This session will explore how state government, universities, community organizations, and other partners can build the relationships, infrastructure, and analytic capacity needed to turn data into meaningful public health action. Using four interconnected areas of work, State University Partnerships, Data Sharing and Governance, Research and Analytics Capacity Building, and a closed-loop referral platform connecting residents to services, we will examine how collaborative, community-driven analytics can help identify needs, inform decisions, connect people with resources, and ultimately create stronger feedback loops between communities and governments.
October 14th, 2026
2pm - 3pm
Attend on Campus or Online
Senate Chamber, Gatton Student Center
Savannah Sublette-Federico
Executive Advisor
Office of Data Analytics
Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services
Being raised in rural Fulton, KY, Savannah saw how communities at large cannot thrive without access to services for families and individuals. Her passions led to higher education on criminology specifically, further informing her of the impact resources have on more marginalized people groups. Previous work includes research on the practices of central Kentucky police and the impacts of their interactions on the d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Today, Savannah is the Executive Advisor of kynect resources, a program dedicated to serving those who serve others and breaking down old barriers to accurate resource information in Kentucky. The dream is to see communities resurge with opportunities for all to thrive and “kynect.”
Connor Ferguson
Connor Ferguson is an Associate Director of Biomedical Data Science at the University of Kentucky, where he leads a research and data science team embedded within the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services' Office of Data Analytics. A University of Kentucky graduate, he previously spent nearly a decade conducting multi-national human physiology research for NASA. His work centers on interdisciplinary research and building partnerships that bring together diverse expertise, perspectives, and data to strengthen public health decision-making and accomplish more collectively.
Pamela Wright PLA, PMP
Prior to her current role, Pamela Wright spent 15 years in the private sector working in Architectural and Engineering Design, IT Consulting, and Managed Services. Throughout her career, she has focused on user experience and process improvement, helping create functional spaces and streamline service delivery.
Pamela currently serves as the State University Partnership (SUP) Program Manager for the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. In this role, she draws on her professional experience to develop and strengthen the SUP Program, fostering collaboration between academia and public policy.
Pamela holds a Bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture from Ball State University and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP).
Jilnar El Masri
JiJi El Masri currently serves as the Executive Director of the Office of Data Analytics at the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services. Her career includes pivotal roles at a tech software startup focusing on addressing Social Determinants of Health through data-driven community engagement strategies. At Metro United Way in Louisville, JiJi spearheaded data collection and analysis for early childhood and youth development programs, fostering partnerships with community-based organizations to drive and measure collective impact. Her passion lies in evolving relationships into effective partnerships, fueled by her fascination with the convergence of people and data. JiJi earned a BA in Business Administration from the American University of Beirut and an MBA from the University of Louisville.
