Monika Patel Forrest is a marketing lecturer at The University of Texas at Austin’s McCombs School of Business, teaching a course on data visualization, data interpretation, and storytelling. Her course equips students with best practices in data visualization and frameworks for translating data into actionable business insights.

Currently a senior data analytics manager at The Zebra, Forrest has over a decade of experience in business intelligence and analytics. Her professional journey includes analytical and leadership roles at Lithic, Realtor.com, and Whole Foods Market, with a focus on enhancing data insights, building modern analytics infrastructure, and creating data-driven business strategies.

Forrest's expertise extends to recruiting, training, and leading strong analytics teams. She focuses heavily on mentoring junior analysts at and outside of her organizations to help develop best business practices and strong careers.

She holds a B.S. in economics from Virginia Commonwealth University. Outside her professional and academic roles, she enjoys spending time on her goat ranch with her family.