Dr. Elvis Moleka is the Vice President of Labs and Data Science at Groundswell. His passionate pursuit of data-based solutions to long-standing issues has uncovered previously unexplored research possibilities in the realm of energy forecasting. Dr. Moleka has more than 15 years of progressive experience in finance, risk management, data, and quantitative analytics, performing complex model validation analyses, and creating executive summaries of findings. As a Data Scientist, he leverages statistical analysis and econometrics knowledge to promote model development and data management solutions. He is a member of the New York Institute of Finance. He has worked with major Wall Street Banks and held many leadership positions such as Lead Quantitative Analyst at RiskSpan, Senior Economist at Fannie Mae, Lecturer in Statistics, and Head of Teaching Fellows at the University of Warwick, and Research Economist at the University of Bath. Dr. Moleka is the Co-Founder & CEO of Leka Research Institute, LLC, which helps banks and financial institutions solve their urgent needs by narrowing in on the key elements of model validation, quantitative finance, enterprise risk management, policy research, and economic modeling. Dr. Moleka is Chair of the Economic and Policy Development Committee at BACDU INC USA, where he is known for his strong project management and program evaluation skills.

Sara Owre applies her strong background in program management, customer service, and research/editorial skills for print to Groundswell’s Labs and Data Science team in her role as the Program Manager of Labs & Data Science. She believes in the power of communication and learning every day through personal endeavors and interpersonal interactions. She is excited to put these skills and attitudes to work to communicate the team’s research findings in research publications and beyond. Prior to joining Groundswell, Sara worked at a large global public health organization to implement malaria intervention projects. As a lifetime French speaker, Sara primarily managed projects in West African countries, learning the strength and dynamism of diverse project teams through her work. Sara has always been passionate about strengthening informal and formal education systems, and she used her talents to develop several youth summer leadership programs in the DC area in 2021-2022. Sara holds a B.A. in International Affairs and French Language from The George Washington University. While at GW, Sara volunteered with initiatives such as Jumpstart and Reading Partners to provide extracurricular support in DC public schools.