Our mission

As the tech and sports industries grow in importance and influence, women remain heavily underrepresented—to the detriment of all.

The Women in Sports Data initiative promotes diversity and equity in sports analytics through the expansion of women's professional networks and the cultivation of cross-sport dialog among industry experts.

Tegan Bunsu Ashby 🏀

Senior Full-Stack Systems Developer at Brooklyn Nets

Tegan Bunsu Ashby is a Senior Software Developer with the Brooklyn Nets. She works at the intersection of data and design, building applications and visualizations to empower front office decision making and help win basketball games. Previously, she spent three seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers in Research and Development as a Software Developer. She holds degrees in Linguistics and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from the University of Pennsylvania, where she studied theoretical syntax, ancient Mesopotamian languages, and the world's oldest spreadsheets.

Sarah Gelles ⚾️

Director, Research & Development at Houston Astros

Sarah Gelles is the Director of Research and Development of the Houston Astros, where she leads a growing R&D team that is central to the Astros' data-driven approach. Prior to joining the Astros, she was the Director of Analytics & Major League Contracts for the Baltimore Orioles. In that role, she oversaw the club's Analytics department, handled Major League roster management and rules compliance, and assisted the General Manager with player acquisitions and contract negotiations. Sarah has also worked for the Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, and MLB's Labor Relations Department.

Diana Ma 🏀

Data Scientist Emerita at Los Angeles Lakers

Diana spent four seasons as a data scientist with the Los Angeles Lakers, where she worked in the front office in basketball operations and performed analyses involving player evaluation, roster construction, and in-game strategy. Prior to joining the Lakers, she worked as a data scientist in digital marketing analytics at Digitas in Boston. She earned a BS in statistics from Queen's University and an MS in applied statistics from New York University. Currently, Diana works as a data scientist at Capital Group.

Kristen Mori ⚾️

Machine Learning Engineer at Houston Astros

Kristen is the Machine Learning Engineer for the Houston Astros. She started her career as an R&D Analyst in 2018 after graduating from Purdue University in Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science with a minor in Spanish. While in college, she co-founded the Sports Analytics at Purdue student organization. In the MLB offseason, she enjoys watching the NFL or cheering on her beloved Boilermakers.

Casey Thayer 🏀

Machine Learning Engineer at Zelus Analytics

Casey is currently a Machine Learning Engineer at Zelus Analytics where she is building out their NBA Intelligence Platform. Previously, she worked in the biotech industry, developing cancer immunotherapy treatments and testing vaccine efficacy. As a former collegiate athlete in soccer and basketball, she's very passionate about the growth of under-represented individuals in the sports analytics industry!