Thomas Data Consulting
delivers rigorous data analysis, visualization, and storytelling — built to drive decisions, not just display data
AREAS OF FOCUS
advanced data analysis and analytics
From query to dashboard — rigorous data modeling, validated metrics, and self-service tools for non-technical stakeholders
Data Visualization & storytelling
Tableau dashboards for CEOs, researchers, advocates, and the public. Built to answer a specific question, not just display data
cross sector research & Domain fluency
Research fluency across public, nonprofit, and private sectors. Different domains, same discipline
About the Founder
Derek Thomas is a data analyst and visualization specialist with more than a decade of experience. He also teaches data visualization and storytelling at Columbia University and Touro University
His data-based storytelling helped secure a $30 million state investment in Indiana's child care system and supported legislation requiring scrutiny of economic development spending in Connecticut. He also conceptualized and built an interactive tool to track and visualize $10 billion in federal funding flowing into New York City's annual budget
CLIENTS
LEAPCURE
Data Visualization Director: Design executive-ready dashboards and data stories that clarify clinical trial recruitment, performance, and equity for sponsors and internal leaders. Build and standardize visualization frameworks, templates, and best practices, while coaching teams on effective data storytelling and partner with clinical operations, advocacy, and sponsor stakeholders to turn complex enrollment data into clear insights for strategy, sales, and leadership.
Leadership for Educational equity
Director of Data Analytics: Design, implement, and maintain automated data systems, analysis, and Tableau dashboards to track marketing KPIs. Provide general data analytics support to inform business problems related to the organization’s strategic direction and to strengthen internal operations.
City university of new york, Institute for Implementation Science in Population Health
Tableau Developer: Support development, implementation, and maintenance of dashboard projects related to major public health issues and initiatives.
Deliverable: STI Dashboard New York
Media: State launches public STI database— WNYC
FREEDOM VA
Data Analyst and Visualization Consultant: Model and visualize tax and economic policy to support Freedom VA’s legislative efforts.
Deliverable: VA Freedom Revenue Estimates
Deliverable: Analysis of VA Affordable Medicine Act
Data pulse research
Data Journalist: Create data-driven articles by researching publicly available data, crafting a cohesive narrative, and producing clear and engaging data visualizations.
Article Cited: How a 4-day Workweek Could Reduce Burnout without Hurting Productivity — Yahoo Finance
Centennial State prosperity
Data Analyst and Visualization Consultant: Model and visualize tax and economic policy to support Centennial State Prosperity’s public policy agenda.
Deliverable: Colorado’s Housing Affordability Crisis in Numbers
Deliverable: The Cost of Trump's Economy to Coloradans
The Impact Project
Data Analyst and Visualization Consultant: Analyze state-level poverty, wages, jobs, labor force, demographics, state-to-state migration, and state-based paid family leave proposals to inform TIP’s policy priorities and advocacy. Build Tableau dashboards and communicate key insights.
Deliverable: Tableau Maps and Dashboards.
CAPITAL AND MAIN
Data Analyst and Visualization Consultant: Support data analysis and build data visualizations to support investigative journalism stories related to the US economy.
Deliverable: Election 24: Change in Uninsured People Tableau Dashboard
Report Cited: The Trump-Vance “Concept” On Health Care — Harris for President
Media: Millions more Americans lacked health insurance under Trump vs. Biden — USA Today
Media: Americans Without Health Insurance Rose by 2 Million Under Trump: Report — Newsweek
Media: Number of U.S. Residents Without Health Insurance Rose by 2 Million Under Trump, Fell by 3 Million Under Biden— Capital and Main
Private Equity Stakeholders Project
Data Analyst: Collect and analyze large public and private datasets, and assist in development of a 50-state index for PESP’s Private Equity State Risk Index. The Index includes 16 unique measures to rank the risk to each state’s overall economy, and separately, to jobs, housing, healthcare, and pension investments.
Deliverable: Private Equity State Risk Index
Report Cited: Predatory Private Equity Practices Threaten Americans’ Health and the Economy — U.S. Congressional Joint Economic Committee
Media: A new study reveals the states where private equity has the most influence on housing, health care, jobs and pensions — NBC
The New School’s Center for New York City Affairs
Data Analyst: Analyze New York City and State’s federal pandemic relief funding and New York City and State budgets with a focus on workforce development, human services, the nonprofit sector, and economic development spending.
Deliverable: New York City's Covid-19 Federal Relief Funding: Implications for Human Services and Workforce Development.
Media: Omicron Afflicts Already Ailing NYC Economy, Pushing Projected Jobs Recovery Back to 2025 - The City
Media: Here Is How to Track Federal Grants For New York City Nonprofits – New York Nonprofit Media
UC Berkeley Labor Center
Data Analyst: Support data analysis of ride-share and delivery driver data across several U.S. metro areas as part of a project looking at the effect of California’s Proposition 22 on driver earnings.
Deliverable: Gig Passenger and Delivery Driver Pay in Five Metro Areas
Uber Driver WAGE Analysis
Data Analyst: Analyze driver-level data to accompany expert testimony in a series of lawsuits in Texas that alleges Uber unfairly and insufficiently compensated drivers.
Deliverable: Expert Testimony, Driver Pay Analysis
Third sector intelligence
Senior Advisor: Conduct inventory of early childhood data systems across state agencies in Texas to support an Early Childhood Integrated Data System (ECIDS), and deliver findings to the Texas Early Learning Council Data Roadmap Work Group.
Deliverable: Texas Early Childhood Integrated Data System Roadmap
NONPROFIT NEW YORK
Survey Analyst: Analyze client’s annual compensation survey of nearly 400 questions related to salary scales and benefit offerings to determine the financial position of New York City’s nonprofit sector and provide a resource for organizations to benchmark staff compensation.
Deliverable: 2022 Nonprofit Compensation Report [Salary + Benefits]
ADDItional work
Following are samples of data visualizations, research, and press during Derek’s time as a fiscal policy analyst at nonprofit think tanks in New York City, Connecticut, and Indiana.
SAMPLE VISUALIZATIONS
Samples of PAST Research
Analysis of President Trump’s FY 2020 Budget Proposal – FPWA
New York City's Federal Funds Tracker, Introductory Report – FPWA
A Better Approach to the State Budget: Analyzing Four Budget Proposals – CT Voices for Children
The Cost of Business Tax Breaks in Connecticut – CT Voices for Children
State of Working Connecticut – CT Voices for Children
Work Sharing: A Win-Win-Win Strategy for Avoiding Job Loss – Indiana Institute for Working Families
Samples of PAST MEDIA
Omicron Afflicts Already Ailing NYC Economy, Pushing Projected Jobs Recovery Back to 2025 - The City
Here Is How to Track Federal Grants For New York City Nonprofits – New York Nonprofit Media
With Federal Budget Decisions Looming, Queens Groups Rally for Funding – Queens Daily Eagle
Comptroller Lembo, Open Government Advocates Commend Legislature for Unanimous Support of More Competitive Economic Development Analysis – CT State Comptroller
Special Report: The Unequal State of America - Lean Times for the "Undeserving Poor" – Reuters