Josh Campos HeadshotJosh Campos — Head of Data Science, AI & ML Engineering, DriveTime

Josh Campos graduated from the University of North Texas with an MS in Advanced Data Analytics. He currently lives in  Dallas and works for DriveTime as the Head of Enterprise Data Science, AI & ML Engineering. In this position, he oversees predictive modeling as well as the development and implementation of generative AI applications and MLOps. Josh was working as a Data Science Manager when he worked through the master’s program. He commends the Advanced Data Analytics program for expanding his knowledge on statistical learning, data engineering, deep learning applications, and refine his story telling abilities using data.

When we asked Josh about the highlights of the program, this is what he said, “My teachers were fantastic. Every single one that I recall was a practitioner in their field and they instilled in me both foundational but also practical knowledge about what organizations expect today. This helped me apply my newly learned skills immediately, even after each course. This is a great program for the individual that wants an applied learning experience to accelerate their career into data science and analytics.”

Kristi Hassett HeadshotKristi Hassett — M.S. in Advanced Data Analytics Alumna

Kristi Hassett graduated with her M.S. in Advanced Data Analytics in December 2024. She co-wrote and researched “Assessing the Accuracy of Chatbots in Financial Literature,” published in the International Journal of Data Science and Analytics with Dr. Orhan Erdem, author and Assistant Professor in ADTA at UNT, and Dr. Feyzullah Egriboyun, a fractional CFO at OneDome and adjunct faculty of Finance at Hult International Business School, London. The study evaluated the reliability of two chatbots, ChatGPT (4o and o1-preview versions) and Gemini Advanced in providing references on financial literature. The study analyzed 150 citations and introduced two novel metrics to measure hallucinations - degrees of hallucination and a 'recency measure' to quantify the hallucination depending on the “age” of the topic. ChatGPT-4o showed the lowest hallucination rate of 20.0% (95% CI, 13.6%-26.4%), while o1-preview had a hallucination rate of 21.3% (95% CI, 14.8%-27.9%). In contrast, Gemini Advanced exhibited higher hallucination rates: 76.7% (95% CI, 69.9%-83.4%). The study also noted that hallucination rates are notably higher for newer topics. The study’s findings emphasize the importance of verifying chatbot-provided references, particularly in rapidly evolving fields.

During her capstone course, Kristi entered as a team in the nationwide Humana-Mays 2024 Healthcare Analytics Case Competition with another peer from ADTA. Their team’s data modeling earned them a spot in the top 24% nationwide out of 284 teams and 74 universities.

Kristi accredits the ADTA program for providing the knowledge and abilities to compete both in the publishing world and nationwide.

Bailey Parrish headshotBailey Parrish — Manager, Faculty Training and Development CETL, West Coast University

Bailey Parrish lives in the Dallas Fort Worth area and works for West Coast University. Both fascinated and intimidated by AI, Bailey originally pursued the Graduate Academic Certificate in Data Analytics; however, through program coursework, she gained confidence and fell in love with the field, eventually completing her Masters in Advanced Data Analytics. She appreciated projects with the exploration of a new subject, new business context, new tool, and new set of teammates in every class. These experiences were good practice for what it’s like to work in a diverse organizational environment where communication, problem solving, and outside research are required to succeed.

Bailey offers some advice: “I encourage program graduates to apply for not only data-analyst positions, but also data-adjacent roles that relate to personal interests and strengths - meaningful work is lighter, plus if this is your first corporate role, you are about to learn some serious life lessons and make mistakes that will make you a better professional. Those with great jobs and a desire to enhance their skills should also look into ADTA at UNT. Your analyst superpowers, combined with hard-earned industry knowledge, will make you an asset to any team!”

Donnovan Young headshotDonnovan Young — Senior Financial Analyst, Lennox

Donnovan Young graduated with an MS in Advanced Data Analytics in 2024. Donnovan lives in the DFW Metroplex and is employed by Lennox International which is an HVAC manufacturing company. His background in manufacturing, coupled with his expertise in corporate finance, has equipped him with a unique perspective. The skills that Donnovan developed through the ADTA program—such as data mining, data organization, and managing large datasets—have enabled him to demonstrate how he can add value to Lennox.

Donnovan always knew he wanted to pursue a master’s degree and he chose a path that would diversify his skill set. He focused on data analytics and mining as these skills are increasingly essential in today’s data-driven landscape. This unique approach allows him to enhance his capabilities and stand out in his field.