Rachel Cushanick
New York,NY
Summary
Dynamic consumer research leader driven by her passionate curiosity to seek out what moves the needle when it comes to consumer perceptions and behavior. Expert in quantitative and qualitative research design and analysis. Has successfully led teams to secure industry awards, new business wins and enhanced stakeholder engagement. Skilled in leveraging AI for impactful research insights and driving agency innovation. Has worked closely with clients across industries, including CPG, Beauty, Food & Beverage, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Professional Services, as well as Personal Banking & Financial Services.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Director
M Booth
08.2024 - Current
- Leading research integral to new business wins, incremental growth and industry awards.
- Managing a small team across upwards of 20 simultaneous projects, each with varying timelines and budgets, which resulted in 954K accumulated billable agency hours in 2024.
- Selling in and then managing research projects with individual budgets as high as six figures.
- Crafting insight-driven agency thought leadership, including the firm’s Cultured (2024) whitepaper as seen in Campaign US.
- Contributing to agency-wide conversations, panels and best practices regarding the use of AI in communications and research.
- Leveraging AI effectively and responsibly to streamline and automate research analyses when appropriate.
- Managing project and client risks by identifying potential threats and developing contingency plans.
- Continuing to advocate for and mentor junior staff, directly managing their career development and upskilling, and successfully promoting talent from within the agency.
Director
M Booth
12.2022 - 08.2024
- Supported agency innovation and productization of research offerings.
- Grew the Research & Insights team by 30% and developed a high-performing team by providing mentorship, guidance, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Built internal and external stakeholder relationships to deepen investment in research.
- Collaborated with specialty teams, including Analytics, Digital, Issues & Crisis, etc. to strengthen the agency's cross-functional services
Associate Director
M Booth
11.2021 - 12.2022
- Led teams of up to five personnel, prioritizing tasks and allocating resources appropriately to keep teams focused and productive.
- Assisted in the creation of the Research Apprenticeship Program, designed to foster a deeper agency-wide understanding of research capabilities and processes.
- Crafted scalable, multidisciplinary research scopes tailored to clients’ budgets, timelines, objectives and challenges.
- Regularly vetted and negotiated with research tools/vendors to keep pace with evolving client challenges and needs.
Project Manager
M Booth
10.2020 - 11.2021
- Successfully managed multiple projects simultaneously by prioritizing tasks according to urgency, resource availability, and alignment with organizational goals.
- Led the development of a research process for identifying ownable thought leadership space, which continues to be a value-driver across client work and new business pitches.
- Met project deadlines without sacrificing data quality or budget.
- Established effective communication among team members for enhanced collaboration and successful project completion.
Consultant
Ketchum
05.2019 - 10.2020
- Evaluated internal and external client needs and expectations, identifying clear research goals and effective methodologies.
- Managed internal and external client relationships through regular check-ins and updates on project progress.
Research Analyst
Ketchum
05.2018 - 05.2019
- Prepared detailed reports summarizing research findings and recommendations for further action.
- Conducted in-depth qualitative and quantitative research to identify trends and generate insights.
Education
Master of Science - Integrated Marketing Communications
Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL05-2017
Skills
- Scalable, Creative and Effective Research Design
- Quantitative & Qualitative Research Management and Analysis
- Focus Group and In-depth Interview Moderation
- Competitive Landscape and Whitespace Analyses
- Brand Reputation Research
- Audience Analysis and Segmentation
- Syndicated Data Analysis (Mintel, YouGov, MRI, Resonate, GWI)
- Earned & Social Media Analysis (Quid, Talkwalker, Brandwatch)
- Strategic Insights Generation
- Presentation Development & Delivery
- Budget, Timeline and Vendor Management
- Collaborative leadership
- People management
Timeline
Senior Director
M Booth
08.2024 - Current
Director
M Booth
12.2022 - 08.2024
Associate Director
M Booth
11.2021 - 12.2022
Project Manager
M Booth
10.2020 - 11.2021
Consultant
Ketchum
05.2019 - 10.2020
Research Analyst
Ketchum
05.2018 - 05.2019
Master of Science - Integrated Marketing Communications
Florida State University
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