Open To Work
Marisa Fohlin
Boston,MA
Work Preference
Summary
Research leader with 13+ years partnering with enterprise tech, cloud, cybersecurity, and financial services to translate qualitative and quantitative research into revenue‑driving strategy. I lead end‑to‑end programs—scoping, global fieldwork, advanced instruments, analysis, and executive storytelling—delivering 20+ strategic projects/year (~$3.7M impact) while mentoring analysts and building trusted client partnerships. I ensure data quality, profitable scopes, and proposal‑to‑report execution that solves clients’ highest‑priority challenges.
Overview
1
1
Certification
14
14
years of professional experience
Work History
Data & Research Consultant
S&P Global
Boston, Massachusetts
01.2021 - Current
- Serve as primary subject-matter expert for custom survey research; advise advisors and clients on methodology selection, vendor capabilities, and study design to scope and win engagements.
- Lead end-to-end research execution across concurrent projects—methodology, sampling, vendor management, data collection QA, analysis, synthesis, and executive-ready reporting.
- Support 20+ strategic advisory projects annually; contributions have supported $3.7M+ in revenue through high-quality research delivery and repeat business.
- Analyzed survey data independently: designed crosstabs, visualizations, summaries, and statistical checks; collaborated with analysts on final reports and executive presentations, enhancing clarity and insights.
- Adopted and operationalized new tools (Qualtrics, Forsta, MarketSight, SPSS-equivalent, Tableau, Power BI) and AI-enabled workflows (SPARK Assist, Copilot), improving research efficiency and insight quality.
- Designed and manage recurring Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) measurement program; synthesize feedback to drive service improvements and leadership discussions.
- Led vendor identification, vetting, and onboarding for audience-generation and webinar partners, expanding capabilities and enabling new revenue streams.
- Mentored colleagues on survey programming, crosstab development, and data analysis; created templates and playbooks, elevating team capability and ensuring consistency.
- Active participant in Synthetic Data Working Group: organize vendor demos, assess use cases, and recommend solutions to leadership.
- Frequently step into proposal development to flag methodological constraints and shape defensible, revenue-generating scopes.
Advisory Consultant /Senior Project Manager
S&P Global
Boston, Massachusetts
12.2019 - 01.2021
- Focused on strategic clients and custom engagements with primary research components; scoped studies, advised on methodology, and managed cross-functional delivery to ensure executive-facing initiatives met client expectations.
- Managed end-to-end primary research tasks: questionnaire development, vendor/sample procurement, quality assurance, field management, and analysis for global studies spanning multiple countries and modes (online, CATI, IDIs).
- Provided methodological expertise on scoping calls and proposals, highlighting execution risks and mitigation strategies that helped secure and expand engagements.
- Supported webinars, go-to-market programs, and custom content projects by translating research findings into actionable narratives and client deliverables that enhanced project visibility.
- Built trust with account teams and clients through reliable delivery, clear communication, and rapid problem solving on complex, multi-stakeholder projects.
Advisory Consultant
451 Research
Boston, Massachusetts
10.2018 - 12.2019
- Supported consulting-group client projects through webinars, go-to-market programs, custom papers, executive reports, and stakeholder briefings; scoped and delivered research-informed commercial content that enhanced client engagement.
- Designed, programmed, and executed custom surveys and mixed-methods research as part of broader consulting engagements; balanced multi-method deliverables across qualitative and quantitative components.
- Advised on vendor capabilities, sampling strategy, and questionnaire design to ensure feasibility, data quality, and on-time delivery.
- Collaborated with sales, advisors, and analysts to expand engagement scope, influence product positioning, and translate research into client-facing thought leadership that drove strategic insights.
- Trained colleagues on survey programming best practices and helped standardize operational playbooks for consulting delivery.
