballroom Foyer
Breakout Sessions
10:45 am – 12:00 pm
Building the Case for Public Statistics – Engaging Allies for Public Data Part 2
Room: MacArthur
How can engaging a coalition of grassroots supporters help to nurture policy champions in both the legislative and executive branches? This session will provide a hands-on learning opportunity for stakeholders seeking to communicate with one voice to policy leaders about the value of public statistics.
Instructor:
Emily Holubowich, Senior Vice President, CRD Associates
10:45 am – 12:00 pm
Realizing – Best Practices in Linking Administrative and Survey Data for Policymaking
Room: Eisenhower A
Linking administrative and survey data can create powerful new insights that drive public policy measures. In this session, speakers will report on unique projects underway for Health and Human Services, Census Bureau, National Science Foundation, and Small Business Administration that illustrate how to overcome barriers to linking administrative and survey data to drive policymaking.
Moderator:
Warren Brown, Research Faculty, Cornell Institute for Social and Economic Research (CISER)
Speakers:
- Ashley Austin, Program Analyst, US Census Bureau
- Scott Boggess, Chief, Evidence Building Staff, US Census Bureau
- Richard Hendra, Senior Research Associate, MDRC
- Andrew Reamer, Research Professor, GW Institute of Public Policy
10:45 am – 12:00 pm
Deploying – Lessons from Leveraging Available Data to Enhance a National Household Survey
Room: Eisenhower B
Survey managers are increasingly using external data to enrich their results. One example is the National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey (FoodAPS), an ambitious survey of food purchases and acquisitions. What can you learn from this effort about creating linkages that enhance data collection, data analysis, and predictive capabilities?
Moderator:
Mark Denbaly, Deputy Director for Food Economics Data, USDA Economic Research Service
Speakers:
- John Kirlin, President, Kirlin Analytic Services
- Elina Page, Economist, USDA Economic Research Service
- Xingyou Zhang, Mathematical Statistician, USDA Economic Research Service
10:45 am – 12:00 pm
Navigating – Comparing Federal, State, and Private-sector Data Production and Governance Approaches
Room: Stars & Stripes
Data collection and aggregation is happening in a wide variety of environments; federal, state, and private sector actors are creating new datasets – by merging surveys, aggregating data sets, and developing new avenues for data access. Learn more about how different actors are addressing these issues, using both similar and different approaches based on their respective values and priorities.
Moderator:
Sue Copella, Director, The Pennsylvania State Data Center
Speakers:
- Collin McCarter, Data Scientist, Nielsen
- Patrice Norman, Branch Chief Island Areas and Business Owners, US Census Bureau
- Michelle Riordan-Nold, Executive Director, CT Data Collaborative
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
Networking Lunch and Keynote Panel: Reorganizing Federal Data Agencies
Room: Pentagon Ballroom
Moderator:
Ken Poole, Chief Executive Officer, Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness
Speakers:
- Erica Groshen, Visiting Senior Scholar, Cornell University
- Nancy Potok, Chief Statistician of the United States, Office of Management and Budget
- John Thompson, Executive Director, Council of Professional Associations on Federal Statistics
1:30 pm – 2:00 pm
Exhibit Hall Networking Break
Room: Pentagon Ballroom Foyer
Breakout Sessions
2:00 pm – 3:15 pm
Building the Case for Public Statistics – Creating an Effective Communications Strategy Part 3
Room: MacArthur
Even the Census, the largest of the statistical agencies, rarely gets attention outside of a small circle. That’s because statistical programs are relatively small agencies when compared with domestic program agencies. This session provides participants with hands-on experience in developing messages for policymakers. With the help from expert facilitators, participants will work with peers to create messages about problems that data helps to solve or questions it helps to answer in a safe environment that allows for critiques about what makes the message compelling.
Instructor:
Mary Jo Hoeksema, Director of Government and Public Affairs, Population Association of America
2:00 pm – 3:15 pm
Realizing – How Administrative Data are Used to Inform Decisions
Room: Eisenhower A
This panel will explore how states, academic institutions, and the Census Bureau are linking, aggregating, and using administrative records. How is this new data being used to support research that influences policymaking and solves public problems? How are emerging new integrated data systems, data intermediaries, and chief data officers stepping up to improve data governance and management? What challenges and related solutions are these intermediaries finding as they increase the use of administrative data?
Moderator:
Warren Brown, Cornell Institute for Social and Economic Research (CISER)
Speakers:
- Sandra Clark, Survey Statistician, US Census Bureau
- Amber Ivey, Senior Associate, Pew Charitable Trusts
- Della Jenkins, Executive Director, Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy (AISP)
2:00 pm – 3:15 pm
Deploying – How New Policy Approaches Can Redefine Data Needs: An Example from State Health Spending
Room: Eisenhower B
Optimizing healthcare spending is a task that is top of mind for many policymakers and program administrators as policy shifts to states, budgets tighten, and leaders strive to accomplish more with less. At the state level, data advocates have been making progress through a variety of different approaches. This session will highlight on-the-ground efforts from a variety of perspectives to collect and analyze data for healthcare value-based purchasing initiatives. Speakers will discuss case studies that illustrate the ways in which data was used to optimize spending and improve patient care.
Moderator:
Anthony Curcio, Partner, Summit Consulting LLC
Speakers:
- Nora Hoban, Senior Vice President, Maryland Hospital Association
- Donald Nichols, Managing Researcher, American Institutes for Research
- Emily Sullivan, Deputy Director, National Association of Health Data Organizations
2:00 pm – 3:15 pm
Navigating – Innovative Uses of Administrative Records: The TANF Data Innovations Project
Room: Stars & Stripes
The TANF Data Innovations (TDI) project supports the use of administrative records data to improve program performance. TDI aims to have a lasting impact on evidence-based policy by supporting modern approaches to data integration and analysis. The project will catalog and assist states’ efforts at data-driven program improvement in TANF and across the human services sector. What lessons can be learned for other policy areas?
Moderator:
Nick Hart, Director, Evidence-Based Policymaking Initiative, Bipartisan Policy Center
Speakers:
- Dennis Culhane, Professor, University of Pennsylvania
- Robert Goerge, Senior Research Fellow, Chapin Hall
- Richard Hendra, Senior Research Associate, MDRC
- Julia Lane, Professor and Provostial Fellow, New York University
3:15 pm – 4:00 pm
Shaping the Future of Census Plenary Session
Room: Pentagon Ballroom
The Census Bureau has been headline-grabbing in 2018. The end-to-end pilot test, debate over future budgets, the Economic Census delays, and the ruckus over a new question. Learn from Census leadership about how the Census Bureau is managing in a time of uncertainty while also leading the way in shaping the future of federal statistics.
Moderator:
Ken Poole, Chief Executive Officer, Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness
Speaker:
Enrique Lamas, Performing the non-exclusive duties and functions of the Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer, US Census Bureau
4:00 pm
Conference Adjourns
2017 Annual Conference

Communicating Data
Innovate. Integrate. Collaborate.
DAY 1 – SEPTEMBER 13, 2017
8:00 am – 8:45 am
Breakfast and Registration
Plenary Session
8:45 am – 9:00 am
Welcome and Introduction
Introduction: Cliff Cook, President, Association of Public Data Users
Plenary Session
9:00 am – 10:00 am
Role of Commercial Firms in Public Data
Integrating private data and collaborating with commercial firms represents a new frontier for public data. Speakers will share current innovative practices and partnerships, as well as the benefits to data users and publishers. They will also discuss strategies for encouraging more actors in the private sector to explore opportunities in creating value by collaborating with public data partners.
Moderator: Kathy Pettit, Senior Research Associate, Urban Institute
- Michael Dalton, Research Economist, Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Aaron Terrazas, Principal Economist, Zillow
- Stefaan Verhurlst, Co-Founder and Chief Research and Development Officer, NYU GovLab
Plenary Session
10:00 – 10:30 am
Keynote: Nancy Potok, Chief Statistician of the United States, Office of Management and Budget
“Priorities of the Federal Statistical System”
Introduction: Cliff Cook, President, Association of Public Data Users
10:30 am – 11:00 am
Exhibit Hall Break
Breakout Sessions
11:00 am – 12:15 pm
Integrate
Public Concerns About Privacy in the Use of Administrative Records
The Census Bureau is expanding the use of administrative records on businesses and persons. How do the subjects of this data view privacy and security when administrative records are used for statistical purposes?
Moderator: Jennifer Childs, Research Psychologist, Census Bureau
- Casey Eggleston, Mathematical Statistician, Census Bureau
- Aleia Fobia, Research Sociologist, Census Bureau
- Alfred D. Tuttle, Statistician, Census Bureau
Innovate
Innovations in Linking Survey and Administrative Data
This session focuses on recent efforts to integrate data in different Federal agencies through surveys and administrative efforts, the role of partnerships, and the challenges posed by organizational, legal, and privacy issues.
Moderator: Katherine Hempstead, Senior Advisor, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
- Steven Cohen, Vice President, Statistics and Data Science, RTI International
- David Handelsman, Vice President, Development, Project Data Sphere
- Patricia C. Lloyd, Health Statistician, National Center for Health Statistics
- Jon Sperling, Manager, Geographic Information Analysis, Department of Housing and Urban Development
Communicate
How Data is Used to Build Evidence for Policymaking
Key leaders from the Commission on Evidence-based Policymaking will discuss the findings and recommendations of their final report to Congress.
