Earlier this month, Praescient onboarded four new analysts joining our Intelligence Cell, along with four analysts who have added responsibilities. Allow our Spring 2022 Analysts to introduce themselves:
Ezra Cohen – Research Analyst
Hi, I’m Ezra Cohen, from Minneapolis, Minnesota. I am currently in my last undergraduate semester at George Washington University where I major in international affairs and a double minor in economics and Chinese language and literature. Outside of my academic interests, I take pride in being one of the captains of GW’s club ultimate frisbee team; I love traveling throughout the nearby region competing against other schools. I accepted an internship at Praescient Analytics because it offered me the opportunity to gain hands-on experience working with datasets related to global issues, and by the end of the internship, I hope to become more skilled at briefing as well as using software like ArcGIS and Analyst’s Notebook. Next year I will be shifting gears and teaching English to high school students in China — in the future, I hope to combine my analytic technology and language skills to continue working in the data analysis space, with an emphasis on foreign language sources.
Rhys Hartsough – Research Analyst
I am from Dallas, Texas, and moved to Virginia last fall in order to start my Forensic Psychology Master’s degree at George Washington University. I have a 2-year-old pit bull mix named Stevie and on the weekends we like to walk by the waterfront in Alexandria. I also love to bake and am obsessed with the Great British Baking Show. Through this internship, I hope to gain confidence in my analysis and presentation skills. I am specifically excited to learn how to navigate Esri ArcGis in order to use geospatial mapping. I am also interested in learning more about Target Analysis as I have a huge intrigue in the role of data analytics within Anti-Human Trafficking efforts. I decided to accept this internship at Praescient because I knew it would be a challenge for me and make me step out of my comfort zone. I appreciated how warm and open the Praescient employees were during my interview process and enjoyed learning about how vast Praescient truly is. In the future, I see myself as a crime or intelligence analyst (utilizing all the technical skills I learned at Praescient), hopefully working for an Anti-human trafficking NGO or a law enforcement agency.
Hannah Hough – Returning Research Analyst
My name is Hannah Hough, I am originally from Camden, SC, but recently relocated to Alexandria, VA to attend George Washington University, where I received my
Master’s in Forensic Psychology. I began interning at Praescient Analytics in order to pursue an untapped passion for data analysis. As a forensic psychology student, I was always aware of the cross-over between my field of studies and analytics but had not yet had any hands-on experience in the field of analytics, so Praescient seemed like the perfect place to do this. In the limited time, I have been a Research Analyst at Praescient Analytics, I have learned an indefinable number of skills to conduct data-driven analysis relevant to real-world issues. I have worked on a number of projects ranging from an Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield focused on evaluating and tracking publicly available information on instability and jihadist terrorist activity in Burkina Faso, to internal research on the Opioid Epidemic in New York by using Social Determinants of Health indicators in an attempt to provide potential explanations for the crisis. Currently, I am currently working with a fellow analyst, Raychel Justice, to analyze the effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on crime rates and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loans in Dallas, TX and San Francisco, CA to uncover interesting trends within and potentially between the two different cities. Through this array of projects, Praescient has given me the opportunity to learn technical skills by leveraging tools like i2 Analyst’s Notebook, Esri’s ArcGIS, Sintelix, Tableau, and more. It has been incredibly rewarding to connect my forensic psychology background to the work done here at Praescient and gain such a vast array of skills. I am excited to see where the experiences lead me!
Talia Johnson-Moore – Returning Social Media Specialist
Hi, my name is Talia Johnson-Moore, originally from Queens, New York but I now reside in Fairfax, Virginia. I am currently in the last semester of my undergraduate degree at George Mason University. I major in Communication with a concentration in Public Relations and I minor in American Sign Language. Prior to college, I had some experience in film production which is where my interest in post-production and editing comes from and I am also certified in film studies. In my freshman year, spring semester, I was able to study in Perth, Australia and that really jump-started my interest in aboriginal/indigenous cultures. I hope to continue traveling around the world and learning more about those cultures. I enjoy reading, creative writing, cooking, and hanging out with my friends in my spare time. I also enjoy learning and teaching others about Deaf history, culture, and the language itself. Prior to starting here at Praescient, my main interest PR-wise was working for professional athletes but my Fall ‘21 semester opened up a new door for me. I realized that I really enjoy doing social media and brand development, specifically for companies that are newer and or smaller. That was the reason why I chose to intern for this small company. Praescient does really great things in the data and tech world, even some things that I don’t understand but I am always learning something new. I want people to know who and what Praescient is and what the company does and stands for. My ultimate goal here is to make the name Praescient Analytics more well-known and while doing that, I am also learning what things do and do not work when it comes to social media and public relations. In the future, I hope to continue working in social media and brand development with different agencies. Somewhere down the line, I hope I’ll be able to start my own freelance agency.