Strategic Client Service
451 Research
Boston, Massachusetts
10.2016 - 10.2018
- Partnered with analysts, consultants, and account teams to translate enterprise survey programs (Voice of the Enterprise; Voice of the Connected User Landscape) into actionable insights for Fortune 500 clients.
- Acted as primary research liaison for a portfolio of 30+ enterprise clients; aligned insights to strategic priorities and go-to-market initiatives.
- Delivered executive-facing materials for quarterly business reviews, onboarding sessions, and briefings; prepared CRM reports to track engagement and insight usage.
- Facilitated workshops, stakeholder interviews, and analytical handoffs to ensure research outputs met client objectives and supported adoption.
- Coordinated scoping across functions to align methodology, timeline, and commercial objectives; clarified processes and mitigated risks during proposal phases.
Client Operations East Region Team Lead
Kantar (formerly Lightspeed Research / GMI)
Marlboro, Massachusetts
01.2016 - 10.2016
- Cultivated client relationships to enhance project alignment and overall satisfaction.
- Supervised two client support representatives, completing management training and implementing process improvements that strengthened research operations and elevated client experience.
- Guided team members in vendor coordination, client communication, and operational best practices.
Senior Client Operations Coordinator
Kantar (formerly Lightspeed Research / GMI)
Marlboro, Massachusetts
08.2014 - 01.2016
- Conducted feasibility assessments and designed research for global survey studies across consumer, healthcare, B2B, and IT sectors; served as subject-matter expert on panel methodologies and quota design for 40+ countries.
- Procured and managed survey samples from domestic and international vendors; negotiated pricing, SLAs, and quality standards to ensure high-quality deliverables.
Client Operations Coordinator
Kantar (formerly Lightspeed Research / GMI)
Marlboro, Massachusetts
04.2012 - 08.2014
- Coordinated proposal development, feasibility assessment, and research planning for custom survey projects, enhancing mixed-methods experience (diary studies, online communities, IHUTs, re-contacts, tracking).
Education
Master of Arts - Communication: New Media & Marketing
Southern New Hampshire University
New Hampshire01-2017
Certificate: Principles of Market Research - Market Research
University of Georgia
Online01-2015
Bachelor of Science - Marketing
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Dartmouth, MA01-2011
Skills
- Qualitative and quantitative research methodologies
- Survey design and sampling strategies
- Data analysis and charting tools
- Integrated research strategy development
- end to end project support Entire research lifecycle capabilities
- Development of new go-to-market product offerings & solutions
- Vendor management and partnership development
- Customer relationship management (CRM)
- Executive storytelling and narrative creation
- Mentorship and team development
- Strong collaboration and adaptability skills
Certification
- Certificate: Principles of Market Research — University of Georgia, 2015
Accomplishments
- Nationally recognized by the Insights Association as 2023 Volunteer of the Year
Affiliations
- Insights Association – North Atlantic Chapter (Volunteer): 2018 – 2020
- Insights Association – North Atlantic Chapter (Board): 2021 - 2025
- Insights Association – North Atlantic Chapter (President-elect): Present
- Alzheimer's Association - Walk to End Alz (Team Captain): 2012 - Present
Timeline
Data & Research Consultant
S&P Global
01.2021 - Current
Advisory Consultant /Senior Project Manager
S&P Global
12.2019 - 01.2021
Advisory Consultant
451 Research
10.2018 - 12.2019
Strategic Client Service
451 Research
10.2016 - 10.2018
Client Operations East Region Team Lead
Kantar (formerly Lightspeed Research / GMI)
01.2016 - 10.2016
Senior Client Operations Coordinator
Kantar (formerly Lightspeed Research / GMI)
08.2014 - 01.2016
Client Operations Coordinator
Kantar (formerly Lightspeed Research / GMI)
04.2012 - 08.2014
Master of Arts - Communication: New Media & Marketing
Southern New Hampshire University
Certificate: Principles of Market Research - Market Research
University of Georgia
Bachelor of Science - Marketing
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth