Q&A with Hetal Thukral, Cohort 4 SDP Fellow Alumna
This Q&A is part of an SDP Blog series profiling members of the 2023 – 2025 SDP Alumni Advisory Board. All posts from this series may be found here.
Hetal Thukral is a Cohort 4 (2012-2014) alumna of the Strategic Data Project (SDP) Fellowship, where she was placed at the Howard County Public School System in Maryland. During her fellowship, Hetal worked to identify key metrics in a sea of data, empower school counselors to use data, implement accountability systems, and share data effectively to compel action. Currently, Hetal is the Division Lead of Evidence & Learning at the Center for Education at USAID. Prior to this role, she was the Senior Director of Evaluation & Research at School-to-School International. Hetal holds a Ph.D. in Education Policy, Measurement, and Statistics from the University of Maryland and an M.A. in International Education from George Washington University.
What drew you to the SDP Fellowship?
I was drawn to the SDP Fellowship for the opportunity to bridge data and policy!
What is the most memorable or impactful moment or experience from your time as an SDP Fellow?
The annual Convening! I remember the final capstone presentations of my peers in Cohort 4 during a cold week in Boston. The depth of preparation and investment each person made not only in their project but in getting to know each other was palpable.
Tell us about your current job!
In my role at USAID, my day-to-day is never the same! It is best described as being on a plane—sometimes you’re on the ground and sometimes you’re at 40,000 feet ... and all in one day! I spend my days connecting with colleagues in the Center for Education, regional bureau offices, USAID missions, or partners. Each day, I try to connect intentionally with at least one colleague, and not about work. Even a brief few minutes before or after a call or intentionally scheduling a quick chat. The most rewarding aspect of my job is that I get to play a role in how we spend our resources to improve education for learners on a global scale.
What skills did you gain from your time as an SDP Fellow that you find helpful in your current role?
Being a knowledge broker! I acquired the skills to not only be savvy with data, but to be even more savvy with asking the right questions. Knowing what to ask is a bigger and harder task than gathering the information. Something that's important to my career now is knowing that a fantastic analysis of the wrong question won’t get you anywhere but some information on the right question will.
What advice would you give to current or prospective SDP Fellows?
Take advantage of the amazing opportunity that SDP provides you to build and nurture such an inspiring network of peers!
What is something you enjoy in your free time?
Pottery! I love watching my daughter ride horses and wish I had her risk appetite :)