Bringing together
the world’s best in data.

MONTEVIDEO

● MINNESOTA

● FLORIDA

● CALIFORNIA

● NEW YORK

● NORTH CAROLINA

● PHILADELPHIA

● OHIO

● MASSACHUSETTS

● IOWA

● WASHINGTON D.C

● KATHMANDU

● MEXICO CITY

● BUENOS AIRES

● MADRID

● MONTEVIDEO ● MINNESOTA ● FLORIDA ● CALIFORNIA ● NEW YORK ● NORTH CAROLINA ● PHILADELPHIA ● OHIO ● MASSACHUSETTS ● IOWA ● WASHINGTON D.C ● KATHMANDU ● MEXICO CITY ● BUENOS AIRES ● MADRID ●

Our Story

Our Origins and Mission:

SunnyData began as the brainchild of Allen Becker, an architect in Databricks projects and a seasoned engineer with over a decade of experience. He was later joined by Kai Thapa, Santiago Carrera, and Jeronimo Acosta, each bringing a wealth of technical and business expertise and a unique perspective to SunnyData.

They recognized a fundamental gap in the market: while other consulting firms were spreading themselves thin across multiple platforms, there was a need for deep, focused expertise in Databricks, built on rock-solid engineering principles. They understood that successful data transformation isn't just about tools or platforms—it's about building the right foundations that make solutions truly impactful and sustainable.

And so, SunnyData emerged as not just another consulting firm, but a specialized team dedicated to mastering the Databricks platform and delivering excellence in Data Engineering & AI. We chose to focus deeply where others spread widely, to build thoroughly where others build quickly, and to establish foundations that stand the test of time.

Our experienced and certified engineers ensure foundational strength for data projects, paving the way for advanced AI and analytics applications on the Databricks platform.

Our Leadership Team

Brock Noland

CHAIRMAN
Early employee at Cloudera and Founder of phData - Snowflake’s POY (Partner of the Year) 2022 & 2023 + Fivetran’s POY 2023 + dbt ‘s POY 2023.
He led various Apache big data projects and currently serves as the CEO of Vertical Insure (insurance tech platform).

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Kai Thapa

CEO & FOUNDER
With 20+ years in software and data solutions, Kai drives SunnyData's strategic direction. His background includes successful product development and sales at Informatica, SnapLogic, and Alation, where he implemented data analytics and governance solutions for Fortune 500 companies.
Kai brings extensive healthcare domain expertise, leading our go-to-market strategy while ensuring exceptional project delivery.

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Jeronimo Acosta

CPO & FOUNDER
Serial entrepreneur with multiple successful exits, including data engineering company Nooka Labs (acquired by phData). Jeronimo excels at building and scaling high-performing teams across Latin America, delivering US-centric solutions with nearshore talent. His approach combines technical excellence with practical business outcomes, creating a delivery model that consistently exceeds client expectations.

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Santiago Carrera

CTO & FOUNDER
Passionate Apache Spark expert and Databricks SA Champion who built and led a team of 120+ data engineers at Montevideo Data Labs. Santiago's technical vision ensures SunnyData implementations are built on rock-solid engineering principles. His deep platform knowledge helps clients maximize their Databricks investment while creating sustainable data architectures that deliver long-term business value.

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Patrick Finan

CRO

A data-driven growth leader with deep experience scaling SaaS and B2B technology companies, Patrick has led GTM transformation initiatives across growth-stage and enterprise organizations. At SunnyData, he leads global revenue strategy and GTM execution, working closely with clients and partners to deliver meaningful outcomes and lasting business value.

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Allen Becker

SR. DIRECTOR OF SOLUTIONS
A seasoned engineer with over a decade of experience as a Databricks architect. Allen's work with financial institutions like Bank United and American Express has given him deep knowledge of the sector's use cases and regulatory requirements. His combined technical expertise and financial services insight enable SunnyData to deliver compliant, innovative solutions for regulated industries.

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Emma Handler

VP OF MARKETING
An experienced Marketing and Communications leader, Emma has spent her career building the brand, demand, and storytelling engines that fuel high growth technology companies. Passionate about storytelling and customer case studies, she leads global marketing strategy and brand, where her skill at crafting compelling and consistent messaging helps translate deep technical expertise into clear value for clients across data engineering, AI, and analytics.

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Joseph Lammers

VP OF GLOBAL OPS

An operations leader with a track record of driving significant impact for rapid growth organizations, Joe specializes in developing efficient teams, instilling operational excellence, and leading complex cross functional initiatives from strategy through execution.
At SunnyData, he leads global operations, building the systems, processes, and rhythms that allow the business to scale efficiently as the team grows across the US, Latin America, and beyond.

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Kristen Johnson

VP OF TALENT ACQUISITION
A talent acquisition leader with experience scaling technical recruiting across Data and AI, Engineering, and Cloud in high growth environments. KJ operates at the intersection of business strategy, workforce planning, and recruiting execution, known for building recruiting organizations that scale without losing the human touch.
She leads global talent acquisition to scale world class Data, AI, and Databricks teams across the US, Latin America, and beyond.

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