Heather brings over 13 years of consumer insight experience to Talk Shoppe, most recently leading strategic research for WarnerMedia (TBS, TNT, and HBO Max). She earned her Bachelor's in Telecommunications and her MBA from the University of Georgia (Go Dawgs!). Obsessed with puzzles and crime-solving since childhood, Heather is a bulldog (yep, we just did that) when it comes to demystifying human behavior, capturing actionable consumer insights, and helping her clients best use those insights to drive business growth.

At home in Atlanta, Heather is most likely chasing a new badge on Peloton or chasing after her two young boys who are probably chasing Peggy, their rescued Beagle-Dachshund mix.

Rachel has over 8 years of experience in the world of consumer insights. Before joining Talk Shoppe, she was a researcher at Kelton Global and Hypothesis Group and has worked with premier brands such as, Facebook, Google, YouTube, and Pandora. Rachel discovered her passion for polling and statistics while earning her Bachelor’s in Government and her love of analyzing human behavior while earning her minor in Anthropology at Smith College. An avid reader, Rachel enjoys staying informed on current events and trends to ensure they inform research approaches, particularly the reflection of demographic shifts in sample/study design.

Rachel is a proud dog mom to a sweet Pitbull named Eliza. She’s also a Philadelphia sports fan, despite the regular heartbreak.

Maria has been managing qualitative research projects for twenty-five years. Her innate curiosity about the world, the people in it, and the psychology behind the choices they make first drew Maria to research, and it is her easy rapport with consumers that has helped brands such as Disney, Facebook, YouTube, and Reddit make meaningful connections with new audiences.

Maria lives in Las Vegas, and in her spare time, she enjoys volunteering at an equine-assisted therapy center and helping her autistic son navigate the “exciting” world of high school.

Alex brings organic and robust international experience to the director role. Serving as Vice President of Research Operations for FACTA, she directed Latin American qualitative and quantitative operations for clients such as Pfizer, Novartis, and Astra Zeneca. As Head of the Automotive Division for Synovate, Alex led the Latin American Regional Automotive Group, conducting research studies on a global scale for clients such as GM and Toyota.

Her passion for listening to people’s stories, coupled with her desire to understand how lived experiences inform how we interact with the world, makes Alex a natural researcher. The words of Iris Apfel, “In order to be interesting, you have to be interested,” drive Alex in both her professional and personal life.

With an eclectic love of music—everything from the Bossa Novas and Sambas she listened to growing up in Rio, to Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, and electronic dance—Alex is happiest when singing and dancing. Most Thursday nights you can find her engaged in “karaoke therapy,” in her new hometown of Miami.

Lindsay brings a decade of research experience to Talk Shoppe. Beginning her career in operations at Lightspeed Research (now part of Kantar) and Toluna, she switched to quantitative research in 2017 and knew she’d found her home.

Lindsay’s innate curiosity in human behavior, and her passion for finding meaning and patterns within complex data, have made her a powerful partner to clients such as Comcast, Allstate, Pfizer, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Bank of America. Lindsay holds a B.A. in Communication Processes and Spanish from UConn, and an M.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders from William Paterson University.

Also a licensed speech-language pathologist, Lindsay has worked with language-delayed toddlers, where she discovered she enjoyed solving “pint-sized people puzzles,” by analyzing collected data to identify patterns that would determine a diagnosis and treatment.

Outside of work, you’ll find Lindsay hiking, cycling, or traveling—folding two of her favorite pastimes into one grand adventure, she recently hiked Kauai’s NaPali coastline. Her at-home fitness routine includes jockeying for position on her office chair with her partner’s rescue cat, Felix, and her rescue dog, Cashew.

Having worked for design houses across the country, including, Seven Design in San Francisco,  Selbert Perkins in Chicago, and MSA Design in Cincinnati, Meg’s experience is both expansive and fresh. While she loves all things design, her true passion is converting data into visualized and engaging stories. Brands Meg has designed for include Coca-Cola, Kellogg, P&G, Mars, Visa, and Stellantis (formerly Fiat Chrysler Automobiles).

For Meg, “Research has always been a huge part of my design process. I love working on a new subject and immersing myself in the platform, the user experience, and understanding the customer’s journey. Putting the whole story together is a fun and complex process; having thoughtfully interpreted research to inform the design makes the outcome so much stronger.”

Before joining Talk Shoppe, Dwight led research in the healthcare, automotive, CPG, QSR, and social media spaces. His expertise has made an impact with brands such as Coca-Cola, Disney, YouTube, FedEx, and US Bank. Inquisitive and empathetic, Dwight is passionate about understanding what drives consumer behavior and turning those insights into a narrative that earns the attention of the consumer and inspires brand loyalty. Dwight holds a Bachelor’s in Communication from Oakland University.

Moderating has filtered into Dwight’s life outside of work, “As a researcher, I’m less likely to assume things or put people in a box, rather I allow them to surprise me as the complex individuals that they are. I’m also much more empathetic and am compelled to see things from others’ perspectives.”

A proud Detroit resident, a gamer, craft beer lover, and an avid reader, Dwight is also a (barely) recovering sneaker addict.

