Elmer Yglesias

Data leadership at the intersection of higher education and the traditions of Western thought.

About

Hi, I’m Elmer Yglesias, Chief Data Officer at St. John’s College, where I lead data strategy, governance, and institutional analytics. My work focuses on building durable systems that help institutions understand their students, plan responsibly, and make informed decisions. I am enrolled in an executive Chief Data and AI Officer program at Carnegie Mellon University, studying how data and artificial intelligence are reshaping leadership, governance, and institutional decision-making.Here you will find brief reflections on data, higher education, and history, examining how technology’s frontiers engage the enduring ideas and traditions of Western thought.

Strategic Projects

  • Data Lake and Analytics Infrastructure: Leading development of a unified data lake connecting CRM, SIS, ERP, financial aid, and advancement systems. Enables forecasting, accreditation reporting, and institution-wide decision intelligence through integrated data.

  • AI Foundations and Staff Training: Building organizational readiness for AI through infrastructure planning and faculty/staff workshops. Focused on generative tools, prompt design, and responsible governance in academic and administrative contexts.

  • Advanced Models and Decision Support: Evaluating large language models alongside traditional analytics. Exploring Anthropic’s Claude Code to strengthen analytical rigor and documentation quality. Summarization and pattern detection support institutional insight and strategic planning.

Resume Profile

  • Chief Data Officer at St. John’s College. Leading enterprise data strategy and AI readiness.

  • Former Director of Data Analytics & Strategic Enrollment at American University. Led research and BI to improve outcomes.

  • 15+ years in higher-ed data leadership. Specialized in governance and integrated systems.

  • NSF-sponsored REACH Research Analytics Mentor Program, 2025–26. Mentor to peers nationwide in research analytics and AI.

  • Below is ElmerGPT, your personal AI assistant for any questions about me.