ADVANIS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Lead Consultant
- Executive Vice President, Research
Adriana is passionate about finding creative solutions for complex problems.
She has extensive experienced designing and delivering innovative and actionable research to help companies address challenges-from launching industry-changing products, to optimizing entire portfolios, or designing best-in-class services from the customer's perspective.
Throughout her career, Adriana has been a lead consultant to a diverse client portfolio - from Fortune 100 to medium size businesses, start-ups and think tanks, gaining international exposure within the public and private sectors.
She has experience in numerous industries, including Financial Services, Telecommunications, Technology, Transportation, Retail, Manufacturing Food and Consulting.
Adriana has a PhD from MIT and a Masters in Strategic Foresight and Innovation at OCADU (Ontario College of Art and Design University). Adriana earned her CAIP designation from the Canadian Research Insights Council in 2021.
Andy first joined the Advanis team as an analyst in 2006. He's spent nearly two decades developing a comprehensive understanding of social and market research methodologies and, as a Senior Consultant, works closely with clients to guide research projects from design to delivery. He brings an invaluable blend of ‘hands-on' technical proficiency and consulting acumen to all aspects of his work, as well as several years of client-side experience within the public sector.
Andy holds a Bachelors of Science in Mathematics and earned his CAIP designation from the Canadian Research Insights Council in 2022.
Beyond his professional pursuits, Andy is an avid runner, and can regularly be found running, hiking, and camping around Canada's West Coast trails.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, Business Development
Anu has spent the past 20 years developing and managing key accounts and client partnerships. Anu has worked across all sectors including Financial Services, Telecommunications, QSR, Retail, Energy and Mining, Technology, Government departments and agencies, as well as non-profit.
Anu enjoys learning how she can deliver impactful solutions to her client's business problems by ensuring that they receive thoughtful and tailored solutions to help them make better business decisions.
Along with Advanis, Anu has worked at GfK Public Affairs and Corporate Communications, Market Probe, Angus Reid Strategies/Vision Critical, and Angus Reid Group. Anu has helped clients make relevant business decisions with respect to their product design and innovation, pricing, segmentation, program evaluation, public and social affairs, brand development and positioning, market assessment and optimization, customer experience management and corporate reputation.
When she is not working, Anu, her husband and three children can be found either at a swimming pool, hockey rink or soccer pitch or painting. Anu is a Board Member of Oolagen for Youth Mental Health, the Sponsorship Committee at ABC Life Literacy, and the Montcrest Parent's Association.
Anu has a B.A. from the University of Western Ontario.
Job Titles:
- Compliance Officer
- IT Director
Brian enjoys building tools to extract the most insights from our data while keeping it secure. Brian holds a Computer Engineering Degree from the University of Alberta, where he first learned about programming and information technology. He followed that up with an MBA from Colorado State University. In his free time, Brian enjoys playing slo-pitch in the spring and summer. He also has fun building Lego, with or without his daughters.
Dominic is passionate about understanding the factors that explain our behaviors and preferences. He holds an MA and BA (Honors) degree in Political Science from McGill University. When not working, Dominic can be found biking to get around as much as possible, and he is also an avid reader.
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President, Market Research Services
Market research is all about people-not only the consumers but also the professionals doing the research. Gary was initially drawn to the industry because of his passion for what makes consumers tick; he has stayed because this interest has not waned, and because he's added a passion for coaching and developing other researchers. This combination makes his role as EVP of Market Research Services the ideal fit: he gets to think daily about research challenges, but also about how to build a fantastic team.
Gary believes in customization: he isn't a fan of cookie-cutter approaches, nor does he think that researchers should be put in "silos," only asked to program a survey or manage a project or generate insights. Instead, his strongly-held view is that the best research is customized to address specific business objectives and is led by those who understand and are involved in all aspects of a study, from design to data collection to analysis.
After completing his master's degree, Gary started his professional life as an economist. He began his career as a market researcher in 1996, and since then, has designed and directed quantitative research in many industries as well as for public sector clients. He has led studies on complex product design and pricing, large-scale multi-modal customer loyalty, and wide reaching public opinion measurement. Gary has also had two stints leading the data collection group at Advanis, so he has a fundamental understanding of the maxim "garbage in, garbage out."
