Jake Porway

Jake Porway loves seeing good values in bad data: A machine learning scientist turned social entrepreneur, his work focuses on thoughtfully using data-driven technologies for social impact. In 2011, he co-founded and served as executive director of DataKind, a nonprofit that harnesses the power of data science in the service of humanity through skilled volunteering. More recently, Jake has turned his attention to field-level efforts in the data- and AI-for-good space, such as creating taxonomies for AI for Good efforts and building frameworks to guide philanthropists toward more thoughtful AI investments. He is an alumni of the New York Times R&D Lab, and has worked at Google and Bell Labs. A recognized leader in the Data for Good Movement, he has earned a PopTech Social Innovation Fellow and a National Geographic Emerging Explorer, in addition to speaking at TEDx, the World Economic Forum, and the White House. He holds a B.S. in Computer Science from Columbia University and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Statistics from UCLA.