MSDUE Class of 2014–

Information Management Officer, The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Troy started working as a Humanitarian Data Scientist intern after graduation and soon after became Information Management Officer at the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), a body involved in crises management and the coordination of all UN agencies leading thematic clusters during an emergency response. OCHA is responsible for publishing annual humanitarian response plans for each country operation and funding appeals to the UN member states as well as in public advocacy campaigns pertaining to humanitarian situations. Troy is currently located at the UN’s secondary headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

His work as an Information Management Officer (IMO) is mostly analyzing data and creating infographics and thematic maps pertaining to these advocacy campaigns, and supporting other IMOs in the field in the event of a sudden-onset emergency such as an earthquake or tropical cyclone. Recently, he has been working on developing an interactive campaign focused on drawing attention to internally displaced populations by composing a narrative with both qualitative experience stories from IDPs living in camps, and an interactive map utilizing quantitative research from UN partner organizations. Troy has also developed interactive maps of funding data for OCHA’s State of Aid site, and many other infographics for various units within the organization.

Troy worked in marketing and corporate communications as a web developer and graphic designer before pursuing studies at the MS Design and Urban Ecologies Program. Troy writes: “The MSDUE program helped me add an additional layer of complexity to my knowledge, particularly when it comes to researching and analyzing data. This is very useful when transitioning into more project management, consulting and strategy-based roles. This learning experience definitely prepared me to take on the role of a strategist. Whether or not one is directly working in the realm of urban systems, mostly every organization has the need for someone who can visualize the big picture, navigate the chaos and develop and clear and effective path forward. I feel more confident in my technical skills, and more valuable to the world as the result of the MSDUE program. Also, projects within the MSDUE program helped me discover a passion for international work that I am not sure I would have ever discovered otherwise.”