Jason Williams is a Data Engineer with Action Lab, EdPlus at Arizona State University (ASU). Action Lab is a learning laboratory inside EdPlus that creates functional data flows and scholarly research reports to support operational strategy across ASU and bolster EdPlus goals. With an emphasis on online learning, Action Lab provides tailored data services and co-informed analyses to support student success from initial curiosity through graduation with the goal of increasing the number of students enrolling and graduating from ASU Online. EdPlus aims to break barriers to higher education achievement through leading-edge technologies, partnerships, and services. Action Lab evaluates transformational interventions to increase the reach, breadth, and scale of learning through data and research committed to improving equity, inclusivity, and the quality of education for learners everywhere.
Since joining EdPlus in September 2022, Jason has played a key role in developing and optimizing scalable data pipelines that drive data-informed decision-making at ASU. His work supports the Golden Thread initiative, a data-driven framework that connects insights across a student’s journey from inquiry to graduation. By implementing modern data architectures like the Medallion framework (Bronze, Silver, Gold) and transitioning from legacy ETL workflows to dbt and Airflow, Jason enhances the reliability and efficiency of data operations. His contributions ensure that data-driven strategies align with EdPlus’ 2025-2026 goals, which focus on increasing student enrollment, improving persistence, and advancing ASU’s mission of inclusivity and success.
Jason’s expertise spans cloud-based data engineering, ETL/ELT development, and data governance. He is proficient in dbt, Apache Airflow, AWS Redshift, Google BigQuery, and Snowflake, leveraging these technologies to create high-performance, scalable data pipelines. With a strong foundation in SQL, Python, and data modeling, he ensures data integrity and efficiency across complex analytical workflows. His role also involves implementing data quality frameworks, version control best practices with Git, and optimizing processing with serverless architectures. As a key contributor to Project Exodus, Jason has been instrumental in stabilizing legacy Alteryx workflows and accelerating the transition to a modern cloud-native infrastructure.
Committed to ASU’s Charter, Jason’s work reflects a dedication to inclusivity, public value, and student success. By architecting robust data systems, he helps EdPlus and ASU deliver on their mission to break barriers to higher education through innovative data solutions.