Employee Highlight: Jade Brown, AI Innovator
“What does an AI Innovator do?” This was a question that Jade Brown asked when she was promoted to this position last year. We wanted someone who would not only be able to work with data to advance our mission, but also to write curriculum and teach AI and IoT to others.
“I had no doubt when we promoted Jade that she was the right person for this job,” said executive director Alisia McClain. “I saw Jade first shine as an intern with the Future of Work and she has been an amazing asset to us for two years, leading with data visualization, website/marketing and more. The most amazing thing about Jade is her willingness and ability to learn new skills quickly.”
Since becoming an AI Innovator Jade has served as the point person for all data analysis and visualization for the Future of Work. She also developed and co-taught a curriculum for middle school students on machine learning. She also taught courses for the Butterfly Project. Additionally, she has served as a mentor to Tech Louisville and DataBoss. This program helped local nonprofits by using their data to train high school students and their teachers data analysis and visualization.
“The core of what I do encompasses elements of life,” said Brown. “I am passionate about: education, technology, culture, and freedom. Because of the wonderful people I have met on my journey at FWI, the lines between my job and my role in the community have faded. This is a major win for myself because I am a believer in dreams and doing what it is in this life that your heart desires. I am living in that by letting my data analytics skills intertwine with my love for educating and helping others on their journeys.”
Jade recently graduated with a double major in Accounting and Computer Information Systems from University of Louisville. As she began to experience both the accounting and IT professions, she realized IT – more specifically, data analytics - was most intriguing. So, her current role as an AI Innovator at the Microsoft Louisville Future of Work Initiative is perfect! She has worked with PowerBI, SQL, Google Data Studios, and several other data analytics tools and skill sets.
In addition to these roles, Jade also has a passion for inspiring people to follow their dreams. It is important for her to not only inspire her fellow coworkers and professional peers, but also those that are on their way to fill our shoes. She has provided program leadership with the SummerWorks program, the Youth Ethics and Skills Center, and TECH-nique (all non-profit organizations local to Louisville Metro) to do just that! She has a passion for creating and leading curriculum and programs that show youth and adults that look just like her - you can do it, too!
“We are grateful to have Jade on our team,” said McClain. “She is a shining example of the Future of Work.”