I turn data into insights, empowering businesses to make smarter decisions.
Hi, I'm Rakshanda Hedawoo, a recent graduate with a Master's in Information Systems from the University of Maryland - College Park (UMD). With over 3 years of experience across the finance, healthcare, and entertainment industries, I’ve focused on driving data-driven decision-making and optimizing operational efficiency. My career has spanned various roles, from data analysis in the insurance sector at LTIMindtree to exploring the transformative potential of data at the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA). I’m passionate about leveraging data to create strategic insights that help businesses thrive. Outside of work, I enjoy traveling, playing badminton, and giving back through my contributions to the Asha-Lila Foundation, a family-run initiative.
Education
University of Maryland- College Park
Master of Science - Information Systems
- GPA 3.91
- Recipient of Terrapin Scholar Award
- Coursework: Database Management Systems, Data Analysis with Python, Data Mapping, Modeling, Decisions with R, Enterprise Cloud Computing and Big Data, Data Mining and PredictiveAnalysis with R, Data Visualization in Tableau, AI for Business.
- Impact Consultant Fellow for OGA Street Tech at Center of Social Value Creation.
- Event Manager at UMD Memorial Chapel, adept at orchestrating weddings, memorial services, concerts, and diverse events, while fostering daily client interactions for seamless and personalized experiences.
University of Mumbai
Bachelors of Engineering - Information Technology
- GPA 3.73
- Awarded Certificate of Excellence, 2017-2018
- Spearheaded ITSA (Information Technology Students Association) as the Publicity President of the Committee, 2018-2019
- Organized various events under the ACM committee as a part of the Publicity Team, 2017-2018
Volunteer
Asha-Lila Foundation
Member
- Assisted in arranging yearly Diwali giveaways, delivering new clothes, books, and food to bring joy to over 200 underprivileged villages.
Work Experience
NFL Players Association - NFLPA
Data Engineer, Analyst Intern
- Architected real-time analytics pipelines by integrating Azure SQL, Dynamics 365, and Power BI, enabling live vendors spend tracking and unlocking 10% deeper discounts through data-driven negotiations.
- Optimized 30+ T-SQL queries in Azure SQL, reducing execution times by 40% and accelerating delivery of player reports from multi-day delays to same-day insights for executive leadership.
- Engineered a robust data reconciliation system for 50,000+ player records across royalties, injuries, and memberships, increasing data accuracy to 95% and ensuring reliable downstream processes.
- Developed a Power BI-driven matching algorithm using DAX to automate player-partner matchmaking, reducing turnaround time from one week to 10 minutes and reclaiming 90% of staff hours.
- Defined and operationalized KPIs, launching self-service Power BI dashboards and scorecards that cut quarterly decision cycles in half and aligned teams on shared metrics.
Curanostics
Data Engineer Intern
- Transformed 100K+ unstructured FHIR/HL7 JSON records into analytics-ready schema using Spark and Python, streamlining healthcare data pipelines and reducing downstream processing time by 60%.
- Built a scalable ETL framework integrating Metriport APIs and EMR extracts, harmonizing 1M+ fragmented clinical records to improve data integrity by 25% and enable robust cross-patient analytics.
- Partnered with physicians and executives to prototype real-time clinical dashboards using React, Next.js, and D3, accelerating time-to-insight and increasing stakeholder engagement by 30%.
LTIMindtree
Data Engineer
- Identified key churn drivers by analyzing policyholder behavior with SQL and Python, enabling targeted retention strategies that boosted customer retention by 15%.
- Integrated multi-source data (policy, claims, call center) into SQL Server via SSIS, and built unified Tableau and SSRS dashboards to align finance, operations, and product teams on shared KPIs.
- Refactored high traffic stored procedures and legacy SQL, reducing report run times from minutes to seconds and enabling real-time customer support insights for frontline agents.
- Translated business needs into scalable data solutions through cross-functional sessions with product, operations, and finance, ensuring clarity and adoption across stakeholder groups.
- Developed data storytelling workflows by pairing Excel-based summaries with interactive Tableau walkthroughs, enabling non-technical leaders to apply insights in quarterly planning.