What is a Data Stewardship?
Data Stewardship provides Office of Data Governance a framework for caring about our data to ensure consistency, accuracy and quality. An effective Data Stewardship structure is collaborative with shared responsibilities between executive sponsorship, senior leaders, business functions, information technology, and anyone who interacts with data.
WashU’s Data Stewardship Structure

Office of Data Governance
WashU’s Office of Data Governance (ODG) provides strategic direction, tactical leadership and administrative support to facilitate an enterprise approach to our Data Governance Program. The ODG is strategically aligned to provide our vision and guiding principles to support a robust, innovative, shared decision-making framework leveraging our people, processes and technology to effectively and properly manage our data as a strategic asset, while simultaneously formalizing new and existing best practices.
WashU’s, Office of Data Governance (ODG) strives to achieve a people-first approach. A core foundational tenant of our Data Governance Program is developing a comprehensive Data Stewardship community, comprised of business experts committed to using data as a competitive asset. These leaders focus on improving WashU’s data quality and process effectiveness by optimizing operational and business outcomes, contributing to the improvement and trustworthiness of our enterprise data.
Each Data Stewardship community will complete the ODG’s Onboarding & Training Program and proceed with ongoing collaboration with the ODG to promote maturity of data literacy across the institution.
Data Governance Executive Council
The Data Governance Executive Council is comprised of Executive Sponsors and senior leaders who have strategic planning, policy development and data management responsibilities for their data domain. The Office of Data Governance (ODG) will be ex-officio members.
The Data Governance Executive Council will:
- Review and approve Data Governance policy, standards, guidelines, and procedures
- Enable the overall strategic vision and guiding principles of WashU’s Data Governance Program
- Resolve issues escalated by Data Administrators
- Monitor domain’s Data Governance activities
- Support and advise the Office of Data Governance (ODG) on Data Governance, Data Quality, Change Management and Communication initiatives
Data Stewardship Steering Committee
The Data Stewardship Steering Committee is comprised of Data Administrators and Data Stewards who hold operational management responsibilities for a functional area’s data. The Office of Data Governance (ODG) will be ex-officio members.
The Data Stewardship Committee will:
- Collaboratively development and review data governance policies, standards, guidelines, and procedures
- Enable the overall strategic vision and guiding principles of WashU’s Data Governance Program
- Resolve issues escalated by Data Stewards & Data Coordinators
- Escalate unresolved issues to Data Governance Executive Council
- Actively engage and support Data Governance activities
- Support the Office of Data Governance (ODG) on Data Governance, Data Quality, Change Management and Communication initiatives
Executive Sponsors
Executive Sponsors are University Officers and/or senior leaders provide executive level support and guidance for Data Governance activities within their respective data domain. Executive Sponsors are accountable for planning and oversight of the subsets of Institutional Data in their areas. Executive Sponsors have the highest level of accountability for the management of Institutional Data to promote proper access, accuracy, privacy, integrity, security and availability of the data for which they have responsibility. Executive Sponsors have responsibility for the activities of their designated Data Administrators, Data Stewards, Data Coordinators, and others to whom have been granted authority and access to University data. Executive Sponsors are members of the Data Governance Council.
Executive Sponsors will:
- Implement Data Governance policy, standards, guidelines, and processes
- Enable the overall vision and guiding principles of Data Governance
- Resolve issues escalated by their appointed Data Administrator(s)
- Monitor overall Data Governance activities within their data domain
- An active member of the Data Governance Council
- Support and advise the Office of Data Governance (ODG) regarding Data Governance, Data Quality, Change Management and Communication efforts
Data Administrators
Data Administrators are responsible for planning, policy, and oversight of the subsets of Institutional Data within their data domain. Data Administrators are responsible for establishing business processes applicable to Institutional Data within their data domain. Among the roles defined by this Policy, the Data Administrator has the second highest level of accountability for the management of Institutional Data, by promoting proper access, accuracy, privacy, integrity, security and availability of the data for which they have responsibility. Data Administrators have responsibility for the activities of designated Data Stewards, Data Coordinators, and others to whom they grant authority and access. Data Administrators are either members or advisors to the Executive Committee.
Data Administrators will:
- Support the Office of Data Governance Program from a Senior Leader standpoint
- Approve, support, and promulgate escalated Data Governance policy, standards, guidelines and processes
- Appoint Data Stewardship for their data domain and oversee their roles and responsibilities
- Attend Data Stewardship Steering Committee
- Support and Advise the Office of Data Governance (ODG) regarding Data Governance, Data Quality, Change Management and Communication efforts
Data Partners
Data Partners include business and IT individuals who support our Data Governance Program with cross-functional expertise. Data Partners may assume strategic or technical roles. They may be responsible for the management and security of data systems and the delegation of authority to individuals in such roles. Data Partners coordinate with Data Stewards and other individuals with administrative responsibilities for Institutional Data to ensure appropriate access rights and permissions are granted for the use of Institutional Data.
The Data Partners will:
- Assess compliance with Data Governance policies, standards, guidelines and processes
- Provide Strategic or technical expertise and support
- Champion the integration of Data Governance within the standard IT Project Methodology.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with other SME’s, as needed
- Support the Office of Data Governance (ODG) regarding Data Governance, Data Quality, Change Management and Communication efforts.
