DAMA-MN News
Certification success, community learning, upcoming programs, and professional development from DAMA Minnesota.
Every Great Team Needs Every PositionAs the world prepares for the FIFA World Cup in just a few short weeks, billions of people will turn their attention to one of the greatest sporting events on the planet. Some will cheer passionately for their home country. Others will follow their favorite players. Many will simply marvel at the extraordinary skill, discipline, preparation, and teamwork required to compete on the world’s biggest stage. What has always fascinated me about the World Cup isn’t only the individual stars. It’s the team. No team reaches the World Cup because of a single player. Success comes from people with different skills, experiences, and responsibilities working together toward a common goal. Goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders, forwards, coaches, trainers, analysts, and support staff all contribute in different ways. Some score goals. Some prevent them. Some develop strategy. Some create opportunities for others to succeed. Every role matters. The same is true in data management. 
DAMA Wheel® The DAMA Wheel® provides a visual reminder that data management is not a single discipline, department, or technology. Data governance, data quality, metadata management, data architecture, data modeling, master and reference data, data security, integration, warehousing, analytics, and the other disciplines represented on the Wheel each play a unique and essential role. Like positions on a championship soccer team, every discipline contributes something different, yet all are necessary for success. When one area struggles, the entire organization can feel the impact. When these disciplines work together, organizations are better able to trust their data, make better decisions, manage risk, support analytics, enable artificial intelligence, and deliver better outcomes for the people and communities they serve. 
Dr. Peter Aiken’s Data Management Pyramid Dr. Peter Aiken’s Data Management Pyramid offers a complementary perspective. While the DAMA Wheel helps us understand the breadth of the profession, the Pyramid illustrates how these capabilities work together to build organizational maturity and create value. Together, these two frameworks remind us that trusted data is never the result of a single technology, department, or individual effort. It is the outcome of coordinated disciplines working together toward a common purpose. The FIFA World Cup is often celebrated for what happens on the field, but the tournament’s success depends upon far more than the players. National teams, governing organizations, host countries, cities, stadium operators, sponsors, broadcasters, volunteers, security personnel, transportation providers, and millions of fans all contribute to the experience. Each plays a different role, yet all share responsibility for creating something larger than any one individual or organization could accomplish alone. Data management works much the same way. Businesses, government agencies, educational institutions, healthcare providers, nonprofit organizations, and community groups all rely on data to fulfill their missions. Within those organizations, executives, business leaders, analysts, architects, engineers, stewards, governance professionals, security specialists, and countless others contribute their expertise toward a shared objective. Wherever data exists, people must work together to manage it effectively, create trust in information, and enable better decisions. That is why I am so excited about DAMA-MN’s upcoming Walk Around the DAMA Wheel® summer learning series, led by Carmen Olsen. Whether you are stepping onto the field for the first time or bringing years of experience to the game, there is a place for you on this team. Every great team needs every position. Every strong data community is built the same way. Join us this summer for Trip Around the DAMA Wheel®. Spring CDMP Cohort Achieves Remarkable SuccessOne of the most rewarding aspects of serving the data management profession is witnessing the growth, dedication, and achievement of fellow practitioners. This month, DAMA-MN had the privilege of celebrating a remarkable milestone as members of our Spring 2026 CDMP Study Group completed their certification journey. 30+
Study Group registrants
22
Sat for the exam
20+
Earned CDMP certification
More than 30 participants registered for the DAMA-MN Spring CDMP Study Group, committing themselves to months of learning, discussion, and preparation centered on the DAMA-DMBOK® framework and the broad discipline of data management. On Tuesday, May 26, twenty-two participants sat for the DAMA Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP®) examination in a proctored, in-person setting. 
DAMA-MN celebrates the Spring 2026 CDMP Study Group and Pay-If-You-Pass exam cohort. We are thrilled to report that at least twenty participants successfully passed the exam and earned their CDMP certification. Newly certified professionals may now proudly add the CDMP designation to their professional credentials and share their achievement through digital certification badges and professional networking platforms such as LinkedIn. Achieving the CDMP designation represents far more than passing a ninety-minute examination. It reflects a commitment to professional excellence, a willingness to invest time and effort in continuous learning, and a deep understanding of the principles and practices that enable organizations to manage data as a strategic asset. DAMA International offered DAMA-MN Study Group cohorts a Pay-If-You-Pass proctored, in-person exam experience. We are especially grateful to Securian Financial for hosting the event, providing a secure and comfortable location, free parking, and supportive staff and volunteers. This success would not have been possible without the extraordinary dedication of Michelle McGovern and her team, including Stacy Rudow, Andy Holdsworth, Riju Ravel, Carmen Olsen, M.T. Joseph, Andy Nash, and the indefatigable Dawn Michels. Their contributions helped make the study group one of DAMA-MN’s most valuable professional development offerings. Congratulations to our newest CDMP-certified professionals. We celebrate your achievement and look forward to the impact you will continue to make across the data management community. CDMP Exam Day Highlights
Michelle McGovern, Dawn Michels, and Terry Baresh at the DAMA-MN Spring 2026 CDMP Pay-If-You-Pass exam hosted at Securian Financial on May 26. May Chapter Meeting RecapCommunity Conversations Across the DAMA WheelOur May chapter meeting took a different approach than the traditional speaker presentation—and the results were both engaging and insightful. Facilitated by Carmen Olsen and Robin Mertes, members participated in an open discussion forum focused on topics spanning the DAMA-DMBOK® disciplines and the rapidly evolving role of data management in an AI-enabled world. Participants shared experiences, challenges, ideas, and lessons learned from their own organizations, creating a dynamic conversation that reflected the diversity of perspectives within the DAMA-MN community. “That’s how we learn from each other.” — Dawn Michels, reflecting on the value of open discussion and community engagement Discussions touched on data governance, AI adoption, data literacy, organizational engagement, professional development, and strategies for building stronger data cultures. Participants explored ways to encourage broader participation in governance efforts, shared practical examples of AI use in the workplace, and discussed approaches for helping leaders and practitioners better understand the value of trusted data. One recurring theme emerged throughout the conversation: successful data management depends on people. Whether the topic was governance, literacy, quality, architecture, analytics, or AI, participants repeatedly emphasized collaboration, communication, education, and community engagement. Trip Around the DAMA Wheel®
This summer, DAMA-MN will host a 12-week “Trip Around the DAMA Wheel”, a virtual learning series designed to introduce participants to the fundamentals of each segment of the DAMA-DMBOK framework.
