Janice Dluzynski—known as AAMVA’s “Data Lady” and the force behind this magazine’s “Dashboard” data reports each issue—is retiring at the end of 2026. She also helped lead the development of AAMVA’s Leadership Academy.

How did your career get its start?

I worked my way through college—shelving books and working the reference desk at the local public library. I became addicted to having access to all the new books as they arrived and to doing research at the reference desk. It seemed to make sense to obtain my master’s degree in library science. Over time, association management became my focus, and I have worked for four different nonprofit organizations during
my career.

What career accomplishment are you most proud of?

I am very glad and lucky that my career path took me in the direction of nonprofit organizations. Developing an understanding of the needs of the members you serve and creating new information tools and services for them is very rewarding. I explored working at for-profit companies for a brief period of time and am very glad I did not go down that path. Focusing only on revenue was not for me.

What are you looking forward to in retirement?

Freedom. My schedule will be my own, and I won’t have to live by the 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. clock anymore. I love to travel and want to see more of the U.S. and Europe. I have been to about 30 different cities in the U.S., only two cities in Europe: Paris and Amsterdam, and four cities in Canada: Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver and Victoria. The first cities I want to visit in Europe are Rome and Florence.

What has stuck out to you in doing Dashboard over the years? Any particular trends or insights that stand out about this community and industry?

When I started working at AAMVA, the jurisdiction members shared data and information through one of the old public discussion groups that no longer exists. We created the survey tool with input from jurisdiction members so members would have a way to share information and data in a tool that was private and stored information in a searchable format.

At first, I was amazed at the variety and complexity of the issues our members face on a daily basis. Over time, I realized the issues and challenges they face change and increase on a continual basis. Their commitment to serving the public in this complex and challenging environment is inspiring.

Looking back, how would you characterize the leadership academy and its impact?

I hope the Leadership Academy has been a unique and meaningful experience for our members. The first academy was in 2014, and a total of 213 members have attended the academy. Every year, we collect feedback from participants to improve the program and make sure it remains relevant.

In addition to the sessions on a variety of leadership topics, the academy provides a great networking opportunity. Hopefully, the relationships that members develop during that week will continue to grow over time. AAMVA has always provided me with opportunities to develop new and interesting programs, and I am very thankful that I was asked to help develop the academy. It has been a wonderful experience.