Data Ambassadors
A Data Ambassador is recognized as a data leader within their data domain for overall Data Governance activities. Data Ambassadors provide both strategic and tactical leadership, guiding their Stewardship structure to ensure the execution of day-to-day Data Governance activities.
Data Ambassadors will:
- Assess their domain’s compliance with Data Governance policies, standards, guidelines and processes.
- Elevate their Stewardship Structure to align and support both tactical and strategic activities
- Support the Office of Data Governance (ODG) regarding Data Governance, Data Quality, Change Management and Communication efforts.
Data Stewards
Data Stewards, by virtue of their position or delegated authority from Data Administrators and are Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) with strategic planning, standard-setting, and oversight responsibilities for University Data for their area of responsibilities.
Data Stewards will:
- Provide University-level knowledge and holistic data understanding for a data domain
- Promote effective data usage and compliance through strategic planning, policies, guidelines and processes.
- Develop and implementation standards and processes for day-to-day operational and administrative data management
- Collaborate as needed to review and approve cross-functional data
- Responsible for selecting and overseeing Data Coordinators.
- Support the Office of Data Governance (ODG) with Data Governance, Data Quality, Change Management and Communication efforts.
Data Coordinators
Data Coordinators are Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) designated by Data Administrators or Data Stewards and have operational responsibilities for the data in a particular subject area. Data Coordinators have day-to-day responsibilities for managing administrative processes and establishing business rules for effective data management.
Data Users:
Data Coordinators will:
- Provide university-level knowledge as a SME for a specific data functional area
- Assist to implement and oversee standards and processes for the day-to-day operational and administrative Data Management.
- Identify, define, and maintain key business terms, reports, and associated metadata.
- Address / research data-quality issues
- Support the Office of Data Governance (ODG) with Data Governance, Data Quality, Change Management and Communication efforts.
Data Users: Anyone who inputs, updates, manages, reports, accesses, and relies on University Data. This includes, but is not limited to, all employees, faculty, staff, students, contractors, volunteers, trustees, and affiliates.
- Monica Allen
- Scot Bemis
- Shantay Bolton
- Dedric Carter
- Anna Gonzalez
- Pam Henson
- Amy Kweskin
- Jane Largen-Ruzicka
- Dr. Mark Lowe
- Jessie Minton
- Nancy Mueller
- Richard Stanton
- Rooji Sugathan
- David Valentine-Elam
- Beverly Wendland
Executive Sponsor:
- Pam Henson, Executive Vice Chancellor for University Advancement
Data Administrator:
- Susan Plassmeyer, Associate Vice Chancellor of Advancement Services & Administration
Executive Sponsor:
- Paul Scheel, Vice Chancellor Clinical Affairs
Data Administrator:
- Paul Scheel, Vice Chancellor Clinical Affairs
Executive Sponsor:
- Shantay Bolton, Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Admin Officer
Data Administrator:
- JD Long, Associate Vice Chancellor Facilities, Planning and Management
Executive Sponsor:
- Amy Kweskin, Vice Chancellor of Finance and Chief Financial Officer
Data Administrator:
- Amy Kweskin, Vice Chancellor of Finance and Chief Financial Officer
Data Ambassador(s):
- Joe Gindhart – Sponsored Projects
- Candice Goeggel – Gifts Accounting, Financial Accounting
- Kathleen Schasch – Gifts Accounting, Investment Management, Customer Accounts, Financial Accounting
Executive Sponsor:
- Shantay Bolton, Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Admin Officer
Data Administrator:
- Scot Bemis, Vice Chancellor Human Resources & Institutional Equity
Data Ambassador(s):
- Apryle Cotton – Position Management, Supervisory Organizations, Academic Appointments
- Stella Elder – HCM Central, Payroll, Absence & Time Tracking
- Joe Frank – HCM Central, Diversity
Executive Sponsor:
- Beverly Wendland, Provost & Executive Vice Chancellor
Data Administrator:
- Jennifer Smith, Vice Provost for Educational Initiatives
Executive Sponsor:
- Dedric Carter, Vice Chancellor Innovation & Chief Commercialization Officer
Data Administrator:
- Brian Manchisi, Special Assistant to the Vice Chancellor Innovation & Chief Commercialization Officer
Executive Sponsor:
- Dr. Mark Lowe, Interim Vice Chancellor for Research
Data Administrator:
- Johnnie Cartwright, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research & Chief of Staff
Executive Sponsor:
- Beverly Wendland, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor
Data Administrator(s):
- Keri Disch, University Registrar
- Vijay Ramani, Roma B. & Raymond H. Wittcoff Professor (Admissions)
- Michael Runiewicz, Asst Vice Provost & Dir. Student Financial Services (Finance)
- Ronne Turner, Vice Provost of Admissions & Financial Aid (Admissions)
Executive Sponsor:
- Anna Gonzalez, Vice Chancellor Public Affairs
Data Administrator:
- Tim Bono, Associate Dean Assessment & Analytics
Executive Sponsor:
- Shantay Bolton, Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Admin Officer
Data Administrator:
- Jason Chretien, Associate Vice Chancellor Chief of Staff
Contact the Office of Data Governance (ODG)
For additional questions and information regarding WashU’s Office of Data Governance Program, please contact our team at: datagovernance@wustl.edu