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Brooke Tooze

from competitive dancer to Data Scientist
I create stories from data to enable better decision-making.
Industry
Technology and Digital, Transport, Logistics and Warehousing
Company
Department of Customer Services, Open Data and Small and Family Business
Job Level
Mid

Ask me about

  • How dancing gave me a drive to do better
  • Changing uni degrees
  • How being a data analyst is like a language interpreter

About me

  • Regional Background

I am a Principal Data Scientist in a Queensland Government department, and I love using data to tell stories that help people make better decisions.

Born and raised in Cairns, Queensland, I was an avid dancer and a natural competitor. I was always driven to be better than I was the day before, and that mindset shaped much of my journey. It helped me finish school with strong results and plenty of options for university – but with choice came uncertainty.

After changing majors a few times, a series of happy accidents eventually led me to a data analyst role in the Queensland Government Digital and ICT Graduate Program. More than six years later, I’ve built a rewarding career in data, progressing through increasingly senior roles and continuing to grow across both data science and data engineering.

About my role

  • Analytical
  • Flexible
  • Personable
  • Reliable
  • Studious

A data scientist is someone who works with data to help people understand what’s really going on.

Every day, organisations collect huge amounts of information. A data scientist looks through that data, finds the important parts, and explains it in a way that helps people make decisions.

It’s a bit like being a translator. Instead of translating between two languages, a data scientist translates between data and people - turning numbers and patterns into stories, insights, and ideas that others can understand.

Data science can look really different depending on the job. Some roles are very technical, while others focus more on communication, creativity and solving real-world problems.

Education

  • Queensland Certificate of Education
  • Bachelor of Science (Majoring in Biomedical Science and Computational Science)

Subjects

  • Digital Design/Information Technology
  • Mathematical Methods (Maths B)

Awards

  • JCU Academic Encouragement Award

Hobbies

  • Dancing
  • Gaming
  • Gym
  • Photography
  • Reading

15 year old me!!

“No matter what you do, or what you choose, you will be okay. You have no idea what you are capable of.”

My career journey

Curious to know how I got here? Here’s a snapshot of my career pathway.
  1. Graduated high-school and enrolled in university
  2. University cut my course before starting
  3. Enrolled in different university (& different degree!)
  4. Offered place in graduate program
  5. Applied, and landed, current role

My typical day

My employer

The Department of Customer Services, Open Data and Small and Family Business leads and drives​​ a more digitally enabled and responsive government, while facilitating simple and effective access to services for all Queenslanders. We provide digital, strategic and service delivery leadership and capability to enable more responsive services across the Queensland Government.​