Salwa Niaz

AI & Automation Analyst | Business Process Improvement & Analytics | AI Enablement | Power Platform, n8n, Zapier, APIs, LLMs

United States

About

Organizations in data-heavy environments - whether in healthcare, legal services, nonprofits, operations, or professional services - often rely on processes that are still highly manual. I enjoy identifying those bottlenecks, understanding how work flows, and building systems that make it more reliable, scalable, and measurable. I recently graduated from The University of Texas at Dallas with an MS in Business Analytics & Artificial Intelligence. During my time at UT Dallas, I designed end-to-end workflow solutions using Power Automate, SharePoint, REST APIs, Excel Online, and CRM integrations. From requirement gathering and process mapping to testing, deployment, and stakeholder training, I built solutions that transformed hours of manual work into automated pipelines capable of processing hundreds of records in minutes. Beyond enterprise platforms, I build AI-enabled workflows and agentic systems using Python, n8n, Zapier, Codex, and LLM integrations. I focus on designing systems that handle edge cases, validate outputs, and remain reliable under real-world conditions rather than only working in ideal scenarios. My interests include workflow orchestration, AI agents, document processing, and integrating AI into business operations. Earlier in my career, I worked in analytics and operational improvement, building reporting tools, analyzing large datasets, and supporting data-driven decision-making. That background gives me both the analytical perspective to understand which problems are worth solving and the technical ability to translate those solutions into systems people actually use. Areas of Interest: AI Automation • Workflow Orchestration • Process Improvement • Applied AI • Business Analytics Tools: Power Automate · n8n · Zapier · Python · SQL · REST APIs · Codex · Power BI · Tableau · SharePoint · CRM · Excel

Experience

  • The University of Texas at Dallas ()
    • Data & Business Intelligence - AI & Automation
      Jan 2026 - May 2026 · 5 mos

      • Designed and implemented scalable workflow automation systems using Power Automate and APIs within the Microsoft Power Platform ecosystem, reducing manual effort across donor and fundraising operations • Integrated REST APIs, webhooks, and JSON-based pipelines to connect CRM, reporting, and communication systems, enabling reliable cross-system data flow • Conducted UAT testing, validation checks, and exception handling to ensure workflow accuracy, system reliability, and data integrity • Led AI adoption and training across fundraising, Dean's Office, Holocaust Studies, and communications teams, implementing responsible AI practices with human-in-the-loop review • Translated cross-functional business processes into end-to-end AI-enabled systems, designing automation logic, data flows, and decision layers Selected Projects • Built a Power Automate birthday-invite workflow with an Excel tracker, automating donor email drafts, status tracking, and review workflows • Developed donor acknowledgement workflows generating draft emails based on donor type, gift context, and campaign, improving consistency and reducing manual effort • Designed a donor anniversary (6M/12M) workflow with centralized tracking, automated drafts, and lifecycle logic (active/stop) for timely engagement • Built a media monitoring pipeline using Power Automate and SharePoint to ingest RSS feeds, classify sentiment and relevance, and trigger real-time Teams alerts • Integrated Copilot agents with Power Automate to generate grounded email drafts using knowledge sources, ensuring context-aware outputs • Developed a candidate intake workflow with the Ackerman Center to streamline application tracking, document handling, and review

    • Data & Business Intelligence Analyst
      Sep 2025 - Dec 2025 · 4 mos

      • Built executive Power BI dashboards integrating enrollment, giving, and prospect datasets of 300K+ records, enabling leadership to monitor KPIs and performance trends • Applied segmentation and NLP techniques to classify donor employers by industry, identifying real estate and finance as key contributors to support targeted outreach strategy • Identified a 7% YoY increase in homeschooled student enrollment, surfacing an underserved segment and informing engagement strategies for non-traditional student populations • Analyzed geographic enrollment trends showing declining Richardson ISD enrollment despite campus proximity; socioeconomic analysis supported scholarship targeting and district outreach recommendations • Analyzed out-of-state enrollment and found on-campus housing constraints were a major withdrawal driver, reframing a perceived yield issue as a student success and retention problem • Detected a downward trend in corporate giving and delivered insights that supported discussions around matching gift and corporate engagement initiatives • Presented findings and recommendations to leadership to inform enrollment, outreach, and fundraising strategy

  • Development Student Worker at Bass School at UT Dallas
    Jan 2025 - Aug 2025 · 8 mos

    • Serve as the liaison for the Business Council for the Arts (BCA) on the "On My Own Time" (OMOT) project, managing project timelines, internal communications, and ensuring timely follow-ups via emails. • Support fund development activities, including event planning, donor engagement, and communications to strengthen relationships and drive fundraising efforts. • Perform data entry and updates on the Raiser’s Edge donor database to maintain accurate records of donor information.

  • Sales Tax Officer (Tax Analyst) at Sindh Revenue Board
    Mar 2021 - Jul 2024 · 3 yrs 5 mos

    • Analyzed taxpayer transaction and compliance datasets across 100+ entities, identifying reporting gaps and contributing to the recovery of PKR 50M+ in unpaid taxes. • Built Tableau dashboards to monitor revenue trends, enforcement activity, and collection performance, improving operational visibility and decision-making. • Identified unregistered businesses using Google Maps and cross-database validation techniques, supporting tax base expansion efforts. • Segmented taxpayers by compliance risk to improve case prioritization and enforcement efficiency. • Led data-driven field audits and enforcement raids, translating analytical findings into measurable revenue recovery. • Conducted taxpayer hearings and supported legal and regulatory proceedings using data-backed evidence and analysis. • Collaborated with regulatory and operations teams to streamline tax filing processes and implement analytics-driven compliance strategies. • Applied investigative and creative problem-solving approaches to uncover complex tax evasion cases. • Advised senior stakeholders on process improvements and compliance initiatives to strengthen revenue collection and operational effectiveness.

  • Research Analyst at Avanzarr
    Jun 2020 - Jan 2024 · 3 yrs 8 mos

    • Conducted product and customer behavior analysis on 1,000+ SKUs using Python, identifying high-potential opportunities • Launched 3 profitable Amazon products, generating ~$4,000 in average monthly net profit • Increased sales by 1,300+ units for an underperforming store through improved product positioning, visuals, and bundled offerings • Performed market segmentation and clustering (Excel) to identify key customer segments and optimize targeting strategies • Used Excel what-if analysis to evaluate pricing and discount scenarios, improving revenue decision-making • Built data-driven strategies around pricing, product design, and positioning, regularly advising senior stakeholders • Designed and launched digital products for Etsy using Photoshop, Illustrator, Canva, and GenAI tools • Led a team of graphic designers to deliver high-quality, conversion-focused creatives • Optimized product listings through competitive analysis and differentiation strategies to improve performance

  • Research Enumerator at State Bank of Pakistan (SBP)
    May 2018 - Jun 2018 · 2 mos

    • Conducted telephonic surveys with over 100 businesses to gather economic data on key macroeconomic variables. • Efficiently managed the collected data to support informed fiscal and monetary policy decisions for the government.