[Excerpt]:  "Eyes calmly scanning his two monitors and the documents spread out before him, Abraham has the demeanor of a Buddhist monk.

“Mark is incredibly perceptive,” said Jim Farnam. “He presents things in a low-key but effective way.”

It’s not surprising that he spends his days in a quiet office analyzing data. It is a utilitarian space adorned only by a neighborhood map of New Haven, leaning against a white wall; his soft voice and calm disposition suit this habitat well. His work impacts New Haven in the same quiet, important way, informing policy and discussion city-wide.

In a city like New Haven, government agencies and civic organizations collect data on various community indicators such as education, health, crime and unemployment — this amounts to countless spreadsheets and reports, often tucked away in databases and filing cabinets.

Leaders, organizations and individuals need this information as they try to understand how best to tackle the challenges the city faces.

That’s where DataHaven — Mark Abraham — comes in. Principally, he gathers all this raw data into one place, puts it in a useful format and distributes it for the community to use."

Link:
http://yaledailynews.com/blog/2013/10/11/speaking-by-the-numbers/