Moderator: Lucas Hitt, Deputy Executive Director, U.S. Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking
- Katharine Abraham, Member and Chairperson, U.S. Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking
- Sandy Davis, Senior Advisor, Bipartisan Policy Center
- Ron Haskins, Member and Co-chair, U.S. Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking
- John Thompson, Director, Council of Professional Associations on Federal Statistics (COPAFS)
12:15 pm – 1:00 pm
Networking Lunch
Plenary Session
1:00 pm – 1:45 pm
Federal Statistical Agency Leadership Panel
Moderator: Ken Poole, Chief Executive Officer, Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness
- Brian Moyer, Director, Bureau of Economic Analysis
- Charles Rothwell, Director, National Center for Health Statistics
- William Wiatrowski, Deputy Commissioner, Bureau of Labor Statistics
1:45 pm – 2:15 pm
Exhibit Hall Break
Breakout Sessions
2:15 pm – 3:30 pm
Integrate
Applied Uses of Integrated Administrative Data – State and Local Initiatives
This session will explore how public agencies link data across public and administrative sources to analyze policies and evaluate programs.
Moderator: Cliff Cook, President, Association of Public Data Users
- Katie Buitrago, Director, Social IMPACT Research Center
- Erik Hovland, Economic and Statistical Analyst, Fairfax County, VA
- Kimberly Korejko, Data Coordination Manager, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission
Innovate
Innovative Approaches to Understanding Our Most Pressing Public Policy Issues
Panelists will discuss innovative methodologies that rely on publicly accessible data to address policy issues.
Moderator: Elizabeth Nash, Director of Data and Product Development, PolicyMap
- Courtney Brown, Vice President, Strategic Impact, Lumina Foundation
- Laura Speer, Associate Director, Policy Reform and Advocacy, Annie E. Casey Foundation
- Jennifer Thornton, Manager, Data as a Strategic Asset, Pew Charitable Trusts
Communicate
Innovations in Data Visualization
This session will cover data visualization best practices and their applications.
Moderator: Kevin McAvey, Senior Manager, Manatt Health
- Michael Crow, Chief Data Illuminator, Crow Insight, LLC
- Kimberly Hauge, Policy Analyst, Economic Opportunity, National Governors Association
- Jonathan Porat, Regulatory Economist, SBA Office of Advocacy
3:30 pm – 4:00 pm
Exhibit Hall Break
Plenary Panel Discussion
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
The Case for Enterprise Data Management Leadership in the Federal Government
Moderator: Ken Poole, Chief Executive Officer, Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness
- Peter Aiken, Founding Director and Owner, Data BluePrint
- Gary Yakimov, Chief, Judiciary Data and Analysis, Administrative Office of the United States Courts
2016 Annual Conference

Using Public Data to Inform Better Decision Making
Learn. Engage. Collaborate.
DAY 1 – SEPTEMBER 13, 2016
8:00 am – 8:45 am
Breakfast and Registration
Plenary Session
8:45 am – 9:00 am
Welcome and Introduction
Introduction:
- Warren Brown, President, Association of Public Data Users
- Kevin McAvey, Associate Director of Analytics, Center for Health Information and Analysis
Plenary Session
9:00 am – 9:45 am
Using Public Data to Inform Better Decision Making
Federal and state officials, legislators, business executives, and non-profit leaders regularly depend upon public data to make critical decisions. This panel discusses challenges and opportunities in leveraging public data for strategic decision-making.
Moderator: Kevin McAvey, Associate Director of Analytics, Center for Health Information and Analysis
Speakers:
- Daniel Goroff, Vice President, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
- Sharon McGroder, Program Director, National Governors Association
- Kathy Stack, VP of Evidence-Based Innovation, Laura and John Arnold Foundation
9:45 am – 10:30 am
Data Agency Headliners
(An APDU Public Data University Presentation)
Brief presentations from key statistical agencies on recent innovations in data collection, analysis, and dissemination.
Moderator: Adrienne Pilot, Director, Statistical Office, Council of Economic Advisors
Speakers:
- Brian Moyer, Director, Bureau of Economic Analysis
- Adam Sieminski, Administrator, Energy Information Administration
- Greg Pompelli, Associate Administrator, USDA Economic Research Service
- Jeri Mulrow, Acting Director, Bureau of Justice Statistics
- John Gawalt, Director, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics
10:30 am – 11:00 am
Exhibit Hall Break
11:00 am – 12:15 pm
Breakout Sessions
1. Learn
Big Data and Official Statistics: Balancing Access, Security, and Privacy
This session discusses innovations in federal data access and protection.
Moderator: Warren Brown, President, APDU
Speakers:
- Micah Altman, Director of Research, MIT Libraries
- Cavan Capps, Chief DataWeb Systems, U.S. Census Bureau
- Robert Avery, Project Director, National Mortgage Database, FHFA
2. Engage
What We Know About Public Data Customers, and What We Need to Find Out
Exploring gaps in knowledge about public data users and efforts to address these gaps.
Moderator: Sarah Burgoyne, Senior Research Scientist, The Nielsen Company
Speakers:
- Maria Olmedo-Malagon, Assistant Division Chief, U.S. Census Bureau
- Mark Mather, Associate VP, Population Reference Bureau
- Jason Fields, Survey Director, U.S. Census Bureau
3. Collaborate
Public-Private Partnerships in Delivering Public Data
A discussion on leveraging public-private partnerships for public data delivery.
Moderator: Steven Cohen, VP, Division of Statistical and Data Sciences, RTI International
Speakers:
- Bill Wiatrowski, Deputy Commissioner, Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Ron Jarmin, Assistant Director for Research, U.S. Census Bureau
- Edith Gummer, Research Director, Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
12:30 pm – 1:15 pm
Lunch
Plenary Session
1:15 pm – 2:00 pm
Keynote: Using Public Data to Inform Better Decision Making
Speaker: Katherine K. Wallman, Chief Statistician, U.S. Office of Management and Budget
Introduction: Warren Brown, President, APDU
2:15 pm – 3:30 pm
Breakout Sessions
1. Learn
Highlights of New Public Data Products
A panel discussing how new federal data products add value to research and business.
Moderator: Elizabeth Nash, VP, Data and Product Development, PolicyMap
Speakers:
- Jeffrey D. Sisson, U.S. Census Bureau
- Chris Powers, CMS
- Erika McEntarfer, U.S. Census Bureau
2. Engage
Broadening Audiences Through Collaborative Events With Tech Experts
Exploring engagement strategies like hackathons to collaborate with tech experts.
Moderator: Daniel McClure, Research Associate, The Urban Institute
Speakers:
- Alan Marco, Chief Economist, USPTO
- Mitchell Patterson, VP of Finance & Platform, Odd Networks
- Drew Zachary, Presidential Management Fellow, HUD
3. Collaborate
Building Demand for Open Data
Strategies to stimulate demand for open data and build sustainable civic infrastructures.
Moderator: Cliff Cook, Planning Information Manager, City of Cambridge
Speakers:
- Rebecca Williams, Senior Analyst, Johns Hopkins University
- Stefaan Verhulst, NYU GovLab
- Anthony Curcio, Principal, Summit Consulting, LLC
3:30 pm – 4:00 pm
Exhibit Hall Break
Plenary Session
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Keynote: Diversity Explosion: How New Racial Demographics Are Remaking America
Speaker: Bill Frey, Brookings Institution and University of Michigan
Introduction: Warren Brown, President, APDU
DAY 2 – SEPTEMBER 14, 2016
8:30 am – 9:30 am
Breakfast
Plenary Session
9:00 am – 9:45 am
Washington Briefing
Moderator: Steve Pierson, Director of Science Policy, ASA
Speakers:
- Brian Harris-Kojetin, The National Academies of Sciences
- Mary Jo Hoeksema, Population Association of America
9:45 am – 10:30 am
#IgniteAPDU Talks
(An APDU Public Data University Presentation)
Quick talks on hot trends in public data.
Moderator: Kevin McAvey, Associate Director of Analytics, CHIA
Speakers:
- Carey Anne Nadeau, Open Data Nation
- Bill O’Hare, O’Hare Data and Demographic Services
- Ashley Storms, CHIA
- Lebaron Sims, CFED
- Richard Landry, Conquest Systems
- Jennifer Thornton, Pew Charitable Trusts
- Rishi Banerjee, FiscalNote
- Shereef Elnahal, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
10:30 am – 11:00 am
Exhibit Hall Break
11:00 am – 12:15 pm
Breakout Sessions
1. Learn
Data’s Essential Role in Effective Journalism
Journalists from national publications discuss using public data in news reporting.
Moderator: Elizabeth Nash
Speakers:
- Ben Casselman, fivethirtyeight.com
- Sarah Cohen, The New York Times
- D’Vera Cohn, Pew Research Center
2. Engage
Using Data to Drive Change at the Local Level
How local leaders can leverage public data for impactful change.
Moderator: Cliff Cook, City of Cambridge
Speakers:
- Carter Hewgley, Johns Hopkins University
- Hilari Varnadore, STAR Communities
- Beth Jarosz, Population Reference Bureau
3. Collaborate
Cross-Agency Collaborations
Exploring efforts to integrate data across agencies.
Moderator: Mauricio Ortiz, Bureau of Economic Analysis
Speakers:
- Star Ying, Commerce Data Service
- Sharon Boivin, GEMEnA
- Sarah Veale, GAO
- Andrew Rogers, Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness
12:15 pm – 1:00 pm
Networking Lunch
Plenary Session
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
The Future of Innovation in Public Data (Panel on Federal Statistics)
Presentations on current innovations within statistical agencies.
