Episodes

In this captivating episode of 'How I Met Your Data Today,' hosts Anjali Bansal and Karen Meppen interview fellow podcaster Jamie McCusker, the self-proclaimed Opinionated Ontologist. Jamie shares the journey into the world of ontology development. McCusker sheds light on the importance of bringing experience and perspective to data modeling, challenging the notion of being an impartial mediator. Jamie delves into academic and professional experiences, highlighting work with methodologies like p...

In this episode of How I Met Your Data , Christina Hois, a data leader with over 30 years in financial services, joins Anjali and Junaid to explore why data challenges rarely stem from technology — and almost always come down to people. Christina shares why breaking down cultural silos, building stakeholder trust, and prioritizing data tied to real business outcomes matter more than deploying new tools. The conversation highlights the critical role of emotional intelligence, credibility, and col...

In this episode of How I Met Your Data: The Prompt , Anjali and Karen dig into one of the fastest-emerging patterns in development today: vibe coding - the practice of describing what you want and letting an LLM generate the code. It’s new. It’s evolving. And right now, it’s causing as much frustration as it is excitement. Karen breaks down what vibe coding actually looks like in practice: developers prompting AI to produce entire features or files, navigating the wildly different “personalities...

In this episode of How I Met Your Data , Anjali and Junaid sit down with Tony Shaw, Founder & CEO of DATAVERSITY - the force behind Enterprise Data World (EDW) and DGIQ. Tony traces the early origins of a “metadata conference” that became a global learning platform, then gets candid about what actually moves the data profession forward: cycles, culture, and community. We dig into how conference content evolves (remember when data modeling was the headliner?), why governance remains a business fu...

In this episode of How I Met Your Data Today, hosts Anjali and Junaid sit down with financial services industry veteran Julia Bardmesser about the significance of political capital in data leadership. Julia shares insights from her 25-year career, working across major institutions such as Bloomberg, Citi, Deutsche Bank, and Voya Financial, before founding her strategic advisory firm. She clarifies what political capital is (and isn't) and how it affects the ability to drive data and AI initiativ...

In this episode of The Prompt, hosts Anjali and Karen dive into the latest headlines about AI adoption and ROI, unpacking why 95% of AI pilots are reportedly failing while a select 5% succeed. Drawing parallels to the dot-com era, they explore the real reasons behind AI project failures, the importance of vendor partnerships, and the pitfalls of unrealistic expectations in proof-of-concept initiatives. The conversation highlights the need for clear business objectives, data governance, and a pra...

In this episode of The Prompt , Anjali, Karen and Junaid unpack the unsettling news that shared ChatGPT conversations—via the platform’s “share” feature—were indexed by Google, making sensitive prompts and personal details publicly searchable. Topics explored include: How the share link works, and why “public” really means public Why even seemingly benign prompts can build an unnervingly detailed profile of you The cultural differences in privacy expectations between the US and Europe—and why dr...

In this episode of How I Met Your Data , hosts Anjali, Junaid, and guest Jay Krish dive deep into the rapidly evolving world of Agentic AI—a paradigm shift from rule-following automation to systems capable of autonomous decision-making. Jay, a seasoned financial services leader and AI thinker, breaks down what Agentic AI really is: a network of large language models working together to reason, adapt, and act independently toward a goal. Together, they explore: 🧠 How Agentic AI differs from tradi...

In this episode, Junaid reflects on the CDOIQ Symposium in Boston, emphasizing the overwhelming focus on AI, especially AI agents, and their impact on white-collar jobs. We discuss the immense value of networking at conferences and debate whether CDOs overemphasize data quality at the expense of other critical areas like culture and literacy. And finally, we explore where CDO's oversteer and what they under value.

In this episode of The Prompt, Anjali, Karen and Junaid dig into a common and often overlooked issue in today’s data-driven landscape: the mismatch between maximizing data and realizing business value. The hosts unpack the pitfalls of prioritizing AI-readiness and data hoarding over understanding critical business needs. They challenge the popular notion that more data equals more value—highlighting how data volume often leads to complexity, redundancy, and unmet expectations if not tied to clea...

Vanessa Jones-Nyoni , Chief Data Officer at Commerzbank NY, joins How I Met Your Data to share her journey from Sierra Leone to the C-suite. We dive into the realities of modern data leadership in a highly regulated industry—balancing innovation with governance, wrangling unstructured data, and building a culture of AI and data literacy. Plus: what it's really like leading a lean team, the power of one-on-one influence, and the mission behind Women Data Professionals.

Welcome to The Prompt, a short-format minisode of How I Met Your Data , where hosts Junaid, Karen, and Anjali delve into the evolving landscape of data and AI. In this lively discussion, they explore the pivotal question of whether the Chief Data Officer (CDO) or Chief Data & AI Officer (CDAO) should report directly to a CEO, a CIO, or another C-level executive. Each host shares sharp insights based on their professional experience, addressing the challenges facing CDOs, such as their typically ...

