Sandra Safo’s journey from Ghana to a career in statistics is a tribute to her love of mathematics and problem-solving. Initially drawn to combining math and finance, her path shifted after she discovered data analysis during her undergraduate studies. An internship at Allstate Insurance introduced her to real-world applications of big data, sparking her passion for statistics and leading her to pursue a PhD. Sandra now develops innovative statistical and machine learning methods to advance health care research and enjoys mentoring students, finding fulfillment in helping others grow and succeed. Her work reflects her drive to make a meaningful impact in both research and education.

The Journal of Statistics and Data Science Education (JSDSE) emphasizes that “teaching for the statistics (and data science) buffet” helps advance the growth and diversity of the statistics and data science professions.

To honor Black History Month, we highlight members of the Black/African American community who have significantly affected the statistics field through their roles as mentors, educators, and entrepreneurs.

Tiffany Kollah, a Pittsburgh native and daughter of Kenyan immigrants, has forged a remarkable path in public health and data science. With a passion for mental health statistics and increasing diversity in clinical trials, she combines her expertise in research to benefit public health. Overcoming significant adversities, including an assault during her studies at Louisiana State University, Kollah transferred to North Carolina State’s applied statistics and data management program, where she continues to excel. Now contributing to research at The University of North Carolina Department of Neurology, her journey exemplifies resilience, determination, and the power of perseverance in achieving one’s goals.

Topics include shapes, trees, covariance matrices, and nonnegative curves.