Tableau Talent Finder - Highlight Post #2
- MARK CONNOLLY
- Jul 2, 2020
- 5 min read
About a month ago I released the Tableau Talent Finder out to the #datafam. This Tableau Public dashboard + Google Form/Sheet combo was meant to help those in the community who had recently lost their jobs due to the financial impact of COVID-19.
I was blown away at the response from the Tableau community as the dashboard has received over 2000 views and had over 70 individuals fill out the Google form. While I am hopeful that this dashboard has helped a few folks, I wanted to take it a step further!
Two weeks ago, I reached out to folks who had filled out the Google form to ask if they'd like to be featured in a highlight post.
I asked those interested in participating to answer the following:
1. Reason You Started Using Tableau
2. URL To A Tableau Public Viz That Showcases You Best (Not A Resume)
3. Most Interesting Tableau Related Project You've Worked On
4/5. And any two questions from here.
Last week I had my first highlight post and am excited to share the second with all of you!
Autumn Battani

Autumn works in the Communications, Media, & Technology industry and has 2 years of experience with Tableau. If Autumn seems like a great fit for a role at your company feel free to reach out at aabattani@gmail.com.
Reason you started using Tableau
I actually started using Tableau sort of on a whim. At the time I picked it up, only two people in my department (of about 100) were using it and not with high visibility. But one had created a side project they showed me and I was fascinated. I asked my boss if I could get a license through the company and they supported it. I took my laptop home and would watch videos and read blogs and practice. I then began incorporating it into my work.
URL to a Tableau Public viz that showcases you best
This is a dashboard that I worked on where the theme was the quantified self. Despite the fact that all of the data was created and curated by me, I found it challenging to summarize it in a meaningful way. I also really tried to push my design capabilities with this one. It does not have the greatest technical aspects of everything I've done but I do think it came together in a way I'm really proud of: My Millennial Wallet
Most interesting Tableau-related project you've worked on
My dashboard on Black Owned Eateries in the US has easily been both my most labor-intensive as well as my most rewarding. I could never have anticipated the support I received after posting it. I was so worried about its reception but it was so important to me. It has been the catalyst behind so many wonderful conversations, data-related and otherwise.
What bit of trivia do you know that is very interesting but also very useless?
I actually know a lot of random movie trivia. I'm not sure when I picked up this habit, but after every movie I see I go and read the trivia on IMDB. The movie I probably know the most about is the remake of The Parent Trap with Lindsay Lohan. Fun fact: the woman who plays Meredith's mother in the remake (Actress Joanna Barnes) played Meredith's equivalent character in the original.
If you owned a restaurant, what kind of food would it serve?
Boards! Think charcuterie but in a variety of ways. Cheese and meat boards. Crudites. A french fry board with different types of french fries and different dips. A dessert board. I would want the atmosphere to balance somewhere between a restaurant and a cafe where you can have good food but you come mainly to linger and chat. I have thought a lot about this.
Phil Perrin

Phil works in the Public Sector industry and has 7 years of experience with Tableau to go along with a Tableau Desktop certification. If Phil seems like a great fit for a role at your company feel free to reach out at info@philperrin.com.
Reason You Started Using Tableau
I think the tipping point for me was making an age pyramid in Excel. I thought there had to be a better way and found Tableau - the results with the audience changed dramatically when presented using Tableau. The visual just captured their attention that much more.
URL To A Tableau Public Viz That Showcases You Best (Not A Resume)
A recent project I have been working on (this is a near final version) is a summary dashboard on the Early Care and Education workforce in Colorado: https://public.tableau.com/profile/phil.perrin.consulting.llc#!/vizhome/PDISBIUAnalytics-DRAFT_Final_R/Home
Most Interesting Tableau Related Project You've Worked On
There are so many! Honestly I am biased towards my pet project - tracking the certification trends of Tableau - https://public.tableau.com/profile/phil.perrin.consulting.llc#!/vizhome/CertificationTrends_15861072256130/Dashboard
What was your first job? Also, what was the first job you actually liked?
My first job was when I was 14 and got my working papers to help out at the place my mom worked (an electrical contractor). I cleaned up the shop, organized things, broke things that needed to be broken. The first job I actually liked? I think that would be when I worked on a Fulbright Teacher Exchange program. It was a headache sometimes, but it was the first time I really dug into web development, data visuals, and community engagement.
What makes a person beautiful in your eyes?
Ambition and principles.
Matt Niznik

Matt has 1 year of experience with Tableau. If Matt seems like a great fit for a role at your company feel free to reach out at matt@matthewniznik.com.
Reason You Started Using Tableau
I have a PhD in Atmospheric Science and spent hours making data visualizations of rainfall and other meteorological data using Python packages before I transitioned to web development. I remember Tableau being talked about during my graduate school days but it wasn’t until my wife actively started using it for her work that I became hooked. I appreciate how quickly you can make intuitive data visualizations with Tableau and have been looking to work more closely with it professionally ever since.
URL To A Tableau Public Viz That Showcases You Best (Not A Resume)
I really enjoyed exploring various passing statistics to team wins for the 2018 NFL season in this viz:https://public.tableau.com/profile/mattniznik#!/vizhome/2018NFLPassing/Dashboard1
Most Interesting Tableau Related Project You've Worked On
My wife and I worked together on a data pipeline and visualization for our family budget. It’s not publicly visible for obvious reasons, but that was an interesting challenge!
What "old person thing" do you like to do?
I like to read through newspaper articles to start my day. OK, I cheat and do it on a computer, but they’re still the articles from the print versions.
What's the weirdest dream you ever remember having?
I had a dream that the National Weather Service issued a “Fireball Warning” with the message “SEVERE DEVASTATION”. Not sure it’s the most helpful way to inform people the world might be coming to an end, but funny to think about.
Okezie Michael

Okezie works in the Communications, Media, & Technology industry and has 2 years of experience with Tableau. He is looking for a mentor to work with to grow his career and an internship opportunity that I can work remotely. If Okezie seems like a great fit for a role at your company feel free to reach out at okeziedesk@outlook.com.
Reason You Started Using Tableau
Started a Career in Data Science and Data Analytics
URL To A Tableau Public Viz That Showcases You Best (Not A Resume)
Most Interesting Tableau Related Project You've Worked On
Heath Map showing countries and Life expectancy
What dead historical figure would you like to bring back as your invisible friend?
Steve Jobs
How Important is your family?
Family is very important, they will always stand by you when everyone is long gone.
That wraps up the first highlight post of some of the amazing talent found on the Tableau Talent Finder. Please feel free to reach out to any of these individuals if you know of a potential opportunity that might be a great fit! The first highlight post can be found here.
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