Moderator: Ken Poole, Executive Director, APDU
Speakers:
- Erica Groshen, Bureau of Labor Statistics
- John Thompson, U.S. Census Bureau
- Charles Rothwell, National Center for Health Statistics
2:30 pm – 2:45 pm
Exhibit Hall Break
Plenary Session
2:45 pm – 4:00 pm
Public Data University Presents: The 2016 Data Viz Awards
Award-winning public data visualizations.
Moderator: Natalia Bronshtein, STAT, Boston Globe Media
Speakers:
- Anne Cahill, Fairfax County Economic Research
- Erika Becker-Medina, U.S. Census Bureau
- Emilia Istrate, National Association of Counties
- Ian Flick, KPMG
- Valorie Rice, The University of Arizona
- Thomas Hertz, USDA
- Thomas Beach, USPTO
4:00 pm
Conference adjourns
2015 Annual Conference
2015 APDU Annual Conference
DAY 1 – SEPTEMBER 1, 2015
8:00–8:45 am
Breakfast and Registration
Room: Salon A/B/C/D/E
8:45–9:00 am
Welcome and Introduction
Room: Salon A/B
Introduction:
- Warren Brown, President, APDU
9:00–10:00 am
Plenary Session: Innovating with Public Data
Room: Salon A/B
This panel will focus on using public data in new ways or responding to budget pressures that make delivering public data difficult.
Moderator:
- Kitty Smith, Executive Director, Council of Professional Associations for Statistics
Speakers:
- Niall Brennan, Director, Office of Enterprise Data and Analysis, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
- Connie Citro, Director, Committee on National Statistics
- Daniel Castro, Vice President, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation
- Ana Aizcorbe, Research Professor, Social and Decision Analytics Laboratory (SDAL), Virginia Bioinformatics Institute, Virginia Tech
10:00–10:30 am
Data Agency Headliners/Part 1: Round Robin Update from the Statistical Agencies
Room: Salon A/B
Moderator:
- Cliff Cook, Planning Information Manager, City of Cambridge
Speakers:
- Bonnie Nichols, Program Analyst, National Archive of Data on Arts & Culture, National Endowment for the Arts
- Todd McNeil, Geographer, eGIS Portal, Department of Housing and Urban Development
- Jennifer H. Madans, Ph.D., Associate Director for Science & Co-Acting Deputy Director, National Center for Health Statistics
- Mark Corrales, Senior Analyst, Environmental Protection Agency
10:30–11:00 am
Exhibit Hall Break
Room: Salon C/D/E
11:00–12:15 pm
Breakout Sessions
- New Products and Tools Track: Developing New Tools for Local Actors
Room: Salon A/B
This session reviews steps involved in developing new tools for local users and shares lessons learned.
Moderator:
- Kathy Pettit, Senior Research Associate, Metropolitan Housing and Communities Policy Center, Urban Institute
Speakers:
- Mark Corrales, Senior Analyst, Environmental Protection Agency
- Kate Brett, Infant, Child, and Women’s Health Statistics, National Center for Health Statistics
- George “Chip” Walker, IV, Special Assistant to Associate Director for Economic Programs, Census Bureau
- Using Administrative Records to Enhance Available Data: Data Mashups
Room: Jackson
This session focuses on the process of creating data-sharing agreements and reducing transaction costs.
Moderator:
- Erin Holve, Senior Director, Electronic Data Methods Forum, AcademyHealth
Speakers:
- Lesley Hirsch, Director, New York City Labor Market Information Service, Center for Urban Research, City University of New York
- David Newman, CEO, Health Care Cost Institute
- Robert Avery, Project Director, National Mortgage Database, Federal Housing Finance Agency
- New Ways to Share Data: How Publicly Available Data is Used Alongside Private Sector Information
Room: Madison
This session explores how public data champions leverage private sector data to enhance public data work.
Moderator:
- Elizabeth Nash, Director of Data and Product Development, PolicyMap
Speakers:
- Keith Wardrip, Community Development Research Manager, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia
- Nima Nattagh, Analytics Manager, Verisk Analytics
- David Norris, Senior Researcher, The Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, Ohio State University
12:30–1:15 pm
Lunch
Room: Salon A/B/C/D/E
1:15–2:00 pm
Keynote: Innovations in Public Data
Room: Salon A/B
Speaker:
- Robert M. Groves, Provost, Georgetown University
Introduction by:
- Warren Brown, President, APDU
2:15–3:30 pm
Breakout Sessions
- New Products and Tools Track: International Data Tools
Room: Madison
This session features tools for enhancing access to international microdata for researchers.
Moderator:
- A. Michelle Edwards, Data Librarian, Cornell Institute for Social and Economic Research, Cornell University
Speakers:
- Joerg Heining, Senior Researcher, German Institute for Employment Research
- David Price, Chief, Federal Data Research Centre, Statistics Canada
- Patricia Kelly Hall, Research Associate, IPUMS/NAPP International Census Projects, University of Minnesota
- Using Administrative Records to Enhance Available Data: Reducing Respondent Burden
Room: Salon A/B
This session explores alternatives to the American Community Survey (ACS) by integrating administrative records.
Moderator:
- Ken Hodges, Demographer, Nielsen
Speakers:
- Deb Stempowski, Chief, American Community Survey
- Amy O’Hara, Chief, Center for Administrative Records Research and Applications, Census Bureau
- Sharon Ennis, Researcher, Center for Administrative Records Research and Applications, Census Bureau
- New Ways to Share Data: The Emergence of Regional Collaboratives
Room: Jackson
This session highlights examples of regional user groups working to break down data silos.
Moderator:
- Cliff Cook, Planning Information Manager, City of Cambridge
Speakers:
- Bob Gradeck, Research Manager, University of Pittsburgh
- Michele Riordan-Nold, Executive Director, Connecticut Data Collaborative
- Adam Hecktman, Director of Technology and Civic Innovation, Microsoft Chicago
3:30–4:00 pm
Exhibit Hall Break
Room: Salon C/D/E
4:00–5:00 pm
Plenary Session: Finding New Ways to Answer Old Questions
Room: Salon A/B
Speaker:
- Sharon Boivin, Chair, Interagency Working Group on Expanded Measures of Enrollment and Attainment, National Center for Education Statistics
Introduction by:
- Warren Brown, President, APDU
5:00–6:00 pm
Reception
Room: Salon C/D/E
DAY 2 – SEPTEMBER 2, 2015
8:30–9:30 am
Breakfast
Room: Salon A/B/C/D/E
9:00–9:45 am
Plenary Session: Washington Briefing
Room: Salon A/B
APDU has been working with various organizations to educate policymakers about the challenges facing federal statistics.
Moderator:
- Steve Pierson, Director of Science Policy, American Statistical Association
Speakers:
- Shelly Martinez, Statistician, Office of Management and Budget
- Ken Simonson, Chief Economist, Associated General Contractors of America
9:45–10:30 am
#IgniteAPDU Talks
Room: Salon A/B
Moderator:
- Kathy Pettit, Senior Research Associate, Urban Institute
Speakers:
- Elina Bravve, Senior Research Analyst, National Low-Income Housing Coalition
- Jonathan Marks, Cofounder, Quorum.us
- Richard Auxier, Research Associate II, Urban Institute-Brookings Tax Policy Center
- Michael Bader, Assistant Professor, American University
- Timothy F. Slaper, Director of Economic Analysis, Indiana Business Research Center
- Beth Jarosz, Research Associate, Population Reference Bureau
- Nancy Jones, Data Manager, Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance
10:30–11:00 am
Exhibit Hall Break
Room: Salon C/D/E
11:00–12:15 pm
Breakout Sessions
- New Products and Tools Track: Rolling Out the Latest Products
Room: Salon A/B
This session highlights new data products and web tools, focusing on regional data.
Moderator:
- Brian Maisano, Economist, Bureau of Economic Analysis
Speakers:
- Shannon Guzman, Policy Research Senior Analyst, AARP Public Policy Institute
- Nicholas Empey, Chief, Regional Economics Directorate, Bureau of Economic Analysis
- Ray Rasker, Executive Director, Headwaters Economics
- Using Administrative Records to Enhance Available Data: Linking Federal and State Records
Room: Jackson
This session explores the potential of linking federal and state administrative records.
Moderator:
- Cliff Cook, Planning Information Manager, City of Cambridge
Speakers:
- Rob Sienkiewicz, Assistant Center Chief for LEHD Program, Census Bureau
- Rachel Zinn, Director, Workforce Data Quality Campaign
- Chris Kingsley, Associate Director, Local Policy & Advocacy, Data Quality Campaign
- New Ways to Share Data: Emerging Trends in Data Sharing
Room: Madison
This session focuses on how statistical agencies provide public data through new tools and technologies.
