Dakota Kelley

Evaluator
DISC Type : scd

Director, Data Engineering at phData

Edmond, Oklahoma, United States

Overview

Dakota Kelley is the Director of Data Engineering at phData, specializing in the modern data stack, Big Data, and AI/ML. A graduate of Oklahoma State University with a Master of Science, he is a dbt Architect and frequent speaker at industry events like Coalesce, passionate about building robust data solutions.

Originally from Oklahoma, Dakota developed a love for problem-solving from a young age, which led him to a career in technology. He lives in Edmond with his wife and two dogs and enjoys giving back to the community, helping others tackle complex technical challenges.

He is also known for serving his award-winning BBQ at company events.

Personality Overview

Thorough Evaluator

Hard To Convince

Fast But Analytical

They have a unique set of diverse traits where they are decisive and methodical but can sometimes be extra cautious and skeptical  They are not very likely to become strong advocates of your product or service They focus on the results, but can still be quite procedural and analytical about how to get there

Topics They Care About

dbt Community
He is a dbt Community Spotlight award recipient and was nominated for Ambassador of the Year, frequently writing blogs and speaking at events to help and support others.
Data Engineering
As Director at phData, he leads teams in building cutting-edge data solutions, focusing on analytics engineering best practices and optimizing data pipelines for efficiency and trust.
Reliable AI
He co-hosted a session on using the dbt Semantic Layer to deliver reliable and trustworthy AI, addressing challenges like hallucinations and inconsistent answers from LLMs.

Media Appearances

Beyond the Data: Dakota Kelley, Sr. Data Engineer. Featured in phData Blog

See Now

Work History

1-2026
Director, Data Engineering at phData
2-2025 - 1-2026
Principal Solution Architect at phData
7-2024 - 2-2025
Senior Solutions Architect at phData
8-2014 - 1-2022
Senior Software Developer at Oklahoma State University
5-2014 - 8-2014
Software Development Intern at Oklahoma State University

Education

9-2018 - 12-2021
Master of Science - MS from Oklahoma State University
2011 - 2014
Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.) Specializations in Forensics from Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology - Okmulgee

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 10 Location : Edmond, Oklahoma, United States Job Level : Mid-senior Designation : Director, Data Engineering at phData
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Insights For Selling To Dakota

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Use phrases like ‘the ROI of this’, ‘X% more’ etc.
  • Help them see both - the ‘big picture’ impact and the ROI of the investment
  • Showcase your competitive superiority clearly when possible or address it at the minimum

DONT's

  • Avoid too much small talk, just a few formal pleasantries should be fine
  • Avoid self-deprecating references or general informality, it could decrease their trust in you
  • Don’t focus on relationship, focus purely on the merit of your product

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Dakota is

  • ROI matters the most to them, followed by process and finally proof of results
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Dakota

  • They might hesitate a little, but will go ahead and say no when necessary (or asked)

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Dakota move?

  • They are unlikely to move very fast, especially when it comes to new products or services
  • Can Dakota take some risk or not?

  • They have relatively low risk-appetite and are not very likely to go for something unproven and risky

You And Dakota

Personality Compatibility


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