Raychel Justice – Returning Research Analyst
My name is Raychel Justice and I am originally from Hawaii; I grew up on the North Shore of Oahu. Last month, I graduated from the Forensic Psychology graduate program at George Washington University. My undergraduate interests involved both psychology and law, with my degree in Cognitive Science and minor in legal
studies, leading me to pursue the intersection of the two: Forensic Psychology. Before starting my Master’s program, I spent a year teaching English in Kusatsu, Japan. Outside of the classroom, I enjoy all water sports from surfing to outrigger paddling to kayaking. Throughout my time at Praescient thus far, I’ve operated within the Intelligence Cell Unit, collaborating on many projects like the Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield focused on Burkina Faso. This was an eye-opening experience as West Africa is a region I’ve never focused on before in my studies. We leveraged Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED) within tools like i2’s Analyst’s Notebook and Esri ArcGIS. It has been powerful to see some of our predictions reflected in recent trends in the news. I decided to accept an internship at Praescient because a previous intel cell intern within my graduate cohort spoke very highly of the involved leadership and the opportunity to gain a wide array of hands-on experience with industry technology. Given my forensic background, I continue to be excited when seeing the application of these varied tools in assisting real-world investigations. Currently, I am collaborating on a project with Hannah Hough; we are analyzing crime trends and anomalies during the pandemic comparing San Francisco and Dallas utilizing Incident Report data and PPP loan data within Tableau and Esri ArcGIS. I’m thrilled to continue to expand my skillset and hope to continue to be involved in projects that intentionally integrate cognitive, behavioral, and analytics principles to propel defense and national security goals.
Benjamin Mccrickard – Research Analyst
I’m originally from rural Southwest Virginia, just outside of Roanoke. I’m currently in my last semester of my Security Policy Studies master’s program at George Washington University. I concentrate on U.S. national security, with a thematic focus on intelligence studies and defense strategies. I previously got my BA in Global Studies and German language from Bridgewater College in central Virginia and received the 2020 Michael Robert Zigler Award of Exemplary Service. I also studied briefly at the Philipps-Universität in Marburg, Germany, where I earned my C1 certification in the German language. In terms of special interests and hobbies, I love studying languages, public history, and am an avid outdoorsman. I love hiking, fishing, and hunting small/large games throughout Virginia. My favorite books are; Black Flags by Joby Warrick, the Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, and Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut. I accepted an internship at Praescient because of the company’s attentive work culture, the unique mission set, and training opportunities in various data software. I am ecstatic to apply my regional/functional knowledge toward drafting data-driven research products. I’m definitely interested in continuing with the private sector for the next 5 years, whether in Philadelphia or the greater DMV area. My ultimate goal is to transition to the public sector later on in my career, potentially in the intelligence or law enforcement analysis space, once I’ve integrated a broader range of analytic and formal briefing skills into my professional repertoire.
Bhumi Patel – Returning Research Analyst
Hi, I joined Praescient’s analyst team as a graduate student in Georgetown University’s Applied Intelligence program. I am originally from New Jersey and moved to the Washington, DC area to pursue her studies. I joined the internship program in hopes of expanding her technical skills to help her produce more robust intelligence products in support of national security objectives. I believe Praescient supports an important niche in the industry given the value data can bring to the problem-solving and decision-making processes. I also hope the internship helps me pursue my dream career of working in the intelligence community. Prior to Praescient, I sharpened my open-source research skills in various settings, including financial crimes, transactional due diligence, geopolitical assessments, and strategic cyber analysis. When I’m not in school or working at Praescient, I enjoy playing sports, hiking, giving back to the community, traveling and spending time with my rescue dog, Zuko.
Emily Pitek – Research Analyst
I am originally from Connecticut, but now living in the DC/NoVa area. I am currently studying at George Washington University’s Forensic 
Psychology MA program. I graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 2017 with a BA in Anthropology and a BS in Psychology, and also completed the Honors Program. I love to cook! While attending college I worked in the kitchen of a local restaurant, and before the pandemic, I would occasionally teach at a cooking school. I am hoping to improve my OSINT skills; I am excited to learn how to use various analytical platforms as well as the tradecraft behind them. I also hope to gain opportunities to build relationships with mentors as I develop my career path. I was looking for an internship related to intelligence analysis, and a fellow student in my graduate program told me about her wonderful experience with Praescient. As an intern at Praescient, we have the opportunity to contribute to a variety of meaningful projects while learning a variety of platforms and skills. Moreover, we have the opportunity to communicate directly with senior leadership on a daily basis–this is an incredibly unique and valuable experience for interns. I’m interested in pursuing a career in the intelligence community, and during my time as an intern, I hope to explore potential career paths through the mentorship of those at Praescient.