Welcome to Count Me In with Della and Deanna. Today we feature an energizing and vibrant conversation with Dr. Kobi Abayomi, Head of Science at Gumbel Demand Acceleration. Kobi grew up in NYC, in a 6th-floor walkup in Manhattan. He earned his undergraduate degree at Georgia Tech and his PhD in Probability and Statistics from Columbia University. He held postdoctoral positions at Duke and Stanford Universities and academic positions at various institutions including Georgia Tech and Binghamton University before he segued to industry where he has worked at Dunn & Bradstreet, Barnes & Noble Education, Warner Media Group, and, most recently as, Senior VP of Data Science at Warner Music Group. In March of 2023, he launched his own company, Gumbel Demand Acceleration, a Software as a Service company, along with two music labels: Betaside Records and Short Hills Music. In this conversation, you will hear how Kobi evaluates a Toyota Corolla as a beautiful human enterprise rather than a vehicle that moves us from one point to another. You will also learn about the evolving role of music in his life and in society as a whole, the role of his mother in cultivating his interest in mathematics, the surprising way lighting can help us see people differently, and tips for bringing people together. Drawing from his work experience, Kobi also talks about how to contribute to and lead a group of data scientists. Kobi’s joy for mathematics and people is everywhere evident in this podcast. It will put a spring in your step and give a boost to your spirit. So, please join us as we talk with Kobi.