Melanie W.

Vice President, Data Science @ Quantium

About

I build AI products by asking three questions: When does research cross from technically possible to commercially viable? What's the simplest solution that works? Who needs this and why? My experience spans 0-to-1 development to production-scale systems serving millions, across retail, financial services and healthcare. I lead cross-functional teams through ambiguity by prototyping early and abstracting from what works: testing reliability boundaries, designing evaluations grounded in user value, and measuring downstream impact over technical perfection. This approach has turned emerging AI capabilities into commercial revenue and enterprise trust. Currently leading Data Science and AI at Quantium US. I sit on the board of The People's Theatre, an immigrant-led organization amplifying immigrant voices through advocacy, production and youth education. I care about whose knowledge gets encoded into AI systems and whose gets erased, and I believe what we encode into AI today will outlive us. That belief shapes every product decision I make. The through-line: I tinker, I follow my curiosity, and I light up where disciplines collide. Self-professed theatre, math and data nerd. You'll likely find me in a theatre seat, scribbling ideas at one of NYC's many free interdisciplinary talks, or using AI to experiment with an idea, optimize a life system, or wrestle with its broader impact on humanity. Women Leading Tech Award, Data Science (IBM-sponsored, 2022). Founding member, Quantium Responsible AI Committee.

Country

United States

City

Brooklyn

Industry

Information Technology & Services

Skill

Agentic AI Development, Application Programming Interfaces (API), Context Engineering, Prompt Engineering, Claude Skills, Python, Large Language Models (LLM), Anthropic Claude, Evaluation Design, Rapid Prototyping, Generative AI, Data Science, SQL, Team Leadership, Cross-functional Team Leadership, OpenAI API, Programming, Forecasting, GBM, GLM

Experience

Vice President, Data Science

Quantium

2021-10 - 2025-11 · 4 yrs 2 mos

New York, United States

Owning AI-native transformation for US Applied AI function: Re-designing the operating model with capability building, reusable accelerators, and AI-first ways of working Select Achievements: • Nascent research to POC: AI-powered vision model converting shelf images to structured retail intelligence for commercial decision support • Evaluation with 'no ground truth': Food classification algorithm engine for top US retailer app • Hackathon prototype to scaled product: Retail item attribution • 0-to-1 with no prior domain expertise: Media insights platform for top North American retailer • Codifying emerging best practice: Delivered the company's first AI mastery course covering topics ranging from evaluation design, to architectural decisions, to production considerations Quantium is a global data science and AI company serving Fortune 500 retailers, healthcare organizations, and financial institutions.

Lead Data Scientist

Quantium

2019-10 - 2021-9 · 2 yrs

Chicago, IL

• POC to production: Promotional effectiveness engine for retailers • Deployment at scale: Next-best recommended action and GCP platform enablement for global healthcare organization • Space-aware assortment optimization engine with demand transfer for major US retailer • Fuel price optimization engine that drove 10% profit gains for regional fuel retailer • Insights engine for people risk, including food & team safety and workplace grievances & misconduct

Senior Data Scientist

Quantium

2016-10 - 2019-9 · 3 yrs

Sydney, NSW

• On-shelf availability probability models that empowered store managers in field team deployment • Credit card and personal loans application and approval ML models • Fresh produce demand forecasting • A/B testing process optimization and execution for retail campaigns

Data Scientist

Quantium

2013-8 - 2016-9 · 3 yrs 2 mos

Sydney, NSW

Graduate Analyst

Quantium

2012-8 - 2013-9 · 1 yr 2 mos

Actuarial Intern

am actuaries

2012-1 - 2012-2 · 2 mos

Greater Melbourne Area

Education

University of Melbourne

Actuarial Studies

A major in Actuarial Studies in the Bachelor of Commerce gives a firm grounding in the traditional actuarial skillset of mathematics, statistics, demography, economics, and finance. This background, coupled with strong analytical skills, sees actuaries serving as financial advisers to a range of organisations including insurance companies, banks and other financial institutions, superannuation funds and governments.

Macquarie University

Actuarial Science

This Masters degree is a professionally accredited course on the application of mathematical, statistical, economic and financial analysis to a range of practical problems in long-term risk management, finance and insurance.