Meet Eric Meyer
Eric has been an analytics practitioner for 10+ years, with seven years in higher education. Some of Eric's work involves conducting data analysis to derive insights from marketing campaigns and initiatives. He develops and implements measurement frameworks based on organizational and unit needs and uses that data to better understand key audiences.
Q & A with Eric
As the new director of the Measurement & Analytics team for University Relations, we wanted to learn more about Eric and what we can expect from his common goods services team.
Q: What do you envision for your new Measurements & Analytics team?
A: Providing best in class service to our units, hitting strategic goals and showcasing how our collective work impacts the wider university mission.
Q: What types of opportunities will staff experience on your team that they may not have now in their current role?
A: Data requires a lot of maintenance and when bad data surfaces in a dashboard or chart, it can inhibit confidence in the stakeholders. The expertise of the Measurement and Analytics team will remove the technical lift so teams can focus on taking actionable decisions based on the numbers.
Q: What’s your leadership style?
A: I believe strong communication, collaboration and mentorship are key to driving an organization's vision and strategy whether it's within the M&A team or external partners.
Q: How did your career lead you where you are today?
A: I was a preschool teacher prior to earning my Bachelor’s in Economics. While a teacher, I began volunteering for local nonprofits and was inspired how statistics and data could potentially solve real world problems. I was exposed to data and the digital landscape in my first role outside of college which led me down a 10+ year career path in digital analytics.
Q: What is the biggest challenge you are trying to solve currently in your role?
A: One of my current projects is to centralize and automate many of the Measurement and Analytics team’s technical processes. This will enable us to focus on what’s important: spending more time discussing the incredible work the units do and how data can improve upon it. Data relies on years-built expertise and organizational knowledge to drive value. Without it, it’s just numbers.
Q: How do you envision the culture will work to help keep staff connected to both their campus or college and on their new common good services team?
A: Each unit will have their own unique data story to tell. The collaborative efforts between the M&A team, staff and the units will be pinnacle to understanding their digital footprint. Collectively, we’ll make an impact on what the story is and what will be the next chapter.
The collaborative nature of our team structure is at the core of what we do. Ultimately, we all work for the University of Minnesota. Our work is foundationally built on our commitment to the University’s mission of a world-class education, groundbreaking research, and outreach. The work that is done within each campus, college or unit supports this mission first and foremost. Recognizing that we all have a similar purpose brings us together and will only exemplify our excellence.
Q: What do you like to do when you are not analyzing and measuring data?
A: There are two things I love: food and demystifying processes. Whether it’s the science of baking, fermentation or new fun ways of coffee extraction (the elixir of life!) learning the science behind them are some of my favorite things. Hopefully, with delicious results.