Iowa
Technology
Summit
DATA TRACK
Headless BI in the Real World: Lessons From Our Semantic Layer Journey
APR. 7 / 1:20 PM - 1:50 PM / CASE STUDY
About
This session presents a real‑world use case from our Data Analytics Product (DAP) semantic layer journey, highlighting the key learnings, challenges, and decisions that shaped our approach. It traces our journey from a decentralized reporting ecosystem to a governed, headless BI architecture built around a semantic layer. We’ll explore how our thinking has evolved over time, the obstacles we encountered in practice, and what remains to be conquered as we work toward a more trusted, consistent, and scalable analytics experience.
Takeaways
- What it really takes to build a semantic layer in practice.
- A real-world semantic layer journey.
- A candid view of challenges faced and what’s still ahead.
Speakers
Stephanie Meseck
Data Engineering Director
EMC Insurance Companies
Stephanie Meseck is the Data Engineering Director at EMC, where she drives enterprise data engineering capabilities across multiple scrum teams, supporting the company’s transformation to a modernized data platform. She brings 20+ years of IT experience, including progressive technology leadership roles at Principal Financial Group. Since joining EMC in 2021, Stephanie has advanced into her current role, leading data analytics engineering professionals and a large contractor workforce focused on delivering scalable, value‑driven data solutions. She is an active member of the Iowa Technology Association and a participant in the 2025 Iowa Technology Leadership Institute.
Chad Miller
Senior Analytics Engineer
EMC Insurance Companies
Chad Miller is a Senior Analytics Engineer at EMC Insurance, where he leads the delivery of scalable, high‑performing analytics solutions in support of the company’s modern data platform strategy. With 10+ years of experience in insurance and financial services analytics, Chad has progressed through roles spanning BI development, web application development, and analytics leadership. Since joining EMC in 2015, he has played a key role in enterprise KPI reporting, self‑service Power BI adoption, and the modernization of legacy data solutions. In his current role, Chad focuses on establishing engineering patterns, partnering closely with cross‑functional teams, and leveraging AI‑enabled tools and automation to accelerate analytics delivery and improve data quality across the organization.
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