iris research & strategy

iris is a boutique qualitative research and strategy firm specializing in uncovering deep insights into peoples’ needs, desires, values, and behaviors. Our unique approaches have helped clients unlock 
brand growth and innovation breakthroughs for nearly 20 years.

Our partnerships continue growing because:
• Seeing Connections:  Experience with start-ups to Fortune 500 brands, multiple industries, B2C and B2B
• Research Agility: Easily pivot from large, foundational learning to quick-hit, pulse studies
• Focused Deliverables: Impactful deliverables with frameworks that make learning sticky, fueling strategies
• Foresight: Agency and client-side experience; Thinking 2-steps ahead for a seamless research experience

Industry expertise includes:
•  Food & Beverage
•  Natural & Organic 
•  Alcoholic Beverages 
•  Technology
•  Home Goods 
•  Hospitality
•  Financial
•  Manufacturing

Fractional Executive Vice President, Insights & Growth 

NEXT 5 TEAM, INC.

Focused on increasing in-person attendance for collegiate athletics to drive revenue though tickets, merchandise, and concessions, complement growing digital fandom, and increase overall fan engagement. Partnering with athletic departments to accelerate their efforts and leverage fan and market insights to drive strategic fan-building efforts partnering across marketing/promotions, game experience, ticketing, and media/sponsorships.

Founder

Sazerac Company

Established Sazerac's first Insights team, partnering with sales, marketing, distributors, and retailers to drive growth across all Spirits categories and Malt Beverages 

Established Category Development, Brand Insights, and Shopper Insights capabilities, best practices, and ways of working

Built portfolio of DIY and custom insights tools and resources for organization to guide brand development, sales materials, and identify innovation opportunities (product, messaging, go-to-market, etc.)

VP, Business Intelligence & Strategy

Conagra Brands

Providing Consumer Insight leadership for the shelf stable Grocery portfolio including brands such as Slim Jim, Orville Redenbacher's, PAM Cooking Spray, Hunt's, RoTel, and Swiss Miss.

Senior Director, Consumer Insights

Leading the charge to help the organization adopt digital and social media insights and measurement tools resulting in increased effectiveness and efficiency. Being a change agent in a hybrid role combining my Consumer Insights knowledge base with a passion for being ahead of the curve with research tools, innovation, trends (macro and micro), critical thinking, and predicting consumer behavior.

Director, Digital Insights & Analytics

Providing Consumer Insight leadership for Hunt's (canned tomatoes, pasta sauce, and ketchup), RoTel, Rosarita, Wolf Chili, Van Camps, and Gulden's Mustard.

Director, Consumer Insights for Shelf-Stable Ingredients

Director, Consumer Insights for Hunt's, PAM, and Wesson

Providing Consumer Insight leadership for Hunt's canned tomatoes and Hunt's ketchup

Senior Manager, Consumer Insights for Hunt's

Providing Consumer Insight leadership for Slim Jim, Snack Pack Pudding, Swiss Miss Cocoa, DAVID Seeds, and Andy Capp's.

Senior Manager Consumer Insights

Consumer Insight lead for Slim Jim, Snack Pack pudding, Swiss Miss Cocoa, and DAVID Seeds

Manager, Consumer Insights

General Mills

Building Affinity Communities to engage with consumers in meaningful dialogue. Evangelist for Web 2.0.  Qualitative researcher. Community Manager.Researcher. Faciltiation. Immersing cross functional brand teams in new product development

Sr. Consumer Insights Associate

*Conduct proprietary qualitative research to provide shoppers' perspectives to division brand teams.
* Review and integrate previous quantitative research projects to compliment qualitative themes

Consumer Insights Associate

Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport

* Conducted numerous quantitative, qualitative, and mixed method studies
* Received grant funding
* Published seven times in various academic journals
* Presented at 4 academic conferences multiple times and as an invited speaker twice

Research Assistant

University of Minnesota

University of Notre Dame

* Increased women's basketball attendance by 300%
* Achieved second and third sell-outs in the history of the women's basketball program
* Implemented initial season ticket holder plan and researved seating
* Instrumental in acquiring new sponsorships

Marketing and Promotions

Insights-driven brand builder and entrepreneurial leader with a track record of success in driving growth for Fortune 500 companies. With over 15 years experience leading insights teams for top-tier companies like Notre Dame, General Mills, Conagra Brands, and Sazerac Company, I've turned data into actionable strategies. As a fractional EVP of Insights & Growth at iris research & strategy, I specialize in uncovering deep consumer insights for brand growth and innovation breakthroughs. Simultaneously, I'm building NEXT 5 TEAM, inc., a venture focused on increasing collegiate athletics' in-person attendance and driving fan engagement. My leadership style challenges conventional thinking, bringing a fresh perspective to problem-solving. Let's connect and discuss how my insights and brand building expertise, coupled with my imaginative and open approach, can drive transformative change and contribute to your organization's success.

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