For this Feature Friday we chose our very own Director of Research, Stephanie Vance. Stephanie has a PhD in experimental psychology and has been with AYTM since 2014. She has been in the market research field for about 10 years, and has worked on both the client and vendor side.
Stephanie Vance, Director of Research
Where are you from?
Dallas, Texas. I lived in the midwest for 8 years and was surprised that I came back to Texas, but it’s home.
Where did you attend school?
I finished my undergrad in psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. I was at first reluctant to be a psychology major - I loved studying human behavior, but it didn’t feel academic enough. But then I joined a lab in my junior year, and realized that experimental psychology is a rigorous social science. I was hooked, and went to graduate school at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
What was your favorite subject in school?
English, Science, Math...honestly, I liked most subjects.
Who inspires you and why?
All the women who do it all, like a BOSS, every day.
What do you like about working for AYTM?
I like the fast pace of the work and the variety of project types and clients. It's really fun to be working on a creative test for consumer packaged goods one day and a conjoint or segmentation study for the travel industry the next. Never a dull moment!
What are you passionate about?
My family, my job, running, British crime dramas on Netflix.
Favorite pastime?
Running. I am a distance runner and sign up for marathons as often as possible (which isn’t as often as I’d like these days between kids and work!).
What is a special skill or interesting fact about you?
I think I'm a lefty who was raised as a righty. I write right-handed (like I was taught), but I do virtually everything else with my left hand - using scissors and knives, opening jars and doors, throwing a ball and dealing cards. Left hand all the way.