Data4Good Case Competition
Saturday February 7, 2026
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Welcome to Johns Hopkins Carey Business School On behalf of Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, we are thrilled to welcome you to the Data4Good Case Competition. This event brings together students, professionals, and leaders who share a commitment to leveraging data, analytics, and business insights to address important societal challenges. At Carey, we believe in the transformative power of data to inform better decisions, foster responsible innovation, and drive positive impact across various industries and communities. As part of Johns Hopkins University, a globally recognized research institution, Carey is strategically positioned at the intersection of business, technology, and social impact. Our academic offerings reflect this focus and include specialized master’s degrees in Business Analytics and Artificial Intelligence, and Information Systems and Artificial Intelligence for Business, as well as graduate certificates in Artificial Intelligence for Business and Business Analytics and Risk Management. In addition, our various MBA programs integrate analytics and technology to prepare students for the challenges of tomorrow. The Data4Good Case Competition embodies the Carey values by challenging participants to transcend theory and utilize data to develop actionable, purpose-driven solutions. Throughout the competition, we encourage you to collaborate, think creatively, and engage with peers, mentors, and judges who bring diverse perspectives and expertise. We hope your time at Carey is both rewarding and inspiring. Thank you for being part of this competition, and we wish you great success as you apply your skills to create data-driven impact.
Time
Event
9:00 - 9:30 a.m.
Registration and breakfast
9:30 - 9:45 a.m.
Data4Good kickoff with Carey Business School leadership
9:45 - 9:50 a.m.
Transition to team 1
9:50 - 10:10 a.m.
Undergraduate team 1 - Butler University
10:10 - 10:15 a.m.
Transition to Team 2
10:15 - 10:35 a.m.
Undergraduate team 2 - Bringham Young University
10:35 - 10:40 a.m.
Transition to team 3
10:40 - 11:00 a.m.
Undergraduate team 3 - Queens College, City University of New York
11:00 - 11:15 a.m.
Coffee, restroom, networking break
11:15 - 11:35 a.m.
Non-Academic Regional Champion - Surya Gundavarapu
11:35 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Judge deliberation
11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Lunch Optional speakers from 12:30 -12:55 p.m.
1:00 - 1:20 p.m.
Masters team 1 - Georgia Tech
1:20 - 1:25 p.m.
Transition to team 2
1:25 - 1:45 p.m.
Masters team 2 - Oklahoma State University
1:45 - 1:50 p.m.
1:50 - 2:10 p.m.
Judges' break
2:10 - 2:30 p.m.
Masters team 3 - Purdue University
2:30 - 2:35 p.m.
Transition to team 4
2:35 - 3:15 p.m.
Masters team 4 - Washington University
2:55 - 3:15 p.m.
Judges deliberation
3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Early bird dinner and networking happy hour
4:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Award ceremony and closing remarks
Schedule of Events Saturday, February 7, 2026
Location
1st floor
4th floor Link (rooms 426, 428, and 430)
Data4Good Annual Case Competition
Build for what's next at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School
The Data4Good Competition is an annual national challenge that unites undergraduate and master’s students in applying data analytics and artificial intelligence to pressing real-world scenarios. In this collaborative environment, participants work in teams to analyze complex datasets, derive insights, and propose innovative, data-driven solutions utilizing advanced tools like DataCamp’s DataLab. The competition emphasizes not only technical rigor but also critical and creative problem-solving. Teams vie for regional honors, with outstanding undergraduate and graduate groups in each U.S. region eligible for cash awards of up to $2,000. This year’s challenge centers on improving the factual reliability of AI-generated educational content, asking participants to develop analytical approaches that detect misinformation and strengthen trust in AI-supported learning. Beyond the potential for prizes, participants gain hands-on experience integrating traditional analytics, machine learning, and large language models, enhance their skills in analytics and AI, and connect with a broader community dedicated to harnessing data for positive societal impact. Undergraduate Teams Brigham Young University Butler University Queens College, City University of New York or CUNY Graduate Teams Georgia Institute of Technology Oklahoma State University Purdue University Washington University Non-Academic Regional Champion: Surya Gundavarapu
Aaron Burciaga founder and CEO, ZETEC Aaron Burciaga brings more than 23 years of experience in analytics, decision automation, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. A co-founder and executive leader of multiple startups, including Zetec, AlphaAI, and Prime AI, he has led the development of transformative AI solutions across startup, enterprise, and government sectors and is recognized as a Top 50 Tech Leader and member of the Forbes Technology Council.
