American Red Cross

Session: "Climate Crisis and the American Red Cross: Insights Behind the Camera"

The presentation outlines the American Red Cross’s efforts to address the climate crisis, and the role of market research. It emphasizes the American Red Cross’s commitment to addressing the climate crisis through strategic investments, data-driven insights, and public engagement.

About Julie:

Julie Levine is a consumer insights professional with experience spanning corporate, nonprofit and agency research. A consummate enthusiast for understanding all types of consumer products and services, Julie has spent her career researching, analyzing and writing about the consumer marketplace. At the American Red Cross, she leads research on all their constituents, including blood donors, financial donors, volunteers, course-takers, and military families. Her research also covers critical issues including wildfire preparedness, climate change and public health. Previous nonprofit experience was at Consumer Reports, the consumer advocacy and testing organization, where her team was responsible for selecting products for the ratings charts. Other research roles were at Cuisinart, Citibank, Integrative Nutrition, and Wirecutter. Julie serves on the board of RiverArts, a local nonprofit arts organization.

Jack in the Box

Session: "How Is AI Changing the Role of Consumer Insights? A Client Researcher Perspective."

With the extremely explosive growth of AI applications impacting the consumer insights industry, we are all struggling to keep up with all this innovation and lack of clarity or guardrails on how to use AI. To drink from this firehose, I leveraged the collective perspectives of dozens of CI professionals across both client and supplier side CI roles and challenged myself to synthesize them into a helpful summary of challenges, opportunities, best practices for applying AI to consumer insights. If you are feeling behind on this topic, you are not alone and you are in the right place.

About Tom:

With 25+ years of experience, Tom is an expert at creating cost-effective “consumer insights systems” that leverage consumer, behavioral, operational, and financial data to enable organizations to make more confident decisions, and to increase both top and bottom lines. After spending 10 years on the agency side in marketing research working with a wide variety of companies and industries, Tom moved to the client side to build the consumer insights function for Del Taco. After Jack in the Box acquired Del Taco in 2022, Tom has led the marketing research function supporting both brands.

Ebony Marketing Systems

Session: "Seeing the Respondent in The Best Light: Mastering Nuances in Qualitative Research"

"Seeing the Respondent in the Best Light: Mastering Nuances in Qualitative Research" is a presentation designed for seasoned market research professionals who are seeking to refine their soft skills in respondent engagement and dive deeper into the nuances that shape qualitative research. While participants are familiar with the core methodologies of qualitative research, this presentation emphasizes the softer, more nuanced skills required to connect with respondents in meaningful ways, especially when those respondents come from diverse backgrounds.

The presentation begins by establishing key objectives: understanding how respondent characteristics - such as race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, generational differences, and political affiliation - affect the way respondents share information. The goal is to help researchers better meet respondents where they are by creating trust, mitigating biases, and encouraging open, authentic engagement.

The session explores advanced qualitative research methods, such as in-depth interviews, focus groups, ethnography, and observation, and emphasizes the importance of soft skills in each method. For example, in interviews, researchers are encouraged to create emotional safety for respondents, allowing them to share more openly. In focus groups, the presentation highlights the importance of managing power dynamics, ensuring that quieter voices are heard, and dominant personalities don't overshadow minority perspectives.

A major focus of the presentation is understanding key respondent nuances. Researchers are asked to reflect on how race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, generational differences, and political affiliations impact respondents' willingness to share and how these factors influence the data collected. For example, cultural norms around communication may lead certain groups to share less openly, while political ideologies can deeply influence how respondents frame their perspectives on certain topics. The presentation provides strategies for creating inclusive research environments where all respondents feel respected and heard.

Another key section addresses the impact of unconscious bias. The presentation encourages researchers to reflect on their own biases, offering case studies where failure to consider respondent nuances led to flawed research outcomes. These case studies highlight the importance of empathy, active listening, and cultural sensitivity in qualitative research. Researchers are also encouraged to use gender-neutral language, avoid heteronormative assumptions, and tailor their communications styles to meet the needs of different generational groups.

