Ali Abid

Data-Driven Education & Non-Profit Leader
Nashville, US.

About

Highly analytical and impact-driven professional with a Master's in International Education Policy and Management, leveraging expertise in data analysis, strategic planning, and program management to drive organizational growth and social impact. Proven ability to optimize operations, enhance stakeholder engagement, and implement data-driven solutions across education and non-profit sectors. Seeking to apply advanced analytical skills and leadership experience to foster innovation and achieve measurable outcomes in a mission-driven environment.

Work

Vanderbilt University
|

Data Analysis Intern (Annual Giving and Alumni Engagement)

Summary

Optimized fundraising and engagement strategies for Vanderbilt University's Development and Alumni Relations by leveraging historical giving data and market insights.

Highlights

Analyzed historical gift band data for alumni affinity groups, identifying giving patterns to enable targeted outreach strategies aimed at increasing engagement and donation levels.

Facilitated data-driven engagement and donation goal setting for the Reunion 2025 cycle by analyzing 20 years of historical giving trends, leading to more informed strategic planning.

Evaluated marketing campaign effectiveness by analyzing gift pledge responses relative to donor capacity data, providing insights to optimize future campaign targeting and resource allocation.

Conducted cluster analysis using R on Vanderbilt Giving Day donors, segmenting them based on donation size and frequency, which informed the development of tailored communication and stewardship strategies.

Investigated engagement and gift trends among non-constituent donors to address record management inconsistencies, providing recommendations that improved data accuracy and identified potential engagement opportunities.

Vanderbilt University (Peabody College)
|

Graduate Teaching Assistant for EDUC 5100

Summary

Served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant for EDUC 5100, providing comprehensive academic and integration support to a cohort of international students.

Highlights

Mentored and supported a cohort of 36 international students, facilitating their integration by guiding discussions, connecting them with university resources, and assisting with understanding course concepts and expectations.

Streamlined class seminar operations by proactively managing logistics for 10+ distinct weekly sessions, liaising with diverse presenters and site visit locations.

Council for Advancement and Support of Education
|

CASE Advancement Intern at Vanderbilt University Development and Alumni Relations (DAR)

Summary

Applied fundraising and alumni engagement principles to analyze gift trends and collaborate on enhancing outreach for Vanderbilt University.

Highlights

Applied fundraising, stewardship, marketing, and alumni engagement principles to analyze gift trends from Vanderbilt Alumni Reunion 2023, boosting median-level donations from $50 to $75.

Collaborated with 4 Vanderbilt identity and affinity groups for enhancing newsletters and increasing alumni engagement.

Network of Organizations Working with People with Disabilities in Pakistan (NOWPDP)
|

Deputy Program Manager Education and Training

Summary

Led comprehensive education and training portfolios at NOWPDP, driving disability inclusion initiatives and enhancing educational outcomes for diverse populations across Pakistan.

Highlights

Managed core education portfolios, including inclusive, special education for 200 children with disabilities and technical/vocational training for over 750 adults with disabilities.

Enabled successful implementation of DEI programs at over 25 KSE-100 companies by conducting comprehensive disability sensitization trainings.

Oversaw teacher development and curriculum development programs for special and inclusive education schools in Sindh, leading to the employment of over 100 women with disabilities.

The Citizens Foundation (TCF)
|

Assistant Manager University Admissions & Alumni

Summary

Guided over 450 first-generation students through university admissions and financial aid processes, achieving a 90% board examination passing rate at TCF.

Highlights

Guided 450+ first-generation students through the entire university and financial aid application processes.

Created the organization's first college and career readiness manual, adapted to student needs to leverage tertiary scholarship opportunities.

Implemented best data practices to track academic trajectories and identify at-risk students, contributing to an overall 90% passing rate in board examinations.

Led two yearly workshop weeks to help over 50 students acquire necessary STEM skills prior to university enrollment.

The Express Tribune (ET)
|

Researcher and Script Writer (Tribune 24/7)

Summary

Managed the production of over 100 nightly news shows, contributing to the successful launch of Tribune 24/7 and shaping news agenda for over 100,000 households.

Highlights

Managed the production of over 100 nightly news shows, leading to the successful launch of Tribune 24/7, one of Pakistan's first English cable news channels.

Set the news agenda and tone by creating impactful stories around electoral issues, viewed by over 100,000 households.

Education

Vanderbilt University

Master of Education

International Education Policy and Management

Courses

Learning Analytics and Machine Learning in Education (Python & R)

Research & Data Analysis (STATA)

Program Evaluation Methods and Tools

International Economic Development

K-12 Education Policy

Institute of Business Administration (IBA)

Bachelor of Science

Social Sciences and Liberal Arts

Awards

Peabody Graduate Certificate in Emerging Learning Technologies and Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Awarded By

Vanderbilt University

Certificate demonstrating specialized knowledge in the application of emerging learning technologies and artificial intelligence in educational contexts.

Fulbright Master's Awardee

Awarded By

United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP)

Awarded for exceptional academic achievement and potential to pursue Master's studies in the United States.

Publications

Facing the Perils of an Increasingly Undemocratic Era

Published by

CPSD Pakistan

Summary

An analysis of the challenges facing democratic principles in an evolving political landscape.

Legislative Output Over The Years

Published by

The Express Tribune Newslab

Summary

A research piece examining trends and patterns in legislative output over time.

Languages

English
Urdu

Certificates

McKinsey Forward Program

Issued By

McKinsey & Company

Manage Successful Impact Evaluation and Field Surveys

Issued By

World Bank

Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate

Issued By

Google

Google Project Management Professional Certificate

Issued By

Google

Introduction to R and SQL

Issued By

DataCamp

Social Impact Analysis

Issued By

Acumen

IBM Enterprise Design Thinking

Issued By

IBM

Skills

Project Management

Project Management, Program Development, Strategic Planning, Process Optimization, Stakeholder Management, Curriculum Development, Logistics Management.

Data Analysis

Data Analysis, Impact Evaluation, Statistical Analysis, Machine Learning, Data Modeling, Predictive Analytics, Quantitative Research, Cluster Analysis, Data Visualization.

Programming & Tools

Python, R, STATA, SQL, XGBoost, Logistic Regression, Random Forest, Gradient Boosting, K-Means Clustering, PCA, Google Gemini API, ElevenLabs API, PostgreSQL, Notion, Canva, Microsoft Office Suite, Google Suites.

Education & Non-Profit Management

Education Policy, International Education, Disability Inclusion (DEI), Fundraising, Alumni Engagement, Grant Acquisition, Community Engagement, Program Management, Teaching Assistance, Student Mentoring, Needs Assessment.

Interests

Journalism

Reading news, Longform journalism, Podcasts.

Non-fiction

Nonfiction books, Gaining insights.

Projects

Educational Outcome Modeling and Household Segmentation using ASER Pakistan 2023 Dataset

Summary

Applied advanced statistical models to analyze educational outcomes and segment households for targeted interventions.

AudioWeaver - AI-Powered Podcast Generation Platform

Summary

Developed an AI-driven podcast creation tool with integrated content analysis and text-to-speech capabilities.

Tuition-Fee Regime Classification via XGBoost using European Tertiary Education Register

Summary

Developed a machine learning model to predict tuition regimes in European tertiary education.