Moderator:
- Steve Pierson, Director of Science Policy, American Statistical Association
Speakers:
- Rebecca Blash, Chief, Center for Enterprise Dissemination Services, Census Bureau
- Stephen Buckner, Assistant Division Chief, Public Information Office, Census Bureau
- Michael D. Levi, Associate Commissioner, Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Haden Springer, Manager of Technical Assistance, Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness
12:15–1:00 pm
Networking Lunch
Room: Salon A/B/C/D/E
1:00–1:30 pm
Plenary Session: #IgniteAPDU Keynote
Room: Salon A/B
Speaker:
- Scott Orr, Federal Legislative Affairs Manager, Georgia Power
1:30–2:15 pm
**Data Agency Headliners/Part
2: What’s New?**
Room: Salon A/B
Moderator:
- Brian Maisano, Economist, Bureau of Economic Analysis
Speakers:
- Karen Masken, Assistant Center Chief for Economic Programs, Census Bureau
- Mark Schweitzer, Senior Vice President, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland
- Mary Bohman, Deputy Director for Economics, U.S. Department of Agriculture
2:15–3:00 pm
Closing Plenary Session: Challenges and Opportunities for Public Data
Room: Salon A/B
Speaker:
- Theresa D. Pardo, Director, Center for Technology in Government, University at Albany-SUNY
2014 Annual Conference

Holiday Inn Rosslyn 1900 N. Fort Myer Drive | Arlington, VA 22209 September 16-17, 2014
The Association of Public Data Users’ Annual Conference attracts thought leaders from the business community, universities and educational institutions, state and local governments, and the federal agency statistical system. The 2014 APDU Annual Conference, The Data Revolution, takes place September 16-17 at the Rosslyn Holiday Inn in Arlington VA and will feature keynotes, panel discussions, breakout sessions, IgniteAPDU “lightning” talks, exhibitors, networking and more.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
8:00-8:45 am
Breakfast and Registration
8:45-9:00 am
Welcome and Introduction
Location: Rosslyn Ballroom
9:00-10:15 am
The Public Data Revolution: Where We’ve Been, Where We’re Heading
Location: Rosslyn Ballroom
A panel will explore major themes in data evolution, blending sources, and creating new information.
Facilitator:
Jeff Chapman, Director, Economic Development, Pew Charitable Trusts
Speakers:
- Daniel Castro, Director, Center for Data Innovation
- Hjalmar Gislason, Founder, DataMarket (Presentation PDF)
- Cavan Capps, Big Data Lead, U.S. Census Bureau (Presentation PDF)
- Virginia Carlson, Data Strategist, IMPACT/Planning Council (Presentation PDF)
10:15-10:45 am
Exhibit Hall Break
10:45-12:00 pm
Breakout Sessions
Communications and Tools Track: Visualization and Communicating Data to the Public
Location: Shenandoah Room
This session focuses on making data analysis easy to digest for time-constrained executives.
Moderator:
Kenneth E. Poole, Executive Director, Association of Public Data Users
Speakers:
- Bradford Hesse, Chief, Health Communication and Informatics Research, NIH (Presentation PDF)
- Jonathan Schwabish, Senior Researcher, Urban Institute (Presentation PDF)
- Michael Pack, Director, Center for Advanced Transportation Technology Lab, University of Maryland
Research Track: Administrative Data: Promise vs. Privacy
Location: Dogwood Room
Panelists will discuss the opportunities and privacy concerns of using administrative data for statistics.
Moderator:
Erin Holve, Senior Director, Research and Education, AcademyHealth (Intro PDF)
Speakers:
- Allison Oelschlaeger, Special Assistant, CMS (Presentation PDF)
- Erika McEntarfer, Lead Economist, U.S. Census Bureau (Presentation PDF)
- David Hiles, Supervisory Economist, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Presentation PDF)
12:15-1:00 pm
Lunch
1:00-1:45 pm
Keynote: Innovations in Public Data
Location: Rosslyn Ballroom
Economist Julia Lane will discuss maximizing data utility while minimizing risk.
Introduction:
Warren Brown, President, APDU, Senior Research Associate, Cornell Institute for Social and Economic Research
Speaker:
Julia Lane, Fellow, American Institutes of Research (Presentation PDF)
2:00-3:15 pm
Breakout Sessions
Communications and Tools Track: Web Tools for Data Analysis
Location: Shenandoah Room
Learn about new resources and tools for data analysis.
Moderator:
Kevin McAvey, Manager of Analytics, Massachusetts Center for Health Information and Analysis (Presentation PDF)
Speakers:
- Nick Lyell, Senior Research Associate, National Association of Counties
- Nesreen Khashan, Data Dissemination Specialist, U.S. Census Bureau
- Steven B. Cohen, Director, Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends, AHRQ (Presentation PDF)
Research Track: Solving Local and Regional Problems with Data
Location: Dogwood Room
Learn how administrative records help policymakers make data-informed decisions.
Moderator:
Cliff Cook, Planning Information Manager, City of Cambridge
Speakers:
- Erin Dalton, Deputy Director, Allegheny County DHS, Pittsburgh, PA (Presentation PDF)
- Sue Mukherjee, Director, PA Dept. of Labor & Industry (Presentation PDF)
- Jessie Partridge, Research Analyst, Metropolitan Planning Council, Boston, MA (Presentation PDF)
- Christian Peratsakis, Project Manager, Socrata (Presentation PDF)
3:15-3:45 pm
Exhibit Hall Break
3:45-5:00 pm
What Happens to Public Data in the Open Market?
Location: Rosslyn Ballroom
A panel will discuss how private sector businesses help improve data decision-making for clients.
Moderator:
Ken Hodges, Demographer, Nielsen
Speakers:
- Matt Kaneshiro, Research Demographer, Nielsen (Presentation PDF)
- Katie Nelson, Associate Director of Data & Product Development, PolicyMap (Presentation PDF)
- Ron Skupien, Director, Business Development, GIS Solutions (Presentation PDF)
- Cheryl Hayes, Manager of Exposure Group, AIR-Worldwide (Presentation PDF)
5:00-7:00 pm
Reception
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
8:30-9:00 am
Breakfast
8:45-9:30 am
Washington Briefing
Location: Rosslyn Ballroom
Learn about efforts to advocate for federal statistics and user needs on Capitol Hill.
Moderator:
Mary Jo Hoeksema, Public Affairs Specialist, Population Association of America
Speakers:
- Mike Anderson, Legislative Assistant, International Council of Shopping Centers (Handout PDF)
- Joan Naymark, Director, MACS – Minnesotans for the ACS (Presentation PDF)
- Kenneth E. Poole, Executive Director, APDU (Presentation PDF)
9:30-9:45 am
Exhibit Hall Break
9:45-10:45 pm
Breakout Sessions
Communications and Tools Track: Simplifying Data Overload Using Indicators
Location: Dogwood Room
Presenters will discuss transforming complex data into accessible indicators and dashboards.
Moderator:
Kathy Pettit, Senior Research Associate, Urban Institute
Speakers:
- Laila Bell, Director of Research and Data, NC Child (Presentation PDF)
- David Epstein, Research Associate, BNIA, University of Baltimore (Presentation PDF)
- Bridget Booske Catlin, Senior Scientist, UW Population Health Institute (Presentation PDF)
Research Track: Comparing Income and Poverty Measures
Location: Shenandoah Room
Panelists will discuss different methodologies for measuring poverty and opportunities for improvement.
Moderator:
Dan Weinberg, Social and Decision Analytics Lab, Virginia Tech
Speakers:
- Kathleen Short, Economist, U.S. Census Bureau (Presentation PDF)
- Thesia Garner, Senior Research Economist, BLS (Presentation PDF)
- Laura Wheaton, Senior Fellow, Urban Institute (Presentation PDF)
10:45-11:15 am
Exhibit Hall Break
11:15-12:00 pm
#IgniteAPDU Keynote: Government’s Role in Data’s Future
Location: Rosslyn Ballroom
Commerce Undersecretary Mark Doms discusses the role of statistics in driving American competitiveness.
Introduction:
Cliff Cook, APDU Conference Co-Chair, City of Cambridge
Speaker:
Mark Doms, Undersecretary for Economic Affairs, Economics & Statistics Administration
12:00-12:45 pm
Networking Lunch
1:00-1:45 pm
#IgniteAPDU Talks
Location: Rosslyn Ballroom
Presentations on hot trends and topics.
Moderator:
Kathy Pettit, Senior Research Associate, Urban Institute
Speakers:
- Doug Marcey, Director of Engineering, Phase2 (Presentation PDF)
- Sarah Happy, Director of Policy Surveillance, Temple University (Presentation PDF)
- Kimberly Becht, Deputy Program Manager, U.S. International Trade Administration (Presentation PDF)
- Carlos Manjarrez, Director, IMLS (Presentation PDF)
- Carmen Jenkins, Program Manager, General Dynamics IT (Presentation PDF)
- Melissa Maynard, Pew Charitable Trusts
1:45-2:00 pm
Featured #IgniteAPDU Innovation Talk: New Public Data Collaborations
Location: Rosslyn Ballroom
A new partnership between the Census Bureau and the National Center on Health Statistics.
Speaker:
Nancy Potok, Deputy Director, U.S. Census Bureau (Presentation PDF)
2:00-2:30 pm
Exhibit Hall Break
2:30-4:00 pm
Scenarios: The Role of Federal Statistical Agencies in 2020
Location: Rosslyn Ballroom
Panelists discuss the future role of federal statistical agencies in a data-driven world.
Moderator:
Brian Harris-Kojetin, Senior Statistician, OMB
Speakers:
- Ron Jarmin, Assistant Director, Census Bureau (Presentation PDF)
- Michael Horrigan, Associate Commissioner, BLS (Presentation PDF)
- Kimberly Vitelli, Chief, ETA (Presentation PDF)
Discussant:
Constance Citro, Director, CNSTAT, NAS
4:00 pm
Conference Adjourns
2013 Annual Conference

APDU 2013 Conference
George Washington University
800 21st Street NW | Continental Ballroom, 3rd floor | Washington, DC
September 16-17, 2013
For the producers and users of public data, these are not times for “business as usual.” Founded almost 40 years ago when computer media was just beginning to transform the data world, APDU has remained at the cutting edge of data dissemination and user processing. This conference offers insights about data collection, design and delivery technologies, strategies for addressing data quality concerns, and creative applications of public and private data tools.