🗓 Mondays | 6:00–7:30 PM CT This series is ideal for students, new practitioners, those exploring unfamiliar subject areas, individuals preparing for a CDMP study group, or anyone looking to improve data literacy within their organization. The program is open to everyone—no DAMA membership required.
Signature Event
DAMA Days 2026 — Save the Date
Click the image to view DAMA Days details and registration. DAMA-MN is excited to announce DAMA Days 2026, a two-day data conference bringing together practitioners, leaders, and experts across the data management community.
📅 Tuesday, October 6 & Wednesday, October 7 Day One will include workshops and a CDMP certification exam opportunity. Day Two will feature a symposium-style conference with speakers presenting across data governance, data management, analytics, and more. We are currently seeking speakers. Conference entry is free for selected speakers. New Books from Technics PublishingTechnics Publishing continues to expand its outstanding library of data management, governance, analytics, business architecture, and AI-focused titles. Here are several recent releases and featured titles we recommend to DAMA-MN members. DAMA-MN members are eligible for a 5% discount on books from Technics Publishing . 
The Reliable Data Platform Framework Build reliable pipelines, trusted data products, and resilient platforms that support better decisions. 
Robby Just Wants to Help A whimsical introduction to AI for children featuring a robot, two brothers, and a very unusual cookie recipe. 
Data without Drama Improve decisions, communication, and responsible AI use by turning messy information into practical action. 
Promptism Explore prompt design, human-AI collaboration, and practical techniques for working with generative AI. 
The Data Catalyst³ (Cubed) Accelerate trust, governance, and AI success through change management, data fluency, and practical data governance leadership. 
Business Architecture Build a business architecture framework that helps organizations connect capabilities, clarify direction, and gracefully accommodate change. The success of this year’s CDMP cohort reminds us that the data management profession continues to thrive because people are willing to invest in themselves, support one another, and contribute to a larger community of practice. We look forward to seeing many of you throughout the summer as we continue our journey around the DAMA Wheel and prepare for DAMA Days 2026. Thanks, The DAMA-MN Board of Directors and Volunteers Questions, ideas, or suggestions? Contact us at info@dama-mn.org . |
Upcoming EventsAs of this newsletter, no June chapter meeting is currently scheduled. Please visit our website for the latest chapter events, learning series, workshops, and registration links. View Upcoming EventsTrip Around the DAMA Wheel®
Mondays, June 1 – August 24. Virtual, open to everyone, and designed for learners at every level. Register NowMember Benefit
DAMA-MN Job BoardDAMA-MN members have access to a dedicated data careers job board featuring opportunities in governance, quality, architecture, analytics, and more. View Member Job BoardCall for Speakers
DAMA Days 2026October 6–7 in Shoreview, MN. Two days of workshops, CDMP exam opportunities, and symposium-style sessions. DAMA-DMBOK v3 Project
DAMA International is actively developing DMBOK v3. DAMA-MN members are invited to join listening forums and help influence the next edition. Participate in a Listening SessionDAMA Community Spotlight
DAMA-Chicago Events & CDMP TrainingDAMA-MN members who are interested in participating in DAMA-Chicago events can request reciprocity access by contacting president@dama-mn.org. For CDMP training inquiries, contact Frank Cerwin at frank.cerwin@damachicago.org. Industry Events & ConferencesUpcoming conferences and learning opportunities across data management and AI.
June
Snowflake Data Cloud Summit | June 2–5 Data + AI Summit by Databricks | June 9–12 August TDWI Transform | Aug 18–22, San Diego September Progress Data Platform Summit | Sep 14–16 October IEEE International Conference on AI and Data Analytics November TDWI Transform | Nov 16–21, Orlando Chapter Sponsors & Partners
DAMA-MN is proud to be affiliated with DAMA International and grateful for the sponsors and partners who support our growing data management community. |
DAMA International (DAMA-I) is a not-for-profit, vendor independent association of technical and business professionals dedicated to advancing the concepts and practices for data resource management and enterprise information. DAMA-I is the parent organization of DAMA-MN, and has over 70 chapters and thousands of members throughout the world.