Welcome to TMRE
Our own Elana Marmorstein is leading the conversation with Waves of Thinking at TMRE! Over the next few days, she’ll be talking with leaders from Microsoft, Google, Snap Inc., Visa, StarKist Co., and more about AI, innovation, and the evolving world of market research. Stay tuned for live highlights from Las Vegas!
Charitie Dantis-Gayo of New York Life Insurance Company
Averages tell an incomplete story. We spoke with Charitie Dantis-Gayo of New York Life Insurance Company at hashtag#TMRE25 about the strategic power of data disaggregation. We covered the competitive advantage of granular insights and the challenge of balancing complexity with a clear, actionable narrative.
Nisreen Salka McConkie of PayPal
True growth happens when we share, compare, and co-create with other teams to expand our capabilities and perspectives. We asked Nisreen Salka McConkie of PayPal about this at TMRE25, and her perspective was crucial. A multidisciplinary research team impacts organizations at all levels. Listen in with aytm to hear how.
Misty Flantroy, MSMR of Owens Corning and Meryl Debrosse
How can insights professionals secure their future relevance? Fantastic conversation with Misty Flantroy, MSMR of Owens Corning and Meryl Debrosse at TMRE25 on the essential skills and mindset shifts needed to evolvefrom data providers to indispensable strategic partners.
Maria (Mashu) Sainz of Newell Brands
Maria (Mashu) Sainz joined Waves of Thinking with aytm to share how insights leaders and their teams can embrace AI and reposition their roles within organizations as solutions providers. With years of experience under her belt, she’s now making an impact at Newell Brands.
Kajoli Tankha of Microsoft
What is AI's next frontier in research? We explored this with Kajoli Tankha of Microsoft during our talk at TMRE25. We covered how AI can enhance a researcher's ability to find creative insights and the essential role of human judgment in this new era.
Jeff Dahms, PhD of Physicians Mutual
Great discussion with Jeff Dahms, PhD of Physicians Mutual at TMRE25 on what it takes to drive a true CX revolution. We explored the evolution of the insights role, the key to making data truly actionable, and the old habits our industry must abandon to win.
Takeshi Tawarada of Snap Inc.
From fun to full-funnel. I chatted with Takeshi Tawarada of Snap Inc. at TMRE25 about the marketing power of AR and generative AI. A fascinating look at how immersive tech moves beyond novelty to reshape brand storytelling and build deeper consumer relationships.
Dawn Holliday of Taco Bell
Taco Bell is known for it’s innovation. And there’s someone special behind the scenes—Dawn Holliday— who drives this innovation every day. She shared how using mental availability makes growth a reality, helps tackle challenges, and make strategic decisions. Another wave of thinking coming your way with aytm!
Kendra Speed at LinkedIn
We had the opportunity to speak with Kendra Speed at LinkedIn to talk about how insights leaders can turn AI fear into fluency, bridge the brand trust gap, and lead with confidence amid uncertainty. Kendra shared powerful perspectives on empowering teams, the vital role of consumer research in building trust, and how insights can anchor organizations through change.
Sarah Haftings of Shurtape Technologies, LLC
The real story is often in the 'why.' Loved our discussion with Sarah Haftings of Shurtape Technologies, LLC at TMRE25 on unlocking the power of open-ended feedback. We talked about turning raw verbatim into decisive action and how speed in analysis changes the strategic value of qualitative data. Another great Waves of Thinking!
Raina Rusnak at StarKist Co.
Just wrapped up a fascinating conversation with Raina Rusnak at StarKist Co. about what it really takes to build an insights function from the ground up and make it stick. So many powerful takeaways on leadership, strategy, and the evolving role of insights in shaping smarter decisions.
Garret Westlake, Ph.D. of Virginia Commonwealth University
Can we build our way to a breakthrough insight? Garret Westlake, Ph.D. of Virginia Commonwealth University showed us how at TMRE25. An incredible discussion on using Lego Serious Play to unlock the unspoken truths traditional methods miss and how to translate those models into concrete, actionable strategy.
Monika Mandrakas of Mutual of Omaha
In B2B research, trust is non-negotiable. I met with with Monika Mandrakas of Mutual of Omaha at TMRE25 to discuss how verified advisory boards are rebuilding data integrity. A key conversation on mitigating strategic risk and driving faster, more confident decisions.
That's a wrap!
TMRE was a whirlwind! Doing 13 Waves of Thinking interviews over 3 days and attending sessions from 8:30am-6pm brought some incredible voices to the table. Getting the chance to speak with so many thought leaders makes these conferences so rewarding.
Some themes I heard across the board:
• Humans are still the core of the most essential work researchers are doing
• Staying curious, being *interested* not just interesting, and seeing every challenge as an opportunity for growth will take you far
• AI adoption isn’t optional anymore. Organizations overwhelmingly see the capacity for innovation and change through AI
• Insights professionals across industries are optimistic about the future
A big thank you to everyone who rode the wave, and to aytm for allowing me the opportunity to explore the most exciting and important aspects of the market research industry. See you next time! 👋
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