Addison Howard
5.0
(2)
Transform Data Systems: AI Integration & Modern Automation
Studied at BYU Marriott School of Business
Works at Leland
Available Thursday at 12:00 AM UTC
Questions? Start chatting with this coach before you get started.
Addison's Coaching Offerings
Custom hourly · $170/hr
Get help with AI Fundamentals, Data Cleaning & Prep, and .
Addison’s AI for Data & Analytics Qualifications
Experience level: Director
I do the work of 4 people using AI, and I can show you exactly how. I've worn every hat in data: data scientist, analyst, migration specialist, data engineer, and head of data. That full-spectrum experience means I understand the entire data landscape, not just one piece of it. As the first data hire at a $400M+ revenue company, I built a data function from scratch, managed teams, and led major migrations. Today, I leverage AI to automate workflows, deliver actionable insights, and save companies thousands in operational costs. I've helped multiple organizations modernize their data systems and integrate AI at scale—solving real problems, not theoretical ones. My coaching reflects this breadth: whether you're preparing for technical interviews, navigating career decisions, or figuring out how to actually implement AI in your workflows, I bring practical perspective on what works across the entire data function.
Addison can help with:
AI Fundamentals
Data Cleaning & Prep
Data Strategy
Data Pipeline Automation
Dashboard Creation
AI Automation
Data Visualization
Reporting & Insights
About Addison
I was the first data hire at a $400M+ revenue company, where I led a comprehensive data modernization. I migrated legacy systems to modern infrastructure, transformed manual Excel reporting into automated pipelines, and built a data function from the ground up. I interviewed, hired, and managed a team of junior data engineers and analysts, giving me deep insight into what actually makes someone successful in these roles. Since then, I've helped several companies integrate AI into their data systems and workflows, focusing on automation that actually sticks. I understand the full lifecycle: building the infrastructure to support AI, automating manual processes that have been done the same way for years, and helping organizations think through where AI creates real value versus hype. Today, I work in a high-growth tech company where I continue to help teams modernize their data systems, especially around automation and AI integration, while guiding individuals through the technical and strategic decisions that shape data engineering careers.
Why do I coach?
For much of my professional journey, I didn't have a mentor. I learned by making mistakes: figuring out technical skills the hard way, struggling through interviews without clear guidance, and building systems before fully understanding the landscape. While that built resilience, it also slowed my progress more than it needed to. Now, I help people break into data engineering and navigate career growth with practical, real-world guidance grounded in what I've actually built. Whether you're learning the fundamentals of data architecture, preparing for technical interviews, or thinking strategically about automation and AI, my goal is the same: help you move faster with clearer strategy and genuine support. I want you to feel prepared, confident, and capable, and ultimately land opportunities in data engineering that you're genuinely excited about.
Work Experience
Staff Data Engineer
Leland
November 2025 - Present
Building and scaling data infrastructure for a high-growth tech company with a focus on automation and AI integration. Work involves designing systems that help teams move faster, reducing manual work through intelligent automation, and helping the organization figure out where AI actually creates value in data workflows.
Staff Data Engineer
Visionary Homes
August 2023 - Present
Interviewer
Owns the full data strategy, team, and platform for a $400M+ company. Acts as de facto Director of Data, overseeing infrastructure, analytics, and process adoption while leading and mentoring three analysts/engineers. Currently focused on scaling modern tooling, AI-driven insights, and cross-department automation. Key Achievements: • Spearheading the rollout of dbt and Fivetran to automate transformation and ingestion, positioning the company for scalable analytics and AI. • Rolled out Power BI dashboards that improved visibility. • Optimized the Azure data platform to streamline data flows. • Leading and mentoring a high-performing data team, building SQL, ETL, and cloud expertise. Data Architecture & Design, SQL and +2 skills
Data Engineer
Visionary Homes
July 2022 - August 2023
Interviewer
As the sole data engineer, independently architected and implemented the company’s centralized Azure SQL Server data platform and pipelines. Owned and executed the full ERP (Dynamics 365) migration end-to-end as a one-person team, a project of scope and complexity that typically requires three dedicated engineers. Spearheaded the company-wide evolution from manual reporting to automated analytics, laying the groundwork for real-time, self-service insights across all departments. Partnered with leadership to scale the data function from an individual role to a dedicated team. Key Achievements - ERP Migration Excellence – Single-handedly managed the complete migration of core business systems to Dynamics 365, covering data architecture, ETL pipeline design, validation, and performance tuning. Achieved seamless continuity for mission-critical operations — a project normally requiring a 3-person team. - Enterprise Data Platform Build – Designed and deployed automated pipelines consolidating data from eight legacy systems, enabling consistent, trusted reporting for Finance, Operations, and Sales. - Reporting Modernization – Transitioned reporting processes from weekly Excel extracts to automated hourly refreshes, reducing errors, increasing decision-making speed, and saving hundreds of analyst hours annually. - Team Building – Initiated and guided the hiring of 3 data analysts and 1 engineer, mentoring them to establish a scalable data team structure and governance standards. - Custom Data Applications – Built and deployed a bespoke web application that captured critical operational data previously trapped in Excel, fully integrating it into enterprise reporting pipelines. - Cross-Functional Impact – Delivered real-time dashboards and analytics directly influencing pricing strategies, budgeting accuracy, and operational efficiency. SQL, Python (Programming Language) and +3 skills
Data Analyst
Visionary Homes
March 2022 - July 2022
First-ever data hire, responsible for building the foundation of data operations. Partnered with business leaders to translate operational processes into data models and logic. Delivered early reporting and insights that reduced manual work and improved decision-making. Key Achievements: • Mapped business processes into structured data logic for consistent reporting. • Built initial dashboards that uncovered inefficiencies and enabled cost savings. • Created documentation and reporting standards that scaled with company growth.
Data Scientist Intern
BambooHR
May 2021 - August 2021
As a data scientist intern, I developed a highly accurate machine learning model for catching outlier data points helping the company reduce fraudulent accounts. This model reduced new customer fraud and saved employees time looking into the authenticity of new accounts. While at BambooHR, I also analyzed data from the sales teams to determine successful behaviors or actions that increased the number of accounts sold in a month and deployed ML model outputs and analysis in easy-to-digest Tableau dashboards.
Education
BYU Marriott School of Business
Bachelor of Science - BS, Management Information Systems, General
2016 - 2021
Activities and societies: Women In Business and Association of Information Systems Minor in Statistics
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