Staff Spotlight: Meet Adrian Docal, ASA Staff Accountant

Hello, everyone. My name is Adrian Docal, and I am the new staff accountant here at the American Statistical Association. Today, I’m happy to be able to share a little bit about myself.

I originally attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania from 2018–2020, where I started off studying cybersecurity. At the time, it seemed like the right path but, as time went on, I realized it wasn’t for me. During my sophomore year, I made the decision to change majors to finance. As my sophomore year progressed, I could tell I was on the right track but, unfortunately, COVID closed the university, and I was forced to go back home to Maryland. It was at this time I decided to finish my finance degree at the University of Maryland Global Campus. Going from in-person classes to being at home was a big change but, in the end, I pushed through it and graduated in December 2022.

Something important to me is giving back to my community and people in need. A couple of years back, I went to Kentucky through my church to build homes for the less fortunate. While I was there, I learned a lot about myself and other people. Overall, the experience was eye-opening, humbling, and reminded me to always be thankful for what I have. Along with that, I landscaped the nearby homeless shelter and made dinner for the homeless multiple times, also through my church.

Recently, I have done some traveling to Colombia and El Salvador. Both were beautiful countries, where I got to experience many new things. In Colombia, I traveled to Manizales, where I got to see the city but also some nature. When I traveled to El Salvador, I visited Joateca, which is where I spent most of my time. I was also able to visit the beach, where the water was above 80 degrees. Next, I want to visit Spain, where I have family.

Outside of work, I go to the gym every day. For me, the gym is part of my lifestyle, and I genuinely look forward to it. Along with that, I enjoy attending car shows, being out in nature, traveling, dabbling in photography, biking in the city, and spending time with friends and family.

As I continue to grow both personally and professionally, I’m grateful for the support of my colleagues here at the American Statistical Association and look forward to meeting all of you and learning from your expertise.