Emily Saras, Ph.D. – an FSU alumna (Ph.D. Sociology ‘24) – is the CEO of and a data scientist at Knowli Data Science, a women-owned research and analytics firm based in Tallahassee, FL.
At Knowli Data Science, Saras leads a growing team of 30 data scientists that support data-driven decision-making across government, non-profit, and private sectors. Knowli’s major clients span public health, public policy, and education sectors, including Florida Medicaid, South Carolina Medicaid, the Florida Department of Children and Families, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
Through partnerships with Department of Sociology faculty affiliated with the Claude Pepper Center, the Pepper Institute on Aging and Public Policy, and the FSU Public Health Program, Knowli has provided research, evaluation, and data science services for the Office of Minority Health and the Maternal and Child Health Section at the Florida Department of Health.
“With rigorous coursework in social analysis and advanced quantitative skills training, I was professionally prepared to bring sociological subject matter expertise to the data science sector,” said Saras. “Much of our work at Knowli today focuses on improving outcomes in education and public health, and I use sociological insights every day in my role to serve our clients and millions of their constituents. I hope to serve as just one example of what’s possible in careers grounded in a sociological foundation.”
Before joining Knowli’s leadership team, she worked as a Student Outcomes Analyst in the FSU Office of Institutional Research (2016-2018) and as Assistant Director of the FSU Office of National Fellowships (2014-2016). Emily is passionate about leadership and community service: she is a member of Leadership Tallahassee Class 41, a Board Member of the TalTech Alliance, and was named one of Tallahassee’s 25 Women You Need to Know by the Tallahassee Democrat.
Looking ahead, Saras aims to continue promoting data-driven decision-making in the government and non-profit sectors, making a difference for underserved populations while paving the way for future social scientists interested in applied career pathways.
To learn more about Knowli Data Science, visit knowli.com. For more information about the Department of Sociology’s graduate program, visit cosspp.fsu.edu/sociology/graduate-program.