Speakers at JSM honored former ASA President and longtime chief statistician Katherine Wallman, highlighting her leadership, mentorship, and lasting impact on federal statistics and the ASA’s policy work.
Office of Management and Budget
New Report Concludes Federal Statistics at Risk
The Nation’s Data at Risk: Meeting America’s Information Needs for the 21st Century—a report by a team of American Statistical Association and George Mason University researchers—concluded federal statistical agencies are struggling with growing challenges that prevent them from innovating enough to meet the information and evidence demands of the 21st century.
DHS Elevates, Expands Statistics Office
Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas launched the Office of Homeland Security Statistics in a November ceremony. The office is an expansion of the statistical activities at DHS, where previously the Office of Immigration Statistics—the Office of Homeland Security Statistics predecessor—covered only immigration statistics.
State of the Data Infrastructure Series: Census Bureau
For the latest State of the Data Infrastructure feature, Count on Stats spoke with three experts about the US Census Bureau: Margo Anderson of the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, an expert on the history of the bureau and federal statistical system; Allison Plyer, chief demographer of The Data Center and recent chair of the bureau’s Scientific Advisory Committee; and Nancy Potok, most recently chief statistician of the US who, most notably, has also been deputy director and chief operating officer of the bureau and deputy undersecretary for economic affairs at the US Department of Commerce.
Federal Statistical Agencies Praised for Pandemic Response
The first half of 2020 was a busy time for the federal statistical system, requiring quick responses and nimble adaptability from agencies on several fronts.
Meet William Beach, Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics
Amstat News invited William Beach, commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, to respond to a few questions so readers can learn more about him and the agency he leads.
Nancy Potok
Nancy Potok couldn’t decide if she wanted to be a forest ranger or a librarian when she grew up. Eventually, it was her love for reading that led to an interest in research, analysis, and data. She has since worked as a statistician for the public, private, and non-profit sectors and has experience in all three branches of the federal government—including being the first female deputy director at the US Census Bureau.