What do knowledge graphs, beautiful wine, and the AI revolution have in common? According to Juan Sequeda, Principal Scientist at data.world and co-host of the popular Catalog & Cocktails podcast — everything . In this episode of How I Met Your Data , Juan joins Angela and Karen for an energizing, thought-provoking deep dive into why semantic data modeling is having its renaissance moment, what we’ve misunderstood about knowledge-first design, and how data governance might just be on the brink o...

Join Junaid, Karen, and Anjali for a special episode of "The Prompt," where they dive into the latest trends in data and analytics. Discover insights into major tech mergers and acquisitions, such as ServiceNow's acquisition of Data.World and Salesforce's partnership with Informatica. Learn about the implications for data governance, vendor lock-in, and AI readiness in today's rapidly evolving market. Are we simply relabeling age-old challenges with new terminology, or are we on the brink of gen...

Welcome to another episode of How I Met Your Data . This time, we’re getting real about the messy, meaningful journey of career evolution. Our guest, Angelique Hopkins, along with our own Karen Meppen, unpack the highs, lows, and hard-earned wisdom of navigating big career moves in the fast-changing world of Data & Analytics. We’re talking about more than just job titles. From navigating burnout to breaking out of career stagnation, Karen and Angelique share honest reflections on their careers, ...

Welcome to a new chapter of 'How I Met Your Data', where we dive deeper into the real stories behind the data with our new co-hosts, Karen Meppen and Junaid. This episode explores the intersections of data leadership, AI disruption, and culture shifts, while introducing Karen and Junaid's unique perspectives and experiences in the data world. Join us as we discuss the messy middle, transformation fatigue, and the never-ending journey of working with data. Karen shares her rich experience in opti...

Welcome to another episode of "How I Met Your Data" with your hosts Sandy Estrada and Anjali Basal. Join us in this engaging conversation as we bid Sandy farewell on her new venture and welcome Rachel Moore Best, a renowned negotiation expert and lecturer at MIT. In this episode, Rachel shares her journey from music studies to becoming a negotiation specialist, emphasizing the significance of negotiation beyond the boardroom and into everyday life. Discover the power of negotiation in enhancing ...

Welcome to Season 2 of "How I Met Your Data," where hosts Sandy Estrada and Anjali Bansel dive into the dynamic world of data. In this episode, they chat with guest Carly Van Zandt, Senior Director of Data Governance at Fresenius Medical Care. Carly shares her fascinating journey from biology to data governance, highlighting her innovative approach to demonstrating the ROI of governance efforts, even with a small team. Discover how Carly's unique methodology has transformed data practices and l...

Welcome to the season finale of "How I Met Your Data," where hosts Sandy Estrada and Anjali Bansal guide you through the dynamic world of data. In this episode, Sandy shares highlights from her recent sabbatical, exploring the breathtaking landscapes of Olympic National Park and the vibrant culture of Barcelona. Anjali recounts her own summer adventures in Yellowstone and Hilton Head, emphasizing the stunning beauty and wildlife of America's national parks. As they reflect on the season, Sandy a...

This episode of How I Met Your Data welcomes Dr. Elouise Epstein, a digital futurist, to discuss the often overlooked world of procurement. Listeners will learn what procurement is and why it's essential to business success. Dr. Epstein provides insights into the challenges that procurement teams face, including a lack of spend transparency, reliance on outdated technology, and the struggle to keep up with a rapidly evolving digital landscape. She also shares her vision for the future of procure...

Welcome to another episode of How I Met Your Data! In this episode, hosts Sandy Estrada and Anjali Bansal are thrilled to welcome Malcolm Hawker, a seasoned expert in data and analytics with over 25 years of experience. Currently the Chief Data Officer at Prophecy, Malcolm shares his insights on master data management and data governance. The episode kicks off with a discussion about the recent CDOIQ conference in Boston, where Anjali and Malcolm co-hosted a session. They delve into the topics c...

This week, Anjali Bansal and Sandy Estrada, welcome Stephanie Gervasi, the Director of U.S. Partnerships and Alliances for Alation. Alation is a leading provider of data cataloging and governance solutions designed to empower organizations to harness the power of their data effectively. In this episode, they dive into the intricate relationships between software companies, consulting firms, and data executives. They also discuss the importance of mutual benefit in partnerships, the role of cons...

This week, on How I Met Your Data Anjali and I have a special edition for you. We're going to debrief on the Snowflake Data Cloud Summit that took place just a couple of weeks ago. Joining us is Michael Cochrane, Cervelo's Global Data and Analytics Consulting Practice Leader, and a longtime colleague of mine. We dive deep into the evolution of Snowflake, its impact on clients, and how it has transformed from a cloud-optimized data solution to a comprehensive platform supporting multi-cloud and r...

Join Sandy Estrada and Anjali Bansal in this exciting episode of "How I Met Your Data" as they welcome Junaid Farooq, a seasoned expert in data governance and strategy currently leading enterprise data initiatives at First Citizens Bank.  Junaid shar...