Agenda
Monday, September 16, 2013
8:00-8:30 am – Continental Breakfast
Room: Continental Ballroom
8:45-9:00 am – Welcome Speakers
Room: Grand Ballroom
Speakers:
Warren Brown, Senior Research Associate, Cornell Institute for Social and Economic Research, Cornell University, President, APDU
Garry Young, Interim Director, George Washington Institute of Public Policy
9:00-10:15 am – Using Open Data for Local Policy and Planning
Room: Grand Ballroom
Data scientists are working on creative new data mining, machine learning, big data, and data tools to have social impact. This session will focus on new ways of using public data from local, state, and federal agencies to support local policymaking and planning.
Moderator:
Warren Brown
Speakers:
Elizabeth Accetta, Section Chief, Census Bureau
Jonathan Auerbach, Legislative Financial Analyst, New York City Council
10:15-10:45 am – Morning Break
Room: Continental Ballroom
10:45-12:00 pm – Social Media Data as a Public Data Resource
Room: Grand Ballroom
Social media is transforming communication and becoming a key resource for topics like health, economic activity, and more. This session explores the usefulness, accuracy, quality, and impact of social media-derived data.
Speakers:
Michael Paul, Doctoral Candidate, Johns Hopkins University
Paul Hitlin, Senior Researcher, Pew Research Center
Thomas Levine, Data Scientist
Mark Silverberg, Cofounder, Social Health Insights
12:00-12:45 pm – Networking Lunch
Room: Continental Ballroom
12:45-1:20 pm – Keynote Lunch Presentation: Big Data, Public Data, and the Democratization of Analytics
Room: Grand Ballroom
Speaker:
Joan Naymark, Director, MACS
Dean Stoecker, Chairman & CEO, Alteryx, Inc.
Breakout Sessions
1:30-2:45 pm
Housing Data Breakout: Understanding Housing and Mortgage Markets
Room: 307
Moderator:
Susan Ockert
Speakers:
Ren Essene, Senior Policy Analyst, CFPB
Jessica Russell, Research Analyst, CFPB
Natalie Wowk, Presidential Management Fellow, SBA
Robert B. Avery, Project Director, FHFA
Health Care Breakout: Understanding the Impacts of Health Care Spending
Room: 308
Moderator:
Erin Holve
Speakers:
Edward Salsberg, Director, National Center for Health Workforce Analysis
Herbert Wong, Senior Economist, AHRQ
Cathy A. Cowan, Economist, CMS
2:45-3:15 pm – Afternoon Break
Room: Continental Ballroom
Breakout Sessions
3:15-4:45 pm
Research Methods Breakout: Adapting Survey Designs in a Rapidly Changing World
Room: 307
Speakers:
Michael Thieme, Chief of the Center for Adaptive Design, U.S. Census Bureau
Peter Miller, Chief Scientist, U.S. Census Bureau
Ben Reist, Survey Director, U.S. Census Bureau
Transportation Breakout: New Sources of Transportation Data
Room: 308
Moderator:
Elaine R. Murakami
Speakers:
Erika McEntarfer, LEHD Research, U.S. Census Bureau
Catherine T. Lawson, Associate Professor, SUNY Albany
5:00-7:00 pm – Networking Reception
Tonic, 2036 G Street NW
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
8:00-8:30 am – Continental Breakfast
Room: Continental Ballroom
9:00-10:00 am – Plenary Presentation: The American Community Survey: New Developments and Innovative Applications
Room: Grand Ballroom
Moderator/Speaker:
Linda Jacobsen, VP, Population Reference Bureau
Speakers:
James Treat, Chief, ACS, U.S. Census Bureau
Dr. Christopher Emrich, Hazards and Vulnerability Research Institute, University of South Carolina
10:00-10:30 am – Morning Break
Room: Continental Ballroom
Breakout Sessions
10:30-11:30 am
Data User Breakout: Demonstration of ACS Data Users Online Community
Room: 307
Moderator:
Linda Jacobsen
Speakers:
Mark Mather, Associate VP, Population Reference Bureau
Ed Spar, Principal Researcher, Sabre Systems
Research Tools Breakout: Accessing Restricted Public Data
Room: 308
Speakers:
Timothy Mulcahy, Principal Research Scientist, NORC
Bryan Beecher, Director, ICPSR
Warren Brown
11:45-12:30 pm – Keynote Speaker
Room: Grand Ballroom
Speaker:
John H. Thompson, Director, U.S. Census Bureau
12:30-1:15 pm – Networking Lunch
Room: Continental Ballroom
1:30-2:45 pm – The Road Ahead: The Challenges Faced by Federal Statistical Agencies
Room: Grand Ballroom
Moderator:
Andrew Reamer
Speakers:
John Galvin, Deputy Commissioner, BLS
John Gawalt, Director, NCSES
Patricia Hu, Director, BTS
Steve Landefeld, Director, BEA
Nancy Potok, Deputy Director, Census Bureau
2:45-3:15 pm – Afternoon Break
Room: Continental Ballroom
3:15-4:00 pm – Defining the Data User Advocacy Agenda
Room: Grand Ballroom
Facilitators:
Warren Brown
Ken Poole, Chief of Staff, APDU
4:00 pm – Conference Adjourns
2012 Annual Conference
The Future of the Federal Statistical System in an Era of Open Government Data
Location:
George Washington University
800 21st Street NW | Continental Ballroom, 3rd floor | Washington, DC
Date: September 12-13, 2012
Open Data, which includes operational and administrative data used by public agencies for statistical purposes, is transforming how both data users and producers approach their work. This conference will explore the impact of this shift on data programs and future uses.
Agenda
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
8:00-8:45 am – Continental Breakfast
8:45-9:00 am – Welcome Speakers
Speakers:
- Bob Scardamalia, CEO, RLS Demographics, Inc., President, APDU
- Garry Young, Interim Director, George Washington Institute of Public Policy
9:00-10:15 am – An Evolving Federal Statistical System: Preparing for the Future by Learning from the Past
This session will examine the history and structure of the federal statistical system, and its role in critical areas such as job creation, poverty alleviation, and policymaking.
Moderator:
- Andrew Reamer, Research Professor, George Washington Institute of Public Policy, George Washington University
Speakers: - Connie Citro, Director of the Committee on National Statistics, National Academies of Science
- Robert Groves, Director, US Census Bureau
- Shirin A. Ahmed, Assistant Director for Economic Programs, US Census Bureau
10:15-10:45 am – Networking Break
10:45-12:00 pm – Open Data: Basic Principles for Federal Data Users
This session will provide insights into the federal government’s “open data” initiative, its goals, and the data platforms being used.
Moderator:
- Virginia Carlson, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Department of Urban Planning
Speakers: - Tom Lee, Director, Sunlight Labs
- Alex Howard, Open Gov Blogger, O’Reilly
- Bryan Sivak, Chief Technology Officer, US Department of Health & Human Services
- Jeanne Holm, Evangelist, Data.gov
12:00-12:45 pm – Networking Lunch
12:45-1:30 pm – Haven’t We Been Here Before? How is our situation now different? Or, is it?
This session will examine the history of integrating administrative and operational records into the federal statistical system.
Keynote Presenter:
- Margo Anderson, Census Historian; Co-author of Encyclopedia of the US Census
Moderator: - Bob Scardamalia, CEO, RLS Demographics, Inc., President, APDU
1:30-2:45 pm – Statistical Data vs. Open Government Data: Issues
This session will explore issues related to statistical data versus open government data, including confidentiality, access, and commercialization.
Moderator:
- Cavan Capps, Senior IT Technical Advisor, US Census Bureau
Speakers: - Jules Polonetsky, Director, Future of Privacy Forum
- Meta Brown, General Manager – Analytics Division, LinguaSys
- Becky Sweger, Data Scientist and Software Developer, National Priorities Project
- Ian White, Founder and CEO, Urban Mapping Incorporated
2:45-3:15 pm – Networking Break
3:15-4:45 pm – New Data in an Open Data World
This session will explore new data sources, including those from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and examine their impact.
Moderator:
- Warren Brown, Senior Research Associate, Cornell Institute for Social and Economic Research
Speakers: - Ron Borzekowski, Section Chief, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
- Roberto Rigobon, Billion Prices Project, MIT
- Mike Horrigan, Associate Commissioner for Prices and Living Conditions
5:00-6:30 pm – Networking Happy Hour
Location: Tonic, 2036 G Street NW, Washington, DC
Thursday, September 13, 2012
8:00-9:00 am – Continental Breakfast
9:00-10:00 am – Plenary Presentation: Federal Data from the Ground Up: Cities.data.gov
This session will discuss the federal government’s efforts to standardize data across jurisdictions and the implications for micro-geographic data.
Moderator:
- Joan Naymark, Consultant, JG Naymark Demographics
Speakers: - Chris Vein, Deputy United States Chief Technology Officer for Government Innovation
10:00-10:30 am – Networking Break
10:30-11:45 am – Gaining a Better Understanding of this Rocky Recovery
This session will explore emerging data sets related to job creation, education, and business dynamics.
Moderator:
- Brian Maisano, Economist, US Bureau of Economic Analysis
Speakers: - Sharon Boivin, Acting Associate Commissioner, National Center for Education Statistics
- Dixie Sommers, Assistant Commissioner, US Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Javier Miranda, Principal Economist, US Census Bureau
11:45-12:15 pm – APDU Business Meeting
12:15-1:00 pm – Networking Lunch
1:00-2:15 pm – Health Care Data in a Whole New World
This session will discuss how improvements in electronic health information are transforming data availability and policy impact in the healthcare industry.
