has conducted hundreds of research projects over 20 years, including national
public opinion polls, focus groups, and studies of elite audiences. She has
authored widely used research on education, women, health, foreign policy, and
the environment. Her clients have included many community, professional and
educational associations, governments, major corporations, news media and
political candidates. In the 1970s, Nancy was active in women's issues and
community organizing. She was the public information director for a Planned
Parenthood affiliate, the research director for surveys at Hill and Knowlton
and an analyst for Hart Research. She has served three times on the Governing
Council and is the past President of the American Association for Public Opinion
Research. A native Texan, Nancy is of Mexican extraction and speaks Spanish. She
holds an MA from Georgetown University and a BA from Mary Washington College of
the University of Virginia.
John Russonello, Partner
at BRS since 1988, has conducted research and developed message strategies for
political candidates, and many non-profit organizations and associations. As a
researcher and writer, he is much sought after for research-based strategic
advice, message development, and communications planning. John's research,
writing, and consulting have helped organizations involved in environmental, civil
rights, education, and other social change to listen to the public and communicate
in new ways to advance their goals. Before joining our firm, John had a political
consulting practice and was press secretary and speechwriter for House Judiciary
Committee Chairman Peter Rodino. He received a BA with honors in
political science, from Drew University.
John writes Think it Through, a blog in which he analyzes public opinion and politics from the perspective of his three decades of working inside Washington, D.C. and listening to outside of the nation’s capital. The result is often critical and unusual commentary. Read Think it Through here.
Kate Stewart, Partner
in designing research on social issues, Kate has produced strategic recommendations for clients on topics such as civil liberties, death penalty, government reform, education, and the environment. Her work has advanced the goals of many organizations including Natural Resources Defense Council, the Joyce Foundation, ACLU, and The Biodiversity Project. A member of the firm since 1992 and a partner since 1998, she has advised clients on message and conducted message workshops on a wide range of issues. Kate has been an adjunct professor at American University, where she taught public communication research. Currently, Kate sits on the Executive Council for the American Association for Public Opinion Research as its incoming Secretary-Treasurer and serves on AAPOR’s Education Committee. Kate received a BA with high honors in history from Haