Diverse experts, one passion: independent institutions and the strategies that define them

Sara Rogers is a research associate who works throughout the community to bring spatial data to life. In the past five years, she has completed projects focusing on community development and sustainability and has completed degrees in Environmental Systems Science and Sustainability with focuses in Political Science and Geography. As a standout at her university, Sara is a Robert G. Bone Scholar, the highest student award presented to high achieving leaders, and has also received recognition for Excellence in Sustainability.

Sara’s key skills revolve around utilizing data to drive decision making, primarily through information visualization. Specializing in ESRI ArcGIS Systems, Sara remains on the cutting edge of geospatial technology. Her most recent projects include identifying rural communities unserved by broadband access while qualifying financial gains of increased precision agriculture, completing a market feasibility study for a major engineering agency, and creating interactive dashboards to identify grant fund allocations across the state of Illinois.

Likewise, Sara has strong ties with Illinois State University, and has been invited back to her alma mater to participate in departmental innovative design sprints, to advise upon upcoming university projects, as well as to be a mentor for exceptional students throughout their undergraduate careers. She has led programs focused on personal development in the areas of academic achievement, health and wellness, and is a trailblazer for diversity, equity and inclusion in many of the organizations she has been involved in.

Sara performs demographic and market analysis for our school, college and non-profit clients, building a body of data helping them better understand the communities in which they operate and seek to transform. She has a distinct connection to Ian in that they both attended Illinois State University.