Moderator:
- Susan Ockert, Consultant, SO Consulting
Speakers: - Wesley Basel, Chief, Small Area Estimates Branch
- Rachel Licata, Senior Policy Analyst, Kaiser Family Foundation
- Bill Wiatrowski, Associate Commissioner, US Bureau of Labor Statistics
2:15-2:45 pm – Networking Break
2:45-4:00 pm – An Uncertain Future for the American Community Survey
This session will explore the implications of proposed changes to the American Community Survey (ACS) and potential alternatives for data users.
Moderator:
- Ken Hodges, Chief Demographer, Nielsen Claritas
Speakers: - James Treat, Chief, American Community Survey Office, US Census Bureau
- Rachel Kelley, International Council of Shopping Centers
- Andrew Reamer, Research Professor, George Washington Institute of Public Policy
4:00 pm – Conference Adjourns
2011 Annual Conference
Public Data on a Budget:
Making Critical Policy Decisions in the Current Fiscal Climate
Cloyd Heck Marvin Center
George Washington University
Continental Ballroom, 3rd Floor
Washington, DC
September 21-22, 2011
Wednesday, September 21st8:30 am – Welcome and Introductions
Continental Ballroom, 3rd Floor
GWU Host Hal Wolman, Director, George Washington Institute of Public Policy
APDU President Bob Scardamalia, CEO, RLS Demographics, Inc.
9:00 am – Lessons Learned in 2010 for the 2020 Census
This session will explore successes and challenges in the 2010 Census and how those experiences likely will affect planning for 2020.
Moderator:Ken Hodges, Chief Demographer, Nielsen Claritas
Speakers:Kevin Deardorff, Assistant Division Chief of Decennial Management Division, U.S. Census Bureau
Frank Vitrano, Chief of Decennial Management Division, U.S. Census Bureau
Dan Cork, Senior Progam Officer, Committee on National Statistics, National Research Council
10:15 am – Morning Networking Break
10:30 am – The Future of Federal Statistical Programs
Speakers in this session will report on what the future might hold for the Federal statistical system, including Federal funding, state and local partnerships, and dissemination.
Moderator:Andrew Reamer, Research Professor, George Washington Institute of Public Policy, George Washington University
Speakers:Howard Silver, Executive Director, Consortium of Social Science Associations
David Winter, Director, Office of Highway Policy Information, U.S. Federal Highway Administration
Frank Ambrose, Programs Team Leader, Employee Communications Branch, U.S. Census Bureau
11:40 am – Update from Bureau of Labor Statistics
Moderator:APDU President Bob Scardamalia, CEO, RLS Demographics, Inc.Speakers:Keith Hall, Commissioner, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
12:00 noon – Lunch
Food in Room 311
Seating in Room 307
12:45 pm – Luncheon Keynote Speaker – What Exactly Is Public Data?
Continental Ballroom, 3rd Floor
This presentation will help users better understand the litany of sources that are emerging from an increasingly ‘transparent’ policy environment. Public and private administrative data combined with Federal and state/local surveys are widening the possibilities of data to be mined. What constitutes “public” data; who are public data users; and what does the future hold?
Moderator:Conference Chair Virginia Carlson, President, Metro Chicago Information Center
Speaker:Matt Carmichael, Director of Information Projects, Advertising Age
1:30 pm – Improving the Statistical System: Data Delivery
Exploring Key Census Data Access Tools:
- American Fact Finder (AFF)
- Data Ferrett
- Integrated Public Use Microdata Series
Moderator:Christine Pierce, Vice President, Demographic Research, Nielsen Media Research
Speakers:Jackie Mommsen, Requirements & Stakeholder Relations Program Analyst, Data Access and Dissemination Systems, U.S. Census Bureau
Cavan Capps, Chief, Data Web Systems/Data Ferrett, U.S. Census Bureau
Katie Genadek, Research Assistant, Minnesota Population Center, University of Minnesota
2:45 pm – Afternoon Networking Break
3:15 pm – Improving the Statistical System: Data Visualization
Examining Issues in Data Mapping:
- Tapping BEA’s interactive data tools
- Leveraging public data with ArcGIS
- Using American FactFinder mapping resources
Moderator:Susan Ockert, Consultant, SO Consulting
Speakers:Lucas Hitt, Chief, Communications Division, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
Evan Caldwell, Solutions Engineer, Esri
Rob Chestnut, Requirements & Stakeholder Relations Branch Chief, Data Access and Dissemination Systems, U.S. Census Bureau
Thursday, September 22nd8:30 am – The Privatization of Public Data
Continental Ballroom, 3rd Floor
As calls for “government transparency” are heard at all levels, government agencies struggle with how to most efficiently make their data available. For many agencies the solution is to turn to a private sector vendor for data development, cleaning, coding and eventual sale to the public. Is this the right model? What does it mean for public access to public data?
Moderator:Virginia Carlson, President, Metro Chicago Information Center
Speaker:Kevin Webb, Co-Director, OpenPlan
9:00 am – Tracking Our Nation’s Health
Topics to be addressed include tools to monitor health and insurance statistics and efforts to improve health data availability.
Moderator:Jim Scanlon, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (Science and Data Policy), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Speakers:Ed Sondik, Director, National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Brian O’Hara, Chief, Health and Disability Statistics Branch, U.S. Census Bureau
John Marcotte, Archive Director, Health Data at ICPSR, University of Michigan
Erin Holve, Director, and Courtney Segal, Research Assistant, AcademyHealth
10:15 pm – Morning Networking Break
10:45 am – Tracking Our Economy
Topics to be addressed include the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey and Time-Use Survey, enhancements to the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages database, and efforts to improve gross domestic product statistics.
Moderator:Dave Talan, Supervisory Economist, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Speakers:David Hiles, Supervisory Economist, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Guy Podgornik, Economist, Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Rachel Krantz-Kent, Economist, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Mauricio Ortiz, Chief of the Regional Income Branch, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
11:45 am – APDU Business Meeting
12:15 pm—Networking Lunch
Food in Room 311
Seating in Room 307
1:00 pm – Using Longitudinal Data: Emerging Federal Statistical Series
Join us as we discuss longitudinal data initiatives such as Business Employment Dynamics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems from the National Center for Education Statistics, and Longitudinal Employment Dynamics from Census and the state labor market information agencies.
Moderator:Warren Brown, Senior Research Associate, Cornell Institute for Social and Economic Research, Cornell University
Speakers:Erika McEntarfer, Lead Economist, LEHD Economic Research Group, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau
Rick Clayton, Director, QCEW Program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Tate Gould, Research Scientist, National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education
2:15 pm – Afternoon Networking Break
2:45 pm – Enhancing the American Community Survey
The session will examine the current status of the American Community Survey, review the impact of recent budget decisions, and address key operational challenges.
Moderator:Bill O’Hare, Consultant, Annie E Casey Foundation
Speakers:Mary Jo Hoeksema, Director of Government Affairs, Population Association of America
Trent Alexander, Chief of Data Analysis and User Education, ACS, U.S. Census Bureau
Rob Chestnut, Requirements & Stakeholder Relations Branch Chief, Data Access and Dissemination Systems, U.S. Census Bureau
Nicole Scanniello, ACS Data Review Coordinator, U.S. Census Bureau
4:00 pm – Conference Adjourn
2010 Annual Conference
“Public Data 2010: Opportunities and Challenges for the New Decade”
