Andrew Therriault, PhD

I've spent the past 15 years working at the intersection of data science, AI, and real-world problem solving. Soon after getting my doctorate in political science, specializing in computational research methods, I left academia and started working in applied data science. I've served in leading roles and tackled hard data science challenges across many fields, from local government and political campaigns to multinational organizations and the biggest of "big tech". Based in Boston, I'm also a regular speaker at conferences and events and an occasional lecturer at leading universities such as Harvard and Northeastern.

Andrew Therriault headshot

Education

New York University: Ph.D. (2011), M.A. (2008), and B.A. (2003) in Political Science

Vanderbilt University: Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (2012)

UC Berkeley: Empirical Implications of Theoretical Models Summer Institute (2010)

Selected Experience

Zencity: VP of Data Science (2024–2025), Data Science and Methodology Consultant (2021-2024)

Oversaw data science, applied AI, and survey methodology for a Series C startup building resident engagement tools for local governments.

Civin: Founder and CEO (2020–2024)

Launched a civic tech startup building tools and providing services to local governments, overseeing day-to-day operations as well as long-term business and product development.

Various Clients: Data Science and Strategy Consultant, 2019–2024

Provided services and advising to public- and private-sector clients including the United Nations, Blue Cross Blue Shield, the State of Massachusetts, and a variety of technology startups.

Harvard University: Lecturer in Data Science (2019, 2022)

Northeastern University: Lecturer in Data Science (2020, 2024)

Developed and taught data science courses for graduate and undergraduate students, with a focus on end-to-end project development and execution.

Meta: Manager, Infrastructure Data Science, 2018–2019

Led a team of data scientists and engineers working to optimize Meta's back-end infrastructure.

City of Boston: Chief Data Officer, 2016–2018

Appointed as Boston's first-ever Chief Data Officer, leading the city's data science, analytics, performance management, GIS, and open data efforts.

Democratic National Committee: Director of Data Science, 2014–2016

Created a comprehensive data science program from the ground up, building a team of 10 data scientists, analysts, and engineers and developing models of voter behavior used by thousands of campaigns.

For a more complete look at my experience, education, skills, and more, see my latest resume.