April 16, 2025
“Mapping Eternity: Cleveland’s New Cemetery Record System“
John Novak
Cemeteries Manager, Department of Public Works, City of Cleveland
John Novak is the manager of the City’s cemetery operations in the Division of Park Maintenance & Properties. A veteran City employee, John leads maintenance and burials services at all 12 City-owned cemeteries, which span over 400 acres of land and includes more than 500 thousand burials. He and his team often engage with visitors, researchers, and community members seeking information about their loved ones and the rich Cleveland history found throughout the grounds.
Dro Sohrabian
Manager of Analytics & Open Data, Office of Urban Analytics & Innovation, City of Cleveland
Dro Sohrabian is the lead of the Analytics & Open Data team in the Office of Urban Analytics & Innovation, a City department that serves as the data and business process center of excellence. His team manages the City’s Open Data Portal—the digital front-door for all public City data resources—and also build tools and data analytics that seek to improve decision-making and service delivery across departments.