In today’s @AvalonFYI dispatch, you’ll find Tableau’s reporting outlook, good grammar, a digital detox, and baby elephant news. Also, Avalon is hiring! Read all about it here:
Dear friends,
May is flying by, and it’s almost time to kick off the summer. Avalon will be closed on Monday, May 26 for Memorial Day to honor those who gave their lives in service. Our team is prepared, and all deliverables will remain on schedule. Enjoy the long weekend!
Avalon is Hiring
Avalon is hiring for multiple positions. As a 2026 Ad Age Best Place to Work, we are committed to outstanding leadership and management, and we offer top notch benefits, like employer-paid health insurance and generous PTO. Best of all, our teams work with talented colleagues on high impact projects that truly make a positive difference in the world. Thank you for helping me spread the word, and please reach out if you’d like to learn more.
Grammar Guidance
Inspired by a New York Times column by John McWhorter, “When Good Grammar Gets Snobbish,” Jeff Brooks at Future Fundraising Now explained how overly precise grammar gatekeeps donors. Not only is this elitist, he writes, but it’s “also incredibly stupid for fundraising. Because when you keep people out with elitist gatekeeping, you’re also keeping their money out.” Avalon has approached this through our Fundraising Choice Points initiative, which challenges industry norms to ensure our work is inclusive, equitable, and emotionally intelligent. Long story short: Accessible copy is good for fundraising, and it’s the right thing to do.
Can I get a whoop whoop? I love that one of the pushes with Avalon’s Fundraising Choice Points is to make copy more accessible.
—Avalon Analytics VP SB Birnie
Tableau Reporting Outlook
Reporting from the Tableau Conference 2026, senior director of client analytics and data visualization Amy Escobar-Babb and senior director of client reporting and data management Kate Cecchini Beaver shared exciting new features on the horizon, including compostable data sources and agentic analytics. They also took away fresh ideas for dashboard design, visualization, data structure, and scalable reporting. It sounds like this was a great event! “Certified data freaks” can sign up for 2027 conference updates here.
Digital Detox Challenge
The New York Times will soon begin their “Touch Grass Challenge,” a four-week digital detox to help readers reset with their phones. It begins on June 4 and involves weekly, evidence-based prompts that support healthy digital habits. I am encouraging the Avalon staff to participate and hope we can all cheer each other on. Join us if you feel inspired!
Too Cute
On April 22, the National Zoo reopened its Elephant Community Center for public viewing after a brief closure following the birth of Asian elephant calf Linh Mai on February 2. Senior VP Jackie Libby took her family this month and confirmed that she is adorable. Since her birth, Linh Mai, which means “spirit blossom” in Vietnamese, has been bonding and socializing with her multigenerational herd and keepers. It’s a fascinating and sometimes challenging process that the Zoo has managed beautifully. Way to go!
