Why Allthingy?

In 2012, I took a trip to Iceland.

There, I learned a few awesome facts:

Iceland has the oldest parliamentary institution in the world. It goes back to 930 AD and still exists today.
The first meeting was at Þingvellir and it’s a place where the North American and Europe/Asia tectonic plates meet.
The gathering was called the Alþingi which literally means general assembly. It’s still called that.
The “þ” in Þingvellir and Alþingi is actually a “th” sound so Alþingi sounds like Allthingy.

I was immediately drawn to several things:

I like that long ago, people had gathered together to accomplish something.
I like that that they still do so today.
I like that “bridging the gap” was literal as well as metaphorical.
And I like that Allthingy is so fun to say.

Dr. Mike Urmeneta is an award-winning researcher, educator, data scientist, and storyteller with a passion for helping institutions improve and succeed through agile and collaborative approaches to research and analysis. He has extensive experience working with universities and has been recognized for his work by leading organizations such as the Association for Institutional Research, the National Association of College and University Business Officers, and EDUCAUSE. His diverse background and ability to build strong relationships with a variety of stakeholders have allowed him to make a significant impact on institutional policies, procedures, and priorities. Most recently, as an instructor for AIR’s Data Literacy Institute, he has been preparing leadership teams to embrace a culture of data-informed decision-making. Prior to this role, he served as the director of analytics and business intelligence for the New York Institute of Technology, providing strategic guidance to various departments, the president’s office, and the board of trustees. Dr. Urmeneta has also held various administrative roles at New York University, including in admissions, financial aid, enrollment and retention, alumni relations, and development. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a Master of Science in Management from NYU, and a Doctor of Education degree from Northeastern University, where he received the Dean’s Medal for Outstanding Doctoral Work for his research on first-generation college students.