Data and policy analysis for public and mission-driven work.

We do data science, program evaluation, and applied AI for public and mission-driven organizations.

Selected work
Aerial view of terraced landscape

What we do

01
Data Science & Machine Learning

Predictive models, classification, clustering, and deep learning, plus web scraping and pulling structure out of messy data. From a first exploratory look to pipelines you can run in production.

02
Policy Analysis & Evaluation

Program evaluation and causal inference for public and social policy: A/B tests, randomized trials, and quasi-experimental designs.

03
AI & Algorithmic Accountability

Building and stress-testing LLM and agent-based tools, and auditing automated decision systems for bias and real-world impact.

04
Data Visualization and Web App Design

Interactive dashboards, publication-quality graphics, and full data applications, front end to database.

05
Geospatial Analysis

Spatial statistics, remote sensing, and GIS: satellite imagery, environmental monitoring, and infrastructure mapping.

Selected projects

Policy Research

Homelessness Is a Housing Problem

Quantitative analysis with Gregg Colburn demonstrating that housing-market conditions (not individual factors) explain regional variation in U.S. homelessness rates. Informed policy debates at the municipal, state, and federal levels.

ML Education & Algorithmic Bias

Statistical Learning for Racial Equity

Teaching statistical learning and machine learning to the human-services data community through hands-on practitioner workshops, including at the National Human Services Data Consortium. The applied thread uses these methods to surface racial disparities in how coordinated-entry systems prioritize people experiencing homelessness.

Research Collaborative

Neuro Climate Working Group

Interdisciplinary alliance of neurologists, cognitive scientists, clinicians, and epidemiologists advancing research at the intersection of climate change and brain health. Affiliated with Columbia Mailman School of Public Health.

Field Guide

The Data Unit Guide

A field guide to building and funding a data team in a small or nonprofit newsroom, covering hiring, tools, responsible AI, and fundraising. A Caldern project with the Reynolds Journalism Institute at the Missouri School of Journalism.

We're at our best on messy, cross-cutting questions that need more than one kind of expertise.

We work with public agencies, nonprofits, foundations, and mission-driven companies. We're based in Seattle and work remotely with teams anywhere.

Leadership

The firm is led by Clayton Aldern, a data scientist and policy researcher.

Tell us what you're working on.

info@caldern.xyz

Based in Seattle. Available worldwide.