About us

 

The Data Sciences Institute (DSI) at the University of Toronto is a hub and incubator for data science research, training, and partnerships. The University of Toronto’s data science programs have consistently earned the top spot in Canada, reflecting our dedication to excellence and innovation in the field. Data sciences is defined as the science of collecting, manipulating, storing, visualizing, learning from, and extracting useful information from data in a reproducible, fair and ethical way.  

The DSI has been selected by Palette Skills – lead recipient of the Upskilling for Industry Initiative as selected by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) – as an Upskill Canada Delivery Partner. Palette Skills is a national nonprofit whose purpose is to help Canada’s most innovative companies access untapped talent by creating a rapid upskilling system that connects new talent pipelines to high-demand roles. 

Palette Skills, launched Upskill Canada, funded by the Government of Canada, to help our country make the most of our competitive advantage while building a more inclusive economy in the process. Upskill Canada connects an ecosystem of employers and training providers across the country to collaborate in new ways and help mid-career professionals transition into new careers. 

Leadership & Staff

Rohan Alexander
Director, Technical Skills & Curriculum

Helen Lasthiotakis 
Director, Operations & Strategy

Alice Wright
Associate Director, Professional & Lifelong Learning

Jennie Moe
Program Manager, Professional Upskilling

Saira Banu
Employment Specialist

Gulzar Lakhani
Employment Specialist

Jordan LoMonaco
Data & Reporting Administrator 

Kasra Vakiloroayaei
Learner Recruitment Officer, Professional Upskilling

Daniel Razavi
Senior Software Developer

Nazeem Shamsuddin
Partnership & Business Development Officer

Linda Torry
Partnership & Business Development Officer

Industry Advisory Group

At the heart of our commitment to excellence lies the invaluable input from industry and organizational partnerships. The Industry Advisory Group, comprised of professionals across various sectors, brings a wealth of real-world insights and perspectives to our programming. Members provide their knowledge, expertise, extensive experience, and valued counsel and guidance to our team. 

The Group contributes to the program’s alignment with the industry’s latest trends and practical requirements of the job market. Dedicated to crafting data science and machine learning certificates that harmonize the aspirations of participants and the demands of employers, this collaborative effort fuels the Data Sciences Institute curriculum and job readiness skills development process. 

Ernest Chan 
Chief Scientist, PredictNowAI

Carter Cousineau 
Vice President, Data and Model (AI/ML) Governance and Ethics, Thomson Reuters

Ajit Desai 
Principal Data Scientist, Bank of Canada 
 

Javier Diaz 
Head of Data Science, Phenomic AI 

Kamilah Ebrahim
Associate, BCG 

Ann Meyer
Director, BioInnovation Scientist Program, adMare  

Krish Perumal 
Founder and President, Aramient

Pete Wright 
Director, Software Development & IT, Audiobooks