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Background
David White, the founder of Changemaker Data a company dedicated to bridging the gap between data expertise and community impact through equipping leaders with practical data skills. David is currently a Data Analyst at Zinc Collective and the Institute Chair of New Leaders Council. His journey into this area was profoundly shaped by his experience at Bluebonnet Data. Before joining Bluebonnet Data, David’s engagement in politics was limited to door knocking and phone banking for Felicia Singh, who was running for the Democratic nominee for the New York City Council in his home district. His professional background was in education; he worked as a teacher in New York City before transitioning into an operational role focused on educational technology and data-driven teaching and learning strategies. This experience was highly relevant, as it involved helping teachers achieve their goals through data-driven approaches.
However, it was the events of January 6th, 2021, that prompted a profound shift in his career. The Capitol riot underscored for David the urgent need to address the growing political violence and instability in the United States. This sense of impending crisis, coupled with his admiration for the civil rights movements of the 1960s, motivated him to apply his skills in a new context—pivoting his career into the political data and technology space.
Bluebonnet Data Experience
David White has been matched to more teams than any other fellow in Bluebonnet Data's history, contributing to a total of eight distinct campaigns and initiatives. His extensive experience includes working on Holly McCormack for Congress (GA-14), Lisa Campbell for Georgia House District 35, Aisha Farooqi for Michigan House District 57, Randi McCallain for Congress (MO-08), Mokah Jasmine Johnson for Georgia House District 120, the Black Futures Lab, Chris Benton for Georgia State Senate District 18, and the Virginia House of Delegates Coordinated Campaign.
David also took on multiple leadership roles: he served as a fellow advisor on special projects, a project lead for many of the teams, and was part of the Tech & Training Working Group. This group focuses on developing fellow trainings and advising on active fellow projects in collaboration with Bluebonnet Data staff. One of his most notable projects was with Lisa Campbell’s campaign, where he implemented systems to track voter interactions and manage ballot chasing, playing a crucial role in her victory.
Additionally, David made significant contributions to Randi McCallain’s campaign by going above and beyond the initial 12-week fellowship. Alongside fellows Mary Aldrete, Evan Kashtan, Lidndsay Lamy, Kelly Yuen, David dedicated an additional two years to supporting McCallain’s efforts. They committed themselves to long-term organizing, passionately working to inspire more candidates, especially women and young people, to step up and run for office. Their efforts led to a noticeable reduction in uncontested races in McCallain’s district, showcasing their commitment to enhancing democratic participation. David’s collaboration with Mary and Kelly was pivotal to these successes.
Career Journey
David continued to advance in the political data field through his role at Zinc Collective. There, he led a pilot program that developed innovative systems for campaign staffing that serves as a matchmaking service for Democratic campaigns. His role involves creating algorithms that enhance campaign efficiency and training others in data analytics, engineering, storytelling, and visualization. David attributes much of his success to the foundational skills and experiences gained at Bluebonnet Data, as well as resources like Arena Academy, Generation Data, New Leaders Council and Data Visualization Society. The support and training from Bluebonnet Data have been instrumental in refining his skills and expanding his impact in political technology.
Training Series
On January 7, 2025, David plans on launching his own data skills trainings that are aimed to make data more accessible for people with non-technical backgrounds.
Data Skills for People Who Want to Change the World, Changemaker Data's flagship training series, is carefully designed for changemakers and emerging leaders from non-technical backgrounds. Join a supportive cohort of up to 15 participants in hands-on, interactive courses:
Spreadsheets for People Who Want to Change the World (Jan 7–30)
SQL for People Who Want to Change the World (Feb 4–27)
Data Visualization for People Who Want to Change the World (Mar 4–27)
Data Storytelling for People Who Want to Change the World (Apr 1–24)
Each course stands alone and requires no prior data experience—just bring your lived experience and your drive for making change. Learn through hands-on practice in an encouraging environment where every question is welcome. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Apply now at changemakerdata.nyc/training.