Why Fifth Element Offers Data Services
- Jodene Hager, LMT, MBA
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Because Truth‑Telling Is a Form of Care
Most organizations already have the data they need. What they don’t have is the clarity, the story, or the capacity to turn that data into decisions that matter.
At Fifth Element, we’ve always been in the business of truth‑telling — not in the sensational sense, but in the ethical sense. We help people, teams, and communities see what is real so they can act from a place of alignment, agency, and care. Data is simply another language for truth. When used responsibly, it becomes one of the most powerful tools for liberation, accountability, and resource stewardship.
That is why we now offer full‑scale Data & Analytics Consulting for organizations working in homeless services, housing, community development, and other mission‑driven sectors. Our work is grounded in the same principles that guide everything we do: clarity, relational accountability, and a commitment to dismantling the systems that obscure or distort the truth.
Turning Complex Data Into Clear Decisions
Across the country, organizations are drowning in data but starving for meaning. They collect thousands of data points — HMIS entries, compliance reports, program metrics, case notes, surveys — yet still struggle to answer the most essential questions:
Are we making a difference?
Where are we falling short?
What do funders need to understand?
What do our communities deserve to know?
Your data already holds the answers. Our role is to surface those signals and shape them into clear, fundable narratives that leaders, funders, and the people you serve can act on.
Two Lenses, One Mission: Clarity
Our data practice is led by two consultants who bring distinct, complementary expertise.
Lindsey Giblin, MSW
Homeless Services & Housing Data Specialist
Lindsey brings more than 20 years of experience at the intersection of human services and data systems. Her work spans HMIS governance, HUD and CoC compliance, program evaluation, dashboard design, and coordinated entry optimization. She partners with nonprofits, funders, and community organizations to translate operational data into practical analytics and persuasive narratives that improve outcomes and strengthen funding proposals.
Lindsey’s approach is grounded in usability. She builds measurement frameworks and dashboards that staff can actually use — tools that support better decisions, clearer communication, and measurable progress toward ending homelessness.
Dene Hager, MBA, PMP
Enterprise Data Governance & Program Management
Dene brings more than 20 years of enterprise‑scale data governance and program management experience from global organizations. At Accenture, she directed data governance frameworks and analytics operations across 120 countries and 770,000+ employees, including AI product pipeline ownership and executive reporting presented at the United Nations General Assembly. At Microsoft, she managed cross‑regional programs serving 1.6 billion students across 112 countries during COVID‑19, building data systems that supported one of the largest education continuity efforts in history.
Her expertise includes enterprise analytics platforms, governance design, cross‑functional program management, and translating complex data environments into clear frameworks that non‑technical leaders can act on. She builds the structures that make data programs scalable, reliable, and sustainable.
Together, Lindsey and Dene bring both the ground‑level and the global‑level view — a rare combination that allows organizations to see their data with new clarity.
Why Data Work Belongs Inside Fifth Element
Fifth Element has always been a clarity studio. Our work spans coaching, systems design, strategic planning, and relational repair — all rooted in the belief that people and organizations deserve to operate from truth rather than confusion, scarcity, or inherited dysfunction. Data is part of that same ecosystem.
When data is misinterpreted, underutilized, or hidden behind jargon, it becomes a barrier to justice. When data is clarified, contextualized, and made accessible, it becomes a tool for liberation. It helps organizations:
tell the truth about what is working and what is not
secure funding without contorting their mission
advocate for the resources their communities deserve
design programs that reflect real needs rather than assumptions
build internal cultures of accountability and care
We offer data services because ethical truth‑telling requires both human wisdom and technical rigor. Our clients deserve both.
What We Offer
Data Analysis & Reporting
From HMIS extraction to executive dashboards, we help you understand your data and communicate it clearly.
Program Evaluation & Outcomes Measurement
Evaluation frameworks, logic models, and findings synthesized into actionable recommendations.
Data Visualization & Dashboards
Built in Tableau, Power BI, Excel, and other platforms — making complex data accessible to staff, leadership, and funders.
Data Governance & Infrastructure
Assessing systems, developing SOPs, and building staff capacity through training.
CoC & Federal Compliance Support
HMIS governance, HUD reporting cycles, APR/SPM preparation, HIC/PIT planning, coordinated entry optimization.
Strategic Program Management
Governance frameworks and cross‑functional coordination for organizations launching or scaling data initiatives.
Our Approach: We Start by Listening
Every organization is different. Every dataset is different. Every community is different. We don’t begin with a proposal; we begin with a conversation.
If you’re ready to get more from your data — or if you simply want to explore what’s possible — we’d love to talk.
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