Liz Mannshardt
Vice President & Director, Statistics and Data Science Center, Westat
Liz Mannshardt is leading the effort to modernize Westat’s approach to data governance, which will allow the company to better organize, manage and secure clients’ data assets and internal enterprise data assets.
Mannshardt is also working to develop implementation standards for enhanced data platform management to guarantee the effective and efficient use of information for data-driven decisions and outcomes. Her goals are to further enable and expand Westat’s suite of data analytics and AI capabilities to provide custom, scalable solutions to meet clients’ evolving needs.
“The scope and capabilities of AI are advancing rapidly, offering cross-disciplinary opportunities to drive innovation and deliver more efficient data solutions,” said Jeri Mulrow, Westat vice president and sector lead of data solutions. “Dr. Mannshardt and her team are at the forefront of this evolution, ensuring that Westat continues to provide the high-quality, reliable data and results our clients trust.”
Why Watch
In 2025, Mannshardt and her team are heavily focused on furthering machine learning/AI innovations for clients’ real-world needs, which includes real-time solutions for processing large, complex data.
From harnessing generative AI to identifying, combining and optimizing data assets, Mannshardt believes in the importance of continually enhancing human expertise and human-driven research in relation to AI and big data processing.
“Every decision impacting humans should involve human insight, and my team of experts is committed to effective and trusted AI solutions,” she said. “In today’s rapidly evolving data landscape, I’ve learned that having a team of highly skilled experts, united by a shared vision, is more important than ever. For my team, that vision is delivering high-quality, trusted data solutions that have a meaningful impact on people’s lives.”
Fun fact: Mannshardt is strongly committed to mentoring and developing the upcoming generation of young statisticians and data science professionals. She helped build mentoring programs within her organization as well as with the American Statistical Association, the world’s largest professional society of statisticians and data scientists.