Introducing Antonio DiMarco, Deputy Director of Operational Strategy

At Metropolitan Strategies & Solutions (MSS), we pride ourselves on being at the forefront of integrating data analytics with community outreach. Antonio DiMarco is our most recent addition to the team. As Deputy Director of Operational Strategy, his recent work is a testament to our commitment to bringing the two together with excellence and innovation.?

Antonio joined our team with over six years of experience providing critical strategy development and analytics to leading government agencies and private companies. Trained in private- and public-sector crisis management, Antonio leverages continuous improvement activities, stakeholder engagement, data technologies, and after-action reporting to inform long-term strategic development and short-term decision-making.

Interview with Antonio DiMarco

Q: Antonio, can you share your background and what led you to MSS?

A: Certainly! I received my bachelor of arts from Grinnell College, where I studied Political Science and Policy Studies. After graduating from Grinnell, I joined the Cadmus Group’s homeland security consulting team, supporting national security and emergency management clients to prepare for the Nation’s emerging threats. After Cadmus, I moved to New York City and joined New York City Emergency Management (NYCEM) as the Data Analytics Program Manager. While at NYCEM, I founded the Emergency Data Team, which led the agency’s data response to several high-priority emergencies, including the COVID-19 Pandemic, Hurricane Ida, and other heat and winter weather emergencies. After NYCEM, I returned to the private sector and joined CrowdStrike’s Business Resilience team. Here, I learned to apply my background in emergency management, data analytics, and strategy development in a cybersecurity context.?

Joining MSS was a no-brainer! Besides being a cutting-edge and world-class consulting firm, MSS’ mission to provide meaningful impact to its clients and the communities they serve was a massive draw. I come from a long line of public servants, and I find it incredibly rewarding to contribute to work that positively impacts communities nationwide. MSS is just the place for me.

Q: What has been your focus since joining MSS, and what are you hoping to achieve here?

Since joining MSS, I have focused on integrating with our incredible team! Everyone on the MSS team offers excellent perspective, skill, and experience that they pour into their work.

From a professional perspective, I support our Community Outreach business area to leverage data to reach out to marginalized communities and truly engage with them on issues that matter. It's about turning data into actionable insights to drive our outreach efforts forward. I aim to foster a more meaningful dialogue between public-sector agencies and the communities they serve.

Q: You've been involved in a pivotal environmental project recently. Can you tell us more about that and how data enhanced community outreach?

I’d love to! We support a NYC-based client to reduce climate pollution in the New York, New Jersey Metropolitan Area. A vital part of this project is providing meaningful engagement in the communities so that they can help shape future priority climate pollution reduction investments in their neighborhoods.

We identified an initial set of low-income, disadvantaged communities using the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool and ACS data. We deployed our team of community engagement specialists to those areas. We developed a survey for community members during the engagement, focusing on pulling out insights that inform what people want to see change in their neighborhoods. Using the results from the first round of engagement, we are developing refined engagement tactics to improve outreach results and ensure community members have their voices heard during our second round of engagement.

Q: How do you see data analytics shaping the future of community outreach in the public sector?

Everyone knows that data, for data’s sake, isn’t the answer. But meaningful data analytics in community engagement is so important. But what does that mean? Community members want their voices heard, and data analytics allows us to understand community needs and preferences on a much deeper level, enabling tailored and, therefore, more effective outreach strategies. We can listen to community members by asking them important questions and capturing their responses. In turn, it is our collective responsibility to incorporate their voices into positive public policy changes and future investments, ensuring that every initiative is as impactful as possible.

Closing Thoughts

Antonio DiMarco's journey at MSS exemplifies the power of data analytics in community outreach. Through his expertise and innovative thinking, Antonio is not just reaching out to communities; he's engaging them meaningfully, setting a new standard for public-sector engagement. His work underscores the importance of listening, adapting, and striving for deeper connections.