Amy Folkestad

Analytics Leader & Data Scientist

Impact: Seasoned analytics leader who leverages data insights to align cross-functional teams toward shared goals. With an infectious enthusiasm for analytics, combines technical expertise in Python, SQL, and machine learning with executive communication skills to transform complex data into strategic business insights that drive product innovation and measurable business growth.

Expertise: Product roadmap and strategy, User analytics and behavioral research, Statistical analysis and A/B testing, Machine learning, Predictive modeling, Cross-functional team leadership, C-suite presentations and reporting, Business intelligence, and Data visualization

Professional Experience

Lead User Analytics Analyst

BLN24 | Census Bureau |  June 2024 – 2025, 1 year contract

• Architected and implemented a comprehensive quarterly analytics framework that synthesized organic search data, site search analytics, customer feedback, and engagement metrics, delivering executive-level insights that drove strategic decision-making across product development and user experience optimization.
• Designed and managed cross-functional analytics sprint planning, delivering quarterly performance reports to product, web development, and marketing stakeholders through a unified reporting structure that influenced roadmaps, development priorities, and communication strategies.
• Diagnosed and resolved a high-impact indexing error, boosting visibility for 215 key landing pages and driving a 68.2% increase in new users within one month (Bing Webmaster Tools, Python, SEO analytics).
• Led training for business intelligence analysts and UX designers on integrated user and search analytics methodologies, improving data literacy and accessibility across the Census organization.
• Leveraged AI tools to accelerate technical documentation and enhance JavaScript capabilities, enabling development of custom analytics solutions in Adobe Launch for advanced user behavior tracking.
• Engineered a data analytics process extracting user behavior patterns from URL parameters, creating actionable visualizations that informed product updates for the Census Business Builder application and identified potential annual savings of $1.56M through strategic software consolidation (Python, GA4).

AI Product Development

Part time consultant | November 2023 – May 2024

• Designed and developed an AI-powered retirement planning simulator for a wealth management firm, integrating probability models and statistical forecasting to enhance client financial planning capabilities.
• Earned an AI and Machine Learning certificate from UC Berkeley and completed Calculus II at Arapahoe Community College while maintaining part-time consulting responsibilities.

Enterprise Data & Business Analyst

Stanley Consultants | January 2023 – October 2023

• Reduced HR admin time by 40 hours per month by pioneering an applicant tracking process. (UKG, SQL)
• Advised C-suite leadership on HR data architecture by creating comprehensive statistical analyses using varied calculation methodologies, presenting data visualizations that bridged departmental perspectives and secured cross-functional buy-in.
• Improved data quality by updating entry logic to ensure regulatory compliance. (Deltek)
• Implemented a structured process for intake and reporting. (ServiceNow, PowerAutomate)

Founder & Digital Strategy Consultant

Design Web Design Studio  | January 2013 – January 2023

• Completed 6-month contract with Mosaic Co (Fortune 500 mining company), conducting extensive SQL analysis of their Azure environment to identify data architecture simplification opportunities.
• Directed comprehensive digital strategies for 15+ key clients within a 100+ business portfolio, integrating content marketing, SEO optimization, and multi-channel campaigns that drove measurable organizational growth and expanded service portfolios (WordPress, Drupal, Google Analytics).
• Reduced technology costs 55% through strategic server migrations, SAAS optimization, and automated solutions across Cloudflare and payment integration platforms (Siteground, Zapier, CMS).
• Increased web traffic 239% via data-driven customer segmentation, analytics implementation, and targeted keyword strategies.
• Enhanced conversion rates through systematic A/B testing of content and UX elements, optimizing customer engagement (Facebook and LinkedIn ads, Google Analytics).
• Prevented security breaches by implementing proactive eCommerce attack countermeasures. (Authorize.net)

Adobe Instructor

Arapahoe Community College | February 2010 – October 2017

• Designed and led professional development courses for the workforce and community program.
• Taught the fundamentals of Photoshop and Lightroom to empower students to reach their personal and professional goals through the use of Adobe’s Creative Suite.)

Technical Skills

Python, R: Data science, AI, machine learning, model selection, cross-validation, statistical analysis, probability

SQL, JSON: Data analysis & optimization

Azure, AWS: Cloud computing, data storage, networking, IAM (identity and access management), security, DNS

Google Analytics (GA4, GSC): User analytics, search engine optimization, A/B testing, marketing research

Tableau, PowerBI, Excel: Data visualization

Jira, Asana, ServiceNow: Project management, agile and waterfall, IT support, operations, sprint planning

Adobe Creative Suite: Infographics, branding, marketing (technical manuals, trade show displays), graphic design

AI Retirement Simulator

Certificates

AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
Machine Learning & AI | UC Berkley
Excel & Tableau | Maven Analytics