September 20 – 21, 2010
US Dept of Agriculture Economic Research Service
1800 M Street NW, Washington, D.C.
Monday, September 20th
8:00 – 8:30 am Participants arrive at ERS and go through security
8:30 am Welcome
Andrew Reamer, APDU President, Fellow, The Brookings Institution
Christine Pierce, APDU Conference Chair, The Nielsen Company
John Kort, Associate Administrator, Economic Research Service, US Dept. of Agriculture
9:00 am The Decennial Census: Looking Back and Looking Ahead
Chair: Ed Spar, Executive Director, Council of Professional Associations on Federal Statistics
Speakers:
Dan Weinberg, Assistant Director for American Community Survey and Decennial Census, Associate Director for Decennial Census, Census Bureau, US Dept. of Commerce
Louisa Miller, Census Programs Assistant Division Chief, Population Division, Census Bureau, US Dept. of Commerce
Steve Jost, Associate Director for Communications, Census Bureau, US Dept. of Commerce
10:15 am Morning Break
10:45 am The Future of Public Data Collection
Chair: John Kort, Associate Administrator, Economic Research Service, US Dept. of Agriculture
Speakers:
Rochelle Martinez, Statistician, Statistical and Science Policy Branch, Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the President
John Kirlin, Assistant Deputy Director for SNAP Research, Economic Research Service, US Dept. of Agriculture
Jennifer Madans, Associate Director for Science, Health Care Statistics Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, US Dept. of Health and Human Services
Dennis Fixler, Chief Statistician, Bureau of Economic Analysis, US Dept. of Commerce
12:00 pm Lunch
1:00 pm Keynote Speaker
Katherine R. (Kitty) Smith, Administrator, Economic Research Service, Research, Education and Economics, US Dept. of Agriculture
1:30 pm Break Out Sessions
A. Measuring the Green Economy
Chair: Susan Ockert, Montana Department of Commerce
Speakers:
Dixie Sommers, Assistant Commissioner for Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections, Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Dept. of Labor
Mark Doms, Chief Economist, Economic and Statistics Administration, US Dept. of Commerce
Mitch Horowitz, Vice President and Managing Director, Battelle Technology Partnership Practice
B. Population Estimation and Demographic Analysis
Chair: Ken Hodges, Chief Demographer, Nielsen Claritas
Speakers:
Victoria Velkoff, Population Estimates and Projections Assistant Division Chief, Population Division, Census Bureau, US Dept. of Commerce
Jason Devine, Special Assistant, Population Division, Census Bureau, US Dept. of Commerce
Warren Brown, Demography Program Director, Carl Vinson Institute of Govt, University of Georgia
2:45 pm Afternoon Networking Break
3:15 pm Break Out Sessions
A. Monitoring Employment Dynamics: New Developments and Innovative Applications
Chair: Robert Parker, APDU Vice President, Consultant on Federal Statistics
Speakers:
Colleen Flannery, Chief, Educational Research Branch, Census Bureau, US Dept. of Commerce
James Palma, Planner, Maryland Dept. of Planning
David Talan, Chief of the Business Employment Dynamics Branch, Office of Employment and Unemployment Statistics, Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Dept. of Labor
Christopher Nekarda, Economist, Macroeconomic Analysis Section, Division of Research and Statistics, Federal Reserve Board
B. Tracking Population Migration
Chair: Linda Jacobsen, Vice President, Domestic Programs, Population Reference Bureau
Speakers:
Paul Voss, Senior Spatial Analyst, The Odum Institute for Research in Social Science
John Cromartie, Geographer, Resource and Rural Economics Division, Economic Research Service, US Dept. of Agriculture
Caleb Miller, Statistician/Demographer, Census Bureau, US Dept. of Commerce
Tuesday, September 21st
8:00 – 8:30 am Participants arrive at ERS and go through security
9:00 am Measuring American Poverty
Chair: Constance Citro, Director, Committee on National Statistics, The National Academies
Speakers:
Mark Levitan, Director of Poverty Research, NYC Center for Economic Opportunity
David Johnson, Chief, Housing and Household Economic Statistics Division, Census Bureau, US Dept. of Commerce
Joan Turek, Senior Economist, US Dept. of Health and Human Services
Indivar Dutta-Gupta, Professional Staff Member, Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support, Committee on Ways and Means, House of Representatives
10:15 am Morning Break
10:30 am American Fact Finder
Chair: Paul Zeisset, Special Assistant, Economic Census, Census Bureau, US Dept. of Commerce
Speakers:
Marian Brady, DADS Implementation Manager, Product and Design Content, Decennial Systems and Contracts Management Office, Census Bureau, US Dept. of Commerce
Robert Chestnut, Team Lead, Requirements and Stakeholder Relations, Product and Design Content, Decennial Systems and Contracts Management Office, Census Bureau, US Dept. of Commerce
11:30 am Business Meeting
12:00 pm Lunch
1:00 pm Afternoon Speaker
Alan Krueger, Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy and Chief Economist, Office of the Deputy Secretary, US Dept. of the Treasury
1:30 pm Innovations in Data Access, Dissemination, and Visualization
Chair: Virginia Carlson, President, Metropolitan Chicago Information Center
Speakers:
Sanjeev “Sonny” Bhagowalia, Deputy Associate Administrator, Office of Innovative Technologies, Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies, US General Services Administration
Ron Bianchi, Director, Information Services Division, Economic Research Service, US Dept. of Agriculture
Kevin Merritt, CEO, Socrata
2:45 pm Afternoon Networking Break
3:15 pm The ACS: Fulfilling its Promise as the Long Form Replacement
Chair: Warren Brown, Demography Program Director, Carl Vinson Institute of Govt, University of Georgia
Speakers:
Paul Voss, Senior Spatial Analyst, The Odum Institute for Research in Social Science
Doug Hillmer, Independent Consultant
Freddie Navarro, Assistant Division Chief, American Community Survey Statistical Studies, Decennial Statistical Studies Division, Census Bureau, US Dept. of Commerce
Elaine Murakami, Community Planner, Federal Highway Administration Office of Planning
4:30 pm Conference Wrap-up
2009 Annual Conference
Thu.-Fri., September 24 – 25, 2009
at the Brookings Institution
in Washington, D.C.
“Measuring Recovery through Federal Data”
The conference provided participants with the latest data on the recovery in major sectors and the role of recent investments to improve federal statistical programs. Sessions provided perspectives at the national and regional levels.
2008 Annual Conference
Federal Data in a Time of Change
September 24 – 25, 2008
The Brookings Institution
Washington, D.C.
Wednesday, September 24th
8:30 am — Welcome and Introductions
Andrew Reamer, Vice President, APDU & Fellow, The Brookings Institution, Washington, DC
Leonard Gaines, President, APDU & Program Research Specialist, Empire State Development, Albany, NY
9:00 am — Preparing for the 2010 Census: Get Out the Pencils
With April 1, 2010 less than two years away, the Census Bureau faces substantial challenges in preparing for and implementing the 2010 Census. This session will provide a discussion of the current status of and next steps for major program elements—such as address list compilation, community partnerships, field operations, and product plans—with implications for the results.
Moderator: Leonard Gaines, President, APDU & Program Research Specialist, Empire State Development, Albany, NY
Speaker: Arnold Jackson, Associate Director for Decennial Census, Census Bureau, Washington, DC
Discussants: Jane Traynham, Manager, Maryland State Data Center, Maryland Department of Planning, Baltimore, MD
William O’Hare, Senior Fellow, KIDS COUNT Project, Annie E. Casey Foundation, Baltimore, MD
10:30 am — Break
10:45 am — Using Federal Data to Track Local Housing Markets
Declining home prices and mounting foreclosures are the story across the nation. Federal data products can help us understand trends and dynamics in local housing market conditions. What are these products, what are their strengths and weaknesses, and what third-party efforts have been made to improve their usefulness?
Moderator: Donald Bradley, President, Housing Statistics Users Group, Washington, DC
Speakers: Frank Nothaft, Vice President-Chief Economist, Freddie Mac, McLean, VA
Erica Groshen, Vice President and Director of Regional Outreach, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, New York, NY
Robert Avery, Senior Economist, Federal Reserve Board, Washington, DC
Danilo Pelletiere, Research Director, National Low Income Housing Coalition, Washington, DC
Andrew Leventis, Senior Economist, Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, DC
12:15 pm — Luncheon
Introduction: Leonard Gaines, President, APDU & Program Research Specialist, Empire State Development, Albany, NY
Keynote Speaker: Steve Murdock, Director, Census Bureau, Washington, DC
“From Professor and State Demographer to Director of the U.S. Census Bureau”
1:30 pm — The Care and Feeding of the Federal Statistical System: A View from the Top
No two organizations have a more complete perspective of the federal statistical system than OMB’s Statistical and Science Policy Office and the National Academies’ Committee on National Statistics (CNSTAT). OMB staff will provide an overview of upcoming plans and prospects for the federal statistical system and report on recently issued directives/standards that impact statistical agencies. CNSTAT staff will offer a review of recent work for the major statistical programs.
Moderator: Nancy Gordon, Associate Director for Strategic Planning and Innovation, Census Bureau, Washington, DC
Speakers: Katherine Wallman, Chief Statistician, Statistical and Science Policy Office, Office of Management and Budget, Washington, DC
Constance Citro, Director, Committee on National Statistics, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC
3:00 pm — Break3:30 pm — Defining Economic Regions: Exploring the Options
Federal government agencies produce a diverse array of regional economic classifications. The coverage of some of these geographies may surprise you. Metropolitan areas, for instance, include over half of the nation’s rural counties. What is the best way to define metropolitan, urban, or rural? Are counties or census tracts the appropriate building blocks? As OMB initiates another review of metropolitan area standards in preparation for the 2010 Census, this session will compare and contrast various approaches to defining regions.
Moderator: John Kort, Associate Administrator, Economic Research Service, USDA, Washington, DC
Speakers: John Cromartie, Geographer, Economic Research Service, USDA, Washington, DC
Duke Tran, Senior Economist, Regional Product Division, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Washington, DC
Kenneth LeVasseur, Senior Economist, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Washington, DC
Andrew M. Isserman, Professor of Regional Economics, Planning, and Policy, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL
5:15 pm — Reception
Thursday, September 25th
8:30 am — The Grocery Store and the Gas Pump: Data that Hit Home
In this time of rising food and energy prices, it is time to take stock of what statistics are available from various federal agencies, some less well-known, to measure trends in the supply, consumption, and prices of these commodities. Learn more about data sources that can help answer important questions such as: What are the impacts of $140/barrel oil? How will increasing use of bio-fuels affect the supply and price of corn and other crops? This session will examine federal statistics that track the pocketbook effects of rising food and energy prices.
Moderator: Robert P. Parker, Consultant on Federal Statistics, Bethesda, MD
Speakers: Phillip Tseng, Senior Operations Research Analyst, Energy Information Administration, Washington, DC
Clint McCully, Chief, Research Group, National Income and Wealth Division, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Washington, DC
Mark Denbaly, Deputy Director for Data, USDA Economic Research Service, Food Economics Division, Washington, DC
Dania Ferguson, Economic and Environmental Surveys Section Head, National Agricultural Statistics Service, Washington, DC
Mike Horrigan, Associate Commissioner, Office of Prices and Living Conditions, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Washington, DC
10:00 am — Break
10:30 am — Getting From Here to There: A Look at Federal Travel Data
Transportation, housing, economic development, and land use analysts continually seek better ways to understand how and why people move around. This session examines two important federal travel data efforts—the National Household Travel Survey and the Census Transportation Planning Products program—and looks at research efforts aimed at improving travel data availability and quality.