Mariana brings a wealth of research experience to Talk Shoppe. Her passion for research is grounded in her fascination with psychology—holding a Bachelor’s in Psychology from Michigan State University, Mariana has worked as a nurse’s assistant in a psychology unit and as a research assistant studying the impact of chronic pain on relationships. Her obsession with the ‘why and how’ of the choices people make led her to consumer research. Fluent in Spanish, and possessing an innate openness and empathy, Mariana brings warmth and sure-handed expertise to every project. Clients have included GM, Polaris, Hilton Hotels, Int’l., Lyft, and Amazon, to name a few.

At home, Mariana enjoys gardening, coaxing vegetables from the soil or peaches from her tree. She loves to Zen-out by doing yoga, but when Mexico is playing futbol, Zen goes out the door.

Joanna has over a decade of research experience. Before joining Talk Shoppe, Joanna worked at Nielsen, Maru/Matchbox, and Screen Engine where she oversaw research projects testing television pilots, series concepts, and accompanying promotional content. Clients Joanna has worked with include, ABC, CBS, Comcast, Comedy Central, FOX, Showtime, Telemundo, and Univision. Joanna earned her Bachelor’s in Film and Electronic Arts from California State Long Beach.

Joanna finds that the skills she’s acquired via her love of cycling and yoga translate perfectly to the research world—some projects require speed, others require patience but all require close attention and the ability to interpret and act on cues.

Living in Los Angeles, Joanna paddleboards, kayaks, and rock climbs on the weekends. She also relishes couch potato status on fall Sundays when her family stays in to root for the New England Patriots.

Having worked for design houses across the country, including, Seven Design in San Francisco, Selbert Perkins in Chicago, and MSA Design in Cincinnati, Meg’s experience is both expansive and fresh. While she loves all things design, her true passion is converting data into visualized and engaging stories. Brands Meg has designed for include Coca-Cola, Kellogg, P&G, Mars, Visa, and Stellantis (formerly Fiat Chrysler Automobiles).

For Meg, “Research has always been a huge part of my design process. I love working on a new subject and immersing myself in the platform, the user experience, and understanding the customer’s journey. Putting the whole story together is a fun and complex process; having thoughtfully interpreted research to inform the design makes the outcome so much stronger.”

Joanna has over a decade of research experience. Before joining Talk Shoppe, Joanna worked at Nielsen, Maru/Matchbox, and Screen Engine where she oversaw research projects testing television pilots, series concepts, and accompanying promotional content. Clients Joanna has worked with include, ABC, CBS, Comcast, Comedy Central, FOX, Showtime, Telemundo, and Univision. Joanna earned her Bachelor’s in Film and Electronic Arts from California State Long Beach.

Joanna finds that the skills she’s acquired via her love of cycling and yoga translate perfectly to the research world—some projects require speed, others require patience but all require close attention and the ability to interpret and act on cues.

Living in Los Angeles, Joanna paddleboards, kayaks, and rock climbs on the weekends. She also relishes couch potato status on fall Sundays when her family stays in to root for the New England Patriots.

Brittany brings nearly a decade of consumer insight research experience to Talk Shoppe; her past employers include The Walt Disney Company, NBC/Universal, and Turner Broadcasting. A self-proclaimed spreadsheet-nerd, Brittany’s obsession with mining data, paired with her passion for problem-solving, has made her a valuable team member to brands such as Warner Bros. Studio, Pinterest, YouTube, and Snapchat.

Brittany is a people-watcher, “I people-watch at the airport, restaurants, shopping—anywhere I’m able to come up with stories and motivations for them as consumers, as parents, as couples, etc.” Enthusiastically embracing her “crazy dog lady” persona, Brittany’s been a foster mom to many dogs, cats, and rabbits, and is a permanent mom to one dog, one cat, and a bearded dragon, Lt. Archibald.

Vanessa knows how to get information from people. A US Army veteran, she is trained in interrogation techniques and spent four years as a Human Intelligence Collector. After completing her military service, Vanessa went on to San Francisco State University where she earned a Bachelor’s in Business Marketing. Vanessa started her consumer insights career working for clients in the telecommunications, STEAM education and parenting categories. Since joining Talk Shoppe, Vanessa’s natural curiosity and empathy have helped brands such as Facebook, SiriusXM, and IHOP capture the needs and desires of consumers and connect with the audience they seek to engage.

When not at work, Vanessa loves live music and never misses an Incubus concert. While she is partial to reading thrillers and murder mysteries, she’s not all hardcore; Vanessa’s equally content volunteering at her local animal shelter.

Liza brings over a decade’s worth of quantitative research experience to Talk Shoppe. Beginning her career at Nielsen as a data entry clerk, she quickly shot up the ranks to Research Analyst, creating insightful and of-the-moment brand stories for world-class companies such as FOX, CBS, Sony, Univision, and Telemundo.

Liza’s inner drive to explore beyond the beaten path plays a paramount role in both her personal and work life. During early morning stand-up paddle trips on the San Diego Bay, she’s often rewarded with visits from dolphins and sea lions. When analyzing consumer data, she enjoys the contemplative deep-dive and delights in offering her clients both practical solutions to complex business challenges and outside-the-box strategies.

To relax, Liza enjoys biking around San Diego with her spouse and two sons. Their favorite route is Bayshore Parkway, an eighteen-mile loop in which a pit-stop for pancakes or chilaquiles is always encouraged.