Aidai Kokonova

Aidai Kokonova is a Business Analyst at the University at Albany’s Office of Strategic Initiatives, where she leads digital transformation and process improvement initiatives that support the University’s research operations. Her work bridges institutional goals with people-centered systems by combining expertise in business analysis, cybersecurity and project management.

She holds an MBA with a concentration in cybersecurity from UAlbany and both a master’s and bachelor’s degree in construction and information engineering from Moscow State University of Civil Engineering. Her academic foundation blends technical depth with strategic fluency — spanning cybersecurity risk, sustainable infrastructure, business automation and data-driven operations.

Before transitioning to higher education sector and analytics, Aidai spent over four years managing commercial real estate and sustainability-focused construction projects and fit-out projects, with emphasis on LEED and BREEAM certification, cross-functional coordination and regulatory compliance. While studying at UAlbany, she also contributed to the high-profile AI & Climate Landscape Assessment for the Bezos Earth Fund in collaboration with Columbia University.  

At UAlbany, she supports enterprise business workflow development and optimization and data automation using various software. Her approach focuses on streamlining operations, enhancing compliance and enabling informed decision-making across research teams and institutional partners.

She is also the author of several academic publications on sustainable construction and innovative building technologies, including works on ecological certification systems, multicomponent cement systems and shear testing methodologies in engineering

With a unique ability to integrate technical insight and strategic vision, Aidai is committed to building resilient, efficient systems that empower people, foster innovation and support institutional growth in research and education.