Moderator: Clara Reschovsky, Survey Analyst, Metro Washington Council of Governments, Washington, DC
Speakers: Ed Christopher, Community Planner, Federal Highway Administration Resource Center, Olympia Fields, IL
Heather Contrino, Travel Surveys Team Leader, Office of Highway Policy Information, Federal Highway Administration, Washington, DC
Adella Santos, National Highway Travel Survey Team Member, Cambridge Systematics, Washington, DC
12:00 noon — APDU Annual Business Meeting
12:30 pm — Networking Lunch
1:30 pm — The Future of Population Estimates
The Census Bureau annually provides population estimates for states, counties, cities and towns that are essential for local planning, business decisions, and the distribution of federal funds. Census estimates also are used as controls for estimates from the new American Community Survey. Faced with a rising number of challenges to its estimates, the Census Bureau is considering how best to respond. The session will provide an update on the effort to remake the Population Estimates Program.
Moderator: Ken Hodges, Chief Demographer, Nielsen Claritas, Ithaca, NY
Speakers: Edward J. Spar, Executive Director, Council of Professional Associations on Federal Statistics, Alexandria, VA
Victoria Velkoff, Assistant Division Chief, Population Division, Census Bureau, Washington, DC
Qian Cai, Director, Demographics and Workforce Section, Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
Christine Pierce, Director, Demographic Research, Nielsen Media Research, Schaumburg, IL
3:00 pm — Break
3:30 pm — American Community Survey Multi-Year Estimates: Challenges and Opportunities
For the first time this December, the Census Bureau will release ACS estimates based on three years of data for places with population of 20,000 or more. The new three-year estimates, providing more geographic detail for small areas as well as new estimates for larger areas, will offer both opportunities and challenges for data users. This session will provide an in-depth conversation about the content, accessibility, and usability the new multi-year estimates, as well as an overview of current developments in the ACS program.
Moderator: Robert P. Parker, Consultant on Federal Statistics, Bethesda, MD
Speakers: Susan Schechter, Chief, American Community Survey Office, Census Bureau, Washington, DC
Alfredo Navarro, Assistant Division Chief for ACS Statistical Design, Census Bureau, Washington, DC
Discussants: Paul Overberg, Database Editor, USA Today, McLean, VA
Michael Lee Cohen, Study Director, Committee on National Statistics, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC
Marilyn Seastrom, Chief Statistician, National Center for Education Statistics, Washington, DC
5:00 pm — Adjourn
2007 Annual Conference
Thursday, October 25
8:00 am Continental breakfast and registration
8:30 am Welcome
8:45 am View from the Hill: An Update from Congressional Staff
Speaker:
Darryl Piggee, Counsel, U.S. House Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census, and National Archives
Chair:
Terri Ann Lowentha,Legislative and Policy Consultant
9:45 am Introduction of attendees
10:00 am What We Can Do: Communicating with Policy-Makers
Speaker:
Terri Ann Lowenthal, Former Staff Director, House Subcommittee on Census and Population
10:20 am Break
10:50 am Issues in Data Confidentiality
Speakers:
Julia Lane, NORC/University of Chicago, “Options and Technical Approaches for Keeping Data Confidential”
Nick Greenia, Internal Revenue Service, “Accessing Business Data from a Statistical Agency Perspective”
David Stevens, University of Baltimore, “Accessing Confidential State Administrative Records”
John Haltiwanger, University of Maryland, Discussant
Chair:
Julia Lane, NORC/University of Chicago
12:00 pm Discovering the U.S. Census Bureau’s Data Ferrett
Speaker:
Cavan Capps, Chief, Data Web and Applications Branch, Data Integration Division, U.S. Census Bureau
Chair:
Lisa Neidert, Director, Data Services, Population Studies Center, University of Michigan
12:30 pm Lunch
1:30 pm Measuring National, State and Local Economies: A report from BEA
Speakers:
Robert Brown, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Reconciliation of National and State Personal Income
David G. Lenze, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Pensions and Personal Income
Sharon Panek, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Prototype Estimates of Gross Product for Metropolitan Areas
Chair:
John Kort, Bureau of Economic Analysis
3:00 pm Break
3:30 pm 300 Million and Counting: Preparing for Census 2010
Speakers:
Frank Vitrano, U.S. Census Bureau “Overcoming the Challenges Facing the 2010 Census”
Mathew Scire, Director, Strategic Issues, Government Accountability Office
Chair:
Ken Hodges, Claritas, Inc.
5:15 pm Reception
Friday, October 26
8:00 am Continental breakfast
8:30 am To Your Health: An overview of NCHS data
Speakers:
Jane F. Gentleman, National Center for Health Statistics
Charles J. Rothwell, National Center for Health Statistics, “Vital Statistics: Vital for Health Policy and Research”
Jane E. Sisk, National Center for Health Statistics, “Data on Health Care to Address Policy Issues”
Yinong Chong, National Center for Health Statistics, “Web-Based Tutorial of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES)”
Chair:
Jane F. Gentleman, National Center for Health Statistics
10:00 am Break
10:30 am Using Data for Regional Economic Development
Speakers:
Cynthia A. Richmond, Arlington Economic Development, “The Use of Data in Regional Economic Development Analysis and Strategy’
Barbara Dendy, McCallum Sweeney Consulting, “Data and the Business Site Selection Process”
John Dorrer, Maine Department of Labor, “The Evolving Role of a State Labor Market Information Agency in Economic Development”
Chair:
Andrew Reamer, Fellow, Metropolitan Policy Program, Brookings Institution
12:00 noon APDU Annual Meeting
12:30 pm Lunch
1:30 pm Getting the Most Out of the American Community Survey
Speakers:
D’Vera Cohn, Senior Writer, Pew Center for Research, Former reporter, The Washington Post
Jane Traynham, Manager, Maryland State Data Center, Maryland Department of Planning
Christine Pierce, Research Department Nielson Media Services
Chair:
Ed Spar, Executive Director, Council of Professional Associations on Federal Statistic
2:45 pm Break
3:15 pm American Community Survey: Policy Changes Affecting Data Users
Speakers:
Susan Schechter, Chief, American Community Survey Office, U.S. Census Bureau
Alfredo Navarro, Assistant Division Chief for ACS Statistical Design, American Community Survey Office, U.S. Census Bureau
Mark Asiala, Chief, ACS Estimation Branch, American Community Survey Office, U.S. Census Bureau
Edward J. Spar, Council of Professional Associations on Federal Statistics
4:45 pm Adjourn
2006 Annual Conference
“Navigating Rivers of Data”
Thursday, October 5
8:00 am Continental breakfast and registration
8:30 am Welcome and Introductions
9:00 am View from the Hill
Speakers:
TerriAnn Lowenthal, The Census Project
John Cuadares, Subcommittee on Federalism and the Census Committee on Government Reform, U.S. House of Representatives
Mark Stephenson, Committee on Government Reform, U.S. House of Representatives
Session Organizers:
Ralph Rector, Heritage Foundation Center for Data Analysis
Andrew Reamer, Brookings Institutions
10:30 am Break
11:00 am OMB Federal Information Collection Reviews: What are they? How can data users benefit?
Speakers:
Brian Harris-Kojetin, Office of Management and Budget
Andrew Reamer, The Brookings Institution
Naomi Goldstein, Administration for Children and Families, Department of Health and Human Services
Session Organizer:
Ralph Rector, The Heritage Foundation’s Center for Data Analysis
12:30 pm Lunch
1:30 pm Income, Income Everywhere, but Which Figures to Use?
Speakers:
David Lenze, Bureau of Economic Analysis
Charles Day, Internal Revenue Service
David Johnson, Census Bureau
Anne Polivka, Bureau of Labor Statistics
Session Organizer:
Leonard Gaines, Empire State Development
3:00 pm Break
3:15 pm Reports from APDU representatives to Decennial Census Advisory Committee and COPAFS
3:45 pm How Data Users Can Make A Difference
Speakers:
Heidi Hartmann, Institute for Women’s Policy Research
Heather Boushey, Center for Economic and Policy Research
Jennifer Madans, National Center for Health Statistics
Session Organizer:
Andrew Reamer, The Brookings Institution
5:30 pm Reception
Friday, October 6
8:00 am Continental breakfast
8:30 am Announcements, preview of APDU issues
9:00 am New Innovative Data Sources: Local Employment Dynamics, off-shoring data, and Gross Metropolitan Product
Speakers:
Jeremy Wu, U.S. Census Bureau
Sharon Panek, Bureau of Economic Analysis
Bill Zeile, Bureau of Economic Analysis
Session Organizers:
Leonard Gaines, Empire State Development
Patricia Becker, APB Associates
10:30 Break
10:45 am Integrating Horizons: Emerging Methods for Collecting Data
Speakers:
Dawn Haines, Social Security Administration
Mike Davern, University of Minnesota
Mario Callegaro, University of Nebraska
Session Organizer:
Ralph Rector, The Heritage Foundation’s Center for Data Analysis
12:00 pm Business meeting
12:30 pm Lunch
1:30 pm American Community Survey: What do we know and how will we use it
Speakers:
Lisa Blumerman, U.S. Census Bureau
Doug Hillmer, U.S. Census Bureau
Connie Citro, National Academy of Sciences
Graham Kalton, (presentation delivered by Connie Citro) WESTAT
Session Organizer:
Lisa Neidert, University of Michigan
3:15 pm Break
3:45 pm Census 2010: Plans and controversies
Speakers:
Teresa Angueira, U.S. Census Bureau
Jim Dinwiddie, U.S. Census Bureau
Frank Vitrano, U.S. Census Bureau
Session Organizer:
Andrew Reamer, The Brookings Institution