Shattering Stereotypes
Lauren Maffeo shatters conventions, from reporting on tech startups to becoming an AI and business intelligence analyst to her mastery of data governance
In a world that often boxes us into rigid categories, Lauren Maffeo's transition from journalist to respected data governance thought leader is a powerful testament to the remarkable possibilities that emerge when we dissolve the arbitrary boundaries between disciplines. During our conversation, she recounts the pivotal moments, tough lessons and hard-won victories that have characterized her unconventional path. Her story serves as a much-needed reminder that creativity, curiosity and exceptional communication skills are every bit as vital to technical mastery as coding aptitude.
Finding the Courage to Pivot
Lauren's aspirations seemed destined for a far different path when she first embarked on her media studies journey in college. An early love for journalism and broadcasting fueled dreams of becoming a television reporter. A media studies graduate, she interned in broadcast journalism before freelancing as a tech reporter in London.
Yet even as her talents flourished through internships and freelance work, the sector's growing instability prompted a shift to the tech world, which was really growing and would allow her to keep learning. She translated her liberal arts skills to new domains, initially in content marketing, then as a research analyst at Gartner covering AI and the business intelligence market, and today, as a senior service designer, designing human-centered data governance systems for our federal government. "I've kind of been leapfrogging across different roles, and I don't know exactly where I will be in five years, but I think the leapfrogging is probably going to continue."
Embracing the “In-Between”
As Lauren's interests pivoted toward the exciting world of emerging technologies, she faced a harsh reality - her non-traditional background made her an anomaly in technical circles. Lauren's journey was complicated by the microaggressions and biases she faced as a woman in male-dominated tech spaces. She recounts meetings where male colleagues would simply refuse to acknowledge her presence or insights, a subtle yet demoralizing slight. Despite her growing expertise, she was often dismissed as not technical enough in some scenarios and found herself caught in a paradoxical “technical/not technical enough" trap, explaining: "I often feel like I don't belong anywhere because I'm more technical than a lot of designers and not as technical as a data engineer, for instance."
Although her multidisciplinary background seemed to make others uncomfortable, Lauren has made peace with occupying this ambiguous middle ground between traditionally siloed domains. As she put it: "I'm in this weird in-between space, which I am happy to occupy and I don't mind, but it seems to make other people uncomfortable sometimes."
While acknowledging areas outside her expertise like advanced data science or engineering, she is confident in her abilities as a data architect - designing the blueprints that data professionals build upon. Her strength lies in seamlessly bridging the strengths of liberal arts with technical prowess, making space for the diversely skilled experts that modern challenges demand. This self-assurance was hard-earned after fielding countless dismissive reactions from those who couldn't quite place her unique blend of talents and expertise.
Unmasking Data’s Dark Corners
Lauren persevered through these challenges, forging ahead. The spark that ignited her pioneering work in data governance came from a troubling reality - data scientists spend a staggering 80% of their time cleaning data. This oft-cited statistic underscores how much of today's data is unfit for use, plagued by quality issues. But beyond the logistical headaches, Lauren also recognized the insidious role of unconscious bias infiltrating datasets, with serious consequences like discrimination and the perpetuation of illegal practices. Lauren realized that a new approach to data governance was desperately needed.
Her book, Designing Data Governance from the Ground Up, is a powerful call for cross-disciplinary collaboration to solve data's biggest challenges. The seed for Lauren's book germinated at the All Things Open conference in 2019. A conversation with an editor from Pragmatic Programmers sparked her idea for a guide to co-creating data governance programs across teams. During the pandemic's lockdowns, Lauren drafted a sample chapter that earned the publisher's green light. Without an advance, the self-funded 18-month writing journey relied on 50% royalties. After eight technical reviewers provided feedback, the 100-page handbook finally hit shelves in winter 2022 - a 20-month marathon, start to finish.
By urging professionals across teams to collectively define data quality standards, Lauren has revealed the precious value that liberal arts thinking can bring to technical domains.
Envisioning a More Inclusive Future
Looking forward, Lauren’s nontraditional background is an inspiring example that has the capacity to embolden our next generation. "I think we're at an exciting time in education where there are more interdisciplinary courses for people who are both computer science majors and liberal arts majors to learn more about both subjects." She is heartened by the growing opportunities for unique perspectives to inform emerging fields like AI and believes blending diverse educational backgrounds with technical skills will be crucial for nurturing innovation. "It is going to be even more important, not only that you know how to use various AI techniques, but that you really polish your non-automatable skills because those cannot be replaced." Lauren’s brilliance lies not just in mastering data governance strategies, but in her ability to illuminate a more inclusive vision for technology's future - one where creativity, strong communication abilities and liberal arts thinking are recognized as competitive strengths.
“I just didn’t think of tech as something that was for me or applicable to me. And that really has more to do with the way those subjects were taught than my aptitude for them. I see that changing now in a way that’s very exciting. The future is blending tech with liberal arts in a way that education historically has not.”
Sowing Seeds of Wisdom
Through her experiences, Lauren imparts this guidance: resist putting all your eggs in one basket, and cultivate a diverse network and array of opportunities. Over-reliance on any single person or organization's opinion can limit your potential. She's also recalibrated her definition of success, recognizing that pursuing a decades-long career at one company may no longer be feasible or desirable. Instead, she advocates for strategic pivots to unlock more creative and personally fulfilling pursuits when possible.
You can learn more about Lauren and her work, and connect with her, on LinkedIn.
Lauren’s journey showcases how conventional career "norms" are becoming obsolete in our richly intersectional present and future. For any of us who have been made to feel like outliers due to our idiosyncratic blend of interests and skills, her story can serve as a vital source of courage and inspiration, daring all of us to shatter stereotypes and redefine what's possible.