In 2021, Gary acquired an ESOMAR membership alongside earning his CAIP designation from the Canadian Research Insights Council .
Gary's fascination with people extends to his roles of husband (for just a bit longer than he's been at Advanis) and father (to three amazing kids). He continues to learn as much about human and consumer behaviour from his family as from his work.
Job Titles:
- Executive Vice President, Information Technology & Field Services
Some people in IT field are passionate about technology just for the ‘cool' factor. Geoff is passionate about applying technology to solve business challenges and improve efficiency. Perhaps this is not surprising as his post-graduate degree is in Economics.
Geoff began his career as an Economist, but has been applying technology to make Advanis' tools better for our teams and our clients for over 15 years. Technology has been intrinsic to success as the market research industry has evolved from relying on mail surveys and paper reports in the pre-Internet years to collecting, processing, and reporting data via a variety of high tech means.
James likes diving into and making sense of what people think today, whether it's about the city they live in, local and global issues that affect their community, or even their holiday shopping habits.
James holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology, driven by his curiosity about the human mind. This led him to also acquire a diploma in Business Administration and Marketing to better apply his skills and knowledge in the real world.
Jeff enjoys working with his team in the field services department. Jeff has a BA in History and Psychology at the University of Alberta. When not working, you can find Jeff reading, watching films/TV series, playing video games, and spending time with friends and family
Job Titles:
- Project Manager
- Member of Advanis' Montréal
Julie has been an instrumental member of Advanis' Montréal team since 2018. Julie's extensive experience with both qualitative and quantitative research approaches with our federal government clients is valued by our clients and teammates alike.
Julie's ability to develop and execute simple and complex engagements from concept to reporting produces high-quality deliverables to guide policy and program outcomes. Whether it is moderating focus groups in French, capturing stakeholder satisfaction, executing program evaluations, or conducting analysis to understand the public's needs, Julie challenges herself and her teammates to deliver actionable guidance for our clients.
Lori has engaged in research projects in UX, product design, pricing behavior, customer journeys, segmentation, thought leadership, and brand equity. Lori has worked with start-ups, emerging companies, and Fortune 100 clients across Canada and the United States, and has conducted research globally. Her experience is in retail, finance, insurance and technology industries, as well as social research in health, agriculture, and transportation.
Lori is also an experienced public speaker, having taken the stage at several national #MRX conferences (including FestNewMR, MRIA, MRMW, and Quirks). She has also served as adjunct faculty teaching market research methods at a college level.
Lori is very active in her local community, currently serving on the board of the Fighting Fräuleins roller derby team (where she is an active player and referee). In the past, she has served on several NFP boards, including actOUT! KW Children's Drama Workshop, Ontario Natural Food Co-op and Ebytown Food Co-op.
Lori has a B.B.A., (concentration in Marketing) with a minor in Psychology, from Wilfrid Laurier University and has conducted Masters-level coursework in consumer behavior and marketing research at the University of Guelph. She continues professional education, with professional training in data analysis, qualitative analysis and qualitative moderation. In 2021, Lori earned her CAIP designation from the Canadian Research Insights Council.
Louis holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Honours Criminology where he was first introduced to quantitative and qualitative methodology which led to a post-grad certificate with Humber in the Research Analyst Program (RAP).
When he's not working you can find Louis golfing, watching the Detroit Lions, or jumping into DIY projects in the garage.
Mary Ann has led complex product pricing, bundling, and product development engagements within the telecommunications, technology, and financial services industries. Mary Ann also has significant experience in the public sector arena.
Originally planning to pursue a conventional finance career, Mary Ann became intrigued by the market research industry during a final year elective course at the University of Alberta. What really fascinated her was exploring the intersection of management science and psychology with business issues. That same course led her, even prior to finishing her degree, to Advanis, where she started working as one of its early employees in the mid-90's. Over 20 years later, she still loves helping clients make better decisions as they navigate the ever-changing consumer and business landscape. In 2021, Mary Ann earned her CAIP designation from the Canadian Research Insights Council.
When she's not engaged in her work, Mary Ann can be found, along with her husband, filling driver, teacher, or chief cheerleader roles at one of their three kids' sports, music, or dance pursuits. She also continues to diligently combat looming middle-age through, among other things, pre-sunrise ‘boot camp' style workouts, multiple volunteer roles at her local church, and regularly trying out new healthy food recipes on her sometimes unsuspecting family.