Although AI is touched upon, the presentation stresses that human insight and empathy are essential for overcoming the limitations of automated tools in qualitative research. AI may misinterpret nuanced cultural expressions or emotional subtleties, making it important to blend AI-driven insights with human expertise.

The presentation concludes with actionable strategies for researchers to create more inclusive research practices, such as taking cultural competency training and implementing non-judgmental, open-ended questioning techniques. Participants leave with a clear understanding of how to recognize and address nuances in respondents, fostering richer, more accurate insights in their qualitative research.

About Reggie:

Mr. Alston is a talented and experienced African American moderator with expertise in media and communications, financial services, music, advertising research, education, healthcare, automobile studies, and consumer product research. He brings a fresh and insightful perspective to qualitative research, particularly in understanding consumer attitudinal behaviors and motivators that drive purchasing decisions.

Mr. Alston's moderating skills demonstrate his ability to grasp complex research issues and focus on key objectives. His broad experience in moderating a wide range of qualitative research studies has provided him with a comprehensive understanding of African American consumer issues, from predatory lending to automobile research. He offers valuable cultural insights that help identify ethnic-bound perceptions and attitudes within the African American consumer market.

Before becoming a moderator, Mr. Alston worked in education as a learning specialist and as a real estate agent in the Mid-Atlantic area. He holds a B.A. in Sociology and Anthropology from the University of the District of Columbia.

PSB Insights

Session: "Uncover the Unexpected: Getting More from Your Brand Tracker"

We’ve seen the standard brand tracker, but how do you know if you’re asking the right things? What about something new? In partnership with Twitch, PSB Insights will share with attendees how AI-powered narrative intelligence can take the conversations that users are having about the brand and transform them into quantifiable data. With this technique, we uncover what’s differentiating, salient and surprising. Your brand research can work harder, and you can learn something that the competition doesn't know.

About Mariella:

With nearly two decades of client- and supplier-side experience, Mariella is a seasoned researcher and strategist focused on the livestreaming space, concept and messaging for brands and IP, and understanding entertainment consumers as new audiences for next-gen technology.

Prior to joining PSB in 2020, Mariella spent a decade at The Walt Disney Studios, identifying trends around consumption of films, home entertainment, television shows, video games and optimizing platform, product and new business models. In addition, Mariella led primary title and brand research across the Disney, Pixar, Lucasfilm, and Marvel portfolios, as well as content and marketing testing for Disney+. Mariella earned her B.S. in Biology (Neurobiology) at Yale and enjoys utilizing scientific research methods to illuminate the decision-making processes of entertainment consumers of all ages.

Twitch

About Isra:

Isra Ahmad is an experienced quantitative researcher and data professional with over a decade of expertise in survey methodology, statistical analysis, and leveraging data to drive impactful, community-focused decisions. Currently a Senior Quantitative Researcher at Twitch, Isra spearheads initiatives that shape the user experience through data-driven insights at scale. Previously, Isra served as a Senior Researcher and Data Specialist at the County of Santa Clara, where she led a team to deliver crucial data insights in the realm of tobacco control policy. Isra holds a Master’s in Public Health from UC Berkeley and a bachelors in Health Science from San Jose State University. Isra enjoys painting and trying new coffee shops.

Hyundai Capital America

Session: "Think Small for Big Innovation Wins: A Lens for Action"

Innovation isn’t about doing everything differently; it’s about doing the small things better, faster, and smarter. In today’s fast-paced business world, innovation is not a luxury—it’s a necessity. But how do you take your team or organization from low levels of innovation to a high-performing powerhouse? In this dynamic presentation, "Think Small for Big Innovation Wins" we'll talk about how starting with small, focused changes can lead to massive breakthroughs.

