Q&A with Jennifer Koester, Cohort 10 SDP Fellow Alumna

October 08, 2025

Blog

Jennifer Koester is an experienced data professional currently serving as the Director of Enterprise Data at the Delaware Department of Technology and Information since March 2020. As an SDP Fellow in Cohort 10 with the Delaware Department of Technology, Jennifer focused on the analysis of the relationship between early education and kindergarten readiness. Previously, Jennifer was a Data Manager & Analyst at the Delaware Department of Education, where her responsibilities included querying and reporting education-related data, training stakeholders, and creating data dashboards. Jennifer also served as Data Manager and Regional Coordinator at Communities In Schools of Delaware, managing data systems and writing grants. Jennifer holds include a Master of Science in Data Analysis from the University of Maryland Global Campus, a Master of Arts in Sociology from the University of Delaware, and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Salisbury University.

What drew you to the SDP Fellowship? What did you do prior to the SDP Fellowship? How did you get started in the education data/policy field?

I was drawn to the fellowship by word of mouth. The Delaware Department of Education, where I worked prior to the fellowship as an analyst, has had many SDP Fellows over the years, and prior to becoming a fellow, I worked Before that, I was a regional director for Communities in Schools of Delaware. I have a long history with educational data. My first experience was as a teacher's assistant in my graduate program (MA, Sociology, UofDelaware), where I prepared lessons for juvenile justice. That’s what sparked my interest in the role of education on youth outcomes (in all aspects).

What is the most memorable or impactful moment or experience from your time as an SDP Fellow?

There are several, but the network in general has continued to be the most valuable asset.

Tell us about your current job.

I am the Director of Enterprise Data for the state of Delaware. That is our state's version of a Chief Data Officer. As such, my work focuses on data for all state agencies and partners. For example, some current initiatives include:

integrating all DMMA (Medicaid) data for the state to identify service gaps and overlaps, ROI, and overall effectiveness.
Building an interactive data dashboard (PowerBI) using the state's human resources data. This will be used to proactively anticipate labor-related needs (e.g. x% of School District Y is retirement eligible w/in 2 years).
Introducing a state-wide data governance plan; including lifecycle management, security, data quality, privacy, accessibility, etc.
Developing a "Storymap" for our state's Environmental Justice initiative
Planning Delaware's Open Data Day
Integrating all student-related DoE data into Snowflake, our state data lake. This will be used for automation, backup, research, and large-scale integration.

The most rewarding aspect of my role is watching the literal translation of 'need' to 'solution'. Because I work with all agencies, I see the entire process of a complicated data-related process/study/application.

What skills did you gain from your time as an SDP Fellow that you find helpful in your current role?

Advocacy, networking, peer-review

Please answer one of the following questions: What is something you enjoy in your free time?

I do the NYT crossword every single day (since 2017). It's obsessive. I also love to hang with my kids (currently watching KPop Demon Hunters), read, travel, and bake. When I was a kid, I wanted to be a nun. Currently watching all things for 9-year-olds on Netflix ;). I'm reading Mark Twain's biography of Joan of Arc (https://www.amazon.com/Joan-Arc-Mark-Twain/dp/0898702682).