Matthijs designs and leads projects in both the private and public sectors, often involving high-volume data collection methodologies, sophisticated quota schemes, and creative reporting solutions, including online approaches.
He is passionate about finding solutions to each client's unique challenges, whether they be technical, operational, or analytical. Prior to joining Advanis, Matthijs worked at several research institutes, including the Institute for Research on Intercultural Cooperation (IRIC) and Globus, an institute for globalization and sustainable development.
Matthijs has an M.A. in Organization Studies, specializing in enterprise management and organization. In 2021, Matthijs earned his CAIP designation from the Canadian Research Insights Council.
Matthijs is also a WSET certified wine fanatic. He regularly hosts wine tastings and particularly enjoys older Bordeaux.
Job Titles:
- Consultant - Team Project Manager and Data Collection Manager
Melanie enjoys a challenge and often runs larger, more complex multimodal projects, as well as studies that run in multiple languages in multiple countries. Over the past few years, Melanie has been known for managing several large scale studies for the Federal Government which each collected 10,000+ completed surveys.
Melanie has an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies with the Business Administration Option from Wilfrid Laurier University.
When not working, you can often find Melanie enjoying time with her husband and children at their family cottage. Melanie also loves music and grew up playing piano and singing in choirs, at one point she was in 5 separate choirs between school and extracurriculars. Melanie is an avid reader, often reading a book a week.
As a computer scientist doing his MBA, Michael founded Advanis in 1990 thinking that he was going to build a software-for-research company. Instead, his entrepreneurial, never-say-can't leadership created a full-service market research firm - one that is grounded in integrity, innovation, and industry, and in so doing, has become a consultancy that sets standards to which our competitors aspire.
Michael is inspiring (going on at length if given the opportunity!) about the exciting challenges available in market research. He's constantly striving to improve how Advanis delivers research, ensuring that the entire company continuously pursues better ways of doing things (efficiency) and ways of doing better things (effectiveness). In 2021, he acquired an ESOMAR membership which demonstrates his commitment to continuously broadening his knowledge.
Michael is never far from clients. He remains involved in designing and improving projects. He has extensive market and social research experience in North America, Australia, and Europe.
Michael also loves spending time in the Rocky Mountains, in the past climbing them, and in the present, hiking and biking them.
Job Titles:
- Vice - President, Research and Evaluation
Nicolas specializes in evaluating public sector programs, working as a methodological and research adviser for numerous levels of government and with academia, associations, and and think tanks. He has extensive experience with small and very large scale quantitative and qualitative research studies. He is responsible for overall project design, leadership, and technical coordination. One of Nicolas' strengths is getting into the crucial data collection details to ensure high-quality research, by reaching the correct populations and taking into account statistical details.
He served as president of the Board of Directors of the Société québécoise d'évaluation de programme from 2010 to 2012 and in 2016.
In 2021, Nicolas earned his CAIP designation from the Canadian Research Insights Council. Nicolas has a Masters degree in Public Administration.
Job Titles:
- Research Consultant
- Team Member of the Advanis Methodology
Sandra is an integral team member of the Advanis Methodology and Advanced Analytics team. With over 20 years of experience in research and evaluation, Sandra possesses a unique combination of an MSc in Statistics and a BBA in Marketing. This blend equips her with business analytics and strategic knowledge, allowing clients to derive maximum value from their research.
Before joining Advanis in 2006, Sandra worked as a six-sigma analyst in a major technology company, and as a research analyst, teaching assistant, and statistical consultant for four different universities. Sandra earned her CAIP designation from the Canadian Research Insights Council in 2021. Sandra is fully proficient in English and Spanish.
Yohan works out of Advanis' Montreal office. In his role as our Call Center Director he is the backbone of Advanis' CATI call centre. Bilingual in French and English, Yohan coordinates the teams assigned to our current projects and looks forward to ensure that we have the resources in place to satisfy all of our clients' needs.
Yohan also builds partnerships with other market research firms to provide outsourcing services. Over the years Advanis has provided interviewing services for many other companies and he handled contracts, cost estimation, quotes, follow up, etc.