Through engaging stories and actionable insights, you’ll learn how to break down silos, overcome the "not-created-here" mentality, and create a culture where innovation thrives. Discover how to get your team to buy into the power of innovation and start seeing results by experimenting, learning, and scaling small wins. This session offers a fresh perspective on driving innovation—one small step at a time—without overwhelming complexity. Ready to spark change? It all starts with thinking small.

About Heather:

With more than 20 years of experience in brand strategy, Heather has spent her career researching consumer behavior to build brand experiences, now leveraging her skills to optimize customer-centricity. She leads a new customer experience (CX) enterprise-wide initiative to address customer user experience issues, define CX success for HCA and set new market standards in the industry.

With relentless curiosity and boundless creativity, Heather has spent her career unraveling the mysteries of consumer behavior and shaping the future of brands. Previously, Heather lead enterprise-level teams to synthesize complex brand issues and communicate solutions and recommendations to drive consumer understanding, revenue, and shareholder value. She established trusted client partnerships and applied strategic analysis for 30+ key automotive, retail, hospitality and tech clients to garner emotional brand connections and improve CX and product marketing ROI.

As a brand and innovation strategist at Taco Bell, Heather forged thought-leadership to build company culture rooted in the voice of customer. She led cross functional teams through a rapid innovation cycle to discover new strategies and new product opportunities for growth. Heather also built expanded breakthrough product and marketing tactics, including new menu creations beyond primary market, dayparts and food forms.

Heather was a founding member of Hyundai Motor America’s i2 Innovation office, spearheading a transformation in long-term product development, while shaping Hyundai’s brand identity and go-to-market strategies. This established a design-thinking process that included futuring, ideation, market immersions and cross-industry collaboration. Heather integrated and inspired a team of marketers, advanced product managers, designers and engineers in the US and Korea, developing industry-leading automotive go-to-market concepts that drove holistic brand strategy, sales volume and a 15-year product portfolio.

Heather holds a Marketing degree from San Diego State University and an MBA from the University of Southern California. When she’s not busy shaping the future of brands, Heather loves hitting the Southern California trails with her huskies and whipping up culinary masterpieces with her family.

Jake McKee Consulting

Session: "Beyond the Numbers: Redefining Insights Through Human Connection"

In a world increasingly driven by data, quantitative insights have been the cornerstone of decision-making for decades. But is that enough to create products that truly resonate with customers? In this talk, we’ll explore how qualitative insights—gained through direct customer engagement—unlock a deeper understanding of what customers need and value.

You’ll discover how embedding this human connection directly into the product development process creates a competitive advantage for insights firms and product teams alike. We’ll challenge the limits of traditional survey-based tools, revealing why true customer engagement requires more than tweaking survey questions—it demands genuine, human-to-human interaction.

Walk away with actionable strategies to move beyond the data to create impactful products, drive loyalty, and revolutionize the way insights fuel innovation.

About Jake:

Jake McKee is one of the founders of the modern customer community movement. He led Apple’s famed Global Support Communities. He pioneered efforts at LEGO to engage its adult users in a community - which spawned breakthrough innovations such as the Mindstorms Community Driven Product Development (which landed on the cover of Wired Magazine).

For more than 10 years, Jake has been a leading industry community consultant working with clients like Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Calix, Southwest Airlines, and Outdoorsy. His consulting practice, Jake McKee Consulting focuses on helping organizations of all sizes design, execute, and grow Community Driven Product Development programs that bring the Community Voice into the product development lifecycle.

Jake also manages the CX Sessions project, an invitation-only monthly dinner series that brings senior online community, CX, and product management leaders together for conversation, connection, and camaraderie.

https://jakemckee.com/

https://jakemckee.com/cdpd

https://jakemckee.com/cxsessions

GoDaddy

Session: "Leveraging Internal Communications to Evangelize Research"

In the dynamic landscape of research and innovation, the power of internal communications cannot be underestimated.

Effective communication within organizations is a key driver in amplifying the impact of research insights. This presentation at the Insights Conference will delve into the principles and strategies of internal communications, and how they can be harnessed to maximize the reach and influence of research findings. Through real-world examples and practical tips, attendees will gain valuable insights on how to leverage internal communications to elevate the impact of their research.

About Ben:

Ben has been with GoDaddy for three years and has tackled this very challenge: apply internal communication strategies to increase use of GoDaddy’s internal research.

Ben is a trained communicator that splits his time conducting qualitative research studies and comms. Additionally, Ben obtained the Insights Professional Certification’s Specialist certificate.

Ripple Central

Session: "Rippling Your Way to Better Connections and Stronger Relationships"

In today's fast-paced, digitally dominated world, genuine human connection often takes a backseat to superficial interactions. The Ripple is a literal game-changer for those who want to break free from transactional networking and embrace meaningful, transformative relationships. This is more than just a talk—it’s an immersive experience that fundamentally shifts perspectives on how we connect with others throughout personal or professional lives.

At the core of Steve’s message is the idea that every interaction has the potential to create a Ripple Effect—impacting not just the people in the room but extending outward to influence lives, opportunities, and even entire communities. Attendees will explore how the power of The Ripple can be intentionally cultivated to create opportunities for growth, collaboration, and success. Steve will seamlessly guide attendees to move beyond the surface-level exchanges we’re so accustomed to and instead adopt a mindset of generosity, curiosity, and genuine engagement.

The 8 Minute Ripple is an interactive exercise that demonstrates the power of connection in real time. Unlike traditional networking activities, this exercise encourages participants to shed their preconceived notions, step outside their comfort zones, and engage in deep, meaningful conversations. All expertly facilitated by Mr. Ripple himself. Attendees will experience firsthand how a few minutes of focused, intentional questions and conversation can uncover surprising commonalities, foster trust, and spark the beginnings of relationships that can lead to new opportunities, both personal and professional.

Through compelling stories, actionable insights, and proven strategies, attendees will walk away with tools to build real connections and stronger relationships that matter. They’ll learn how to:

1. Initiate conversations that break the ice and build trust immediately.

2. Discover shared values and interests to strengthen bonds.

3. Nurture relationships over time in a way that feels natural and authentic.

4. Create a mindset of reciprocity and mutual benefit, leading to long-term success.

This isn’t just about building better relationships—it’s about creating relationships that are deeply fulfilling and financially rewarding. Whether it’s finding a mentor, closing a deal, or cultivating stronger personal connections, attendees will leave with a clear roadmap for making every interaction count.

By the end of the session, participants will not only have a fresh perspective on the way they approach engaging others but they’ll walk away with proven, practical strategies to apply immediately in every area of their life. They’ll understand how small, intentional actions can lead to a cascade of positive outcomes in their businesses, careers, and personal lives. With this newfound clarity, they’ll walk away empowered to create their own Ripple Effect—one that leads to deeper connections, greater success, and a lasting impact on those around them.

This presentation isn’t just an event—it’s a shift in the way people think, act, and connect, and it’s an experience they’ll carry forward long after they’ve left the conference.

About Steve:

Steve is a sought-after speaker, entrepreneur, and business strategist devoted to deepening and strengthening relationships through a powerful practice called “Rippling.” In his popular book, The Ripple Effect: Maximizing the Power of Relationships for Your Life and Business, Steve uncovers the secret to creating memorable, long-lasting connections and the important impact they make in one’s personal and professional life. As an expert trainer and coach, Steve’s unique and refreshing view of how individuals, organizations, and even our society must reach outside the box to connect is changing lives and impacting corporate bottom-line dollars. Honing a leveraged system for achieving business success as CEO of two software companies, Owner Insite and Facility Insite, Steve has incorporated the signature Ripple DNA into every aspect of operations, from the technology to the team’s approach for supporting their clients. Reaching beyond the corporate doors, Steve is leading a movement of CONNECTION through podcasts, Ripple events, and online communities for Ripplers worldwide.