Judges
Andrew Bettany, director of Microsoft skills enablement, IT Masterclasses and vendor partner Andrew Bettany is an experienced IT and modern skilling specialist with deep expertise in cloud technologies, AI, and the modern workplace, including Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, and enterprise security. A longtime Microsoft Certified Trainer and 11-time Windows MVP as well as an AI MVP, he is a frequent international speaker and author of Microsoft Press titles, with extensive experience delivering training and certification programs for higher education and global enterprise audiences.
Brian D. Ceraldi, AWS global technical specialist, Amazon Web Services Brian D. Ceraldi is an AWS Global Technical Specialist and a 2025 MBA graduate of Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, with more than 15 years of experience spanning cloud infrastructure operations, nuclear energy, defense, and industrial systems. A former U.S. Navy nuclear reactor operator and diver, he brings deep technical and operational expertise from roles at Amazon Web Services and across government and private-sector environments. While at Carey, he was a Center for Innovation Leadership Fellow, further strengthening his focus on leadership, innovation, and complex problem-solving at scale.
Yashas Bharadwaj, principal of analytics Walmart Yashas Bharadwaj is a Principal of Analytics at Walmart, where he leads analytics initiatives within Walmart Data Ventures focused on customer behavior. With prior experience as a data scientist at Amazon, Aetna (CVS Health), Meta, and LegalZoom, he brings deep expertise in advanced analytics, predictive modeling, and data-driven decision-making across large-scale, consumer-focused organizations.
Katie Hildreth, strategic partner manager, Nursa Katie Hildreth is a strategic partner manager at Nursa with 10+ years of experience across clinical care and health care operations. A former registered nurse at Boston Children’s Hospital, she now leads large-scale health care operations and enterprise implementations. She holds an MBA from Johns Hopkins Carey Business School and an MPH from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and is a venture fellow with Riptide Ventures and a Flare Capital scholar.
Nazli Zeynep Turken, associate professor of practice Johns Hopkins Carey Business School Nazli Turken is an Associate Professor of Practice in Operations Management and Business Analytics at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School. She teaches statistics, optimization, and sustainable supply chain courses to MBA and master’s students and advises applied industry projects spanning machine learning, AI strategy, marketing, renewable energy, and telehealth, working with partners such as Amazon, Merck, Siemens, and JHU APL. Her research focuses on applying analytics to environmental and social responsibility challenges, including sustainable operations, e-commerce strategies, and equity in communication and education.
Joseph Cazier Clinical Full Professor, Associate Director of Center for AI and Data Analytics, Arizona State University
Dan Whitenack CEO Prediction Guard
Committee Members
Todd Bordner Partnership Manager - Higher Ed, Prediction Guard
Aaron Burciaga Founder and CEO, ZETEC
Matthew Lanham Assistant Professors of Business Technology & Analytics, Butler University Lacy School of Business
Mohammad Ali Alamdar Yazdi, associate professor of practice Johns Hopkins Carey Business School Mohammad Ali Alamdar Yazdi is an Associate Professor of Practice at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, where he teaches data science and business analytics courses including Data Visualization, Python for Data Analysis, and Big Data Consulting. A data scientist with more than a decade of experience, he has taught over 2,500 MBA and master’s students and designed Carey’s highly popular Data Visualization course. His research and applied work focus on data visualization, machine learning and AI in healthcare, human-computer interaction, and large-scale transportation analytics.
Nicole Mirra Director, MS Programs & Advising Johns Hopkins Carey Business School
Rochelle Fisher Senior Global Academic Program Manager, SAS
Data4Good sincerely thanks the event sponsors for their generous support of today's competition.
Carol Curley INFORMS Director of Education & Industry Programs
Lori Downen Senior Global Academic Program Manager, SAS
Johns Hopkins Carey Business School Zetec AI Prediction Guard Butler University - Lacy School of Business SAS Purdue University Mitch Daniels School of Business INFORMS Georgia Insitute of Technology | Master of Science in Analytics Virginia Tech Pamplin College of Business NAAIC (The National Applied AI Consortium) NC State University's Institute for Advanced Analytics Carnegie Mellon University | Tepper School of Business UC Berkeley | Master of Analytics program Vendor Partner: Andrew Bettany, director of Microsoft skills enablement, IT Masterclasses
Bill Griffin INFORMS Continuing Education Program Manager
Nick Ulmer Principal OR Analyst, CANA
Data4Good Sponsors
Mafer Bencomo DataCamp Marketing Manager
Hopkins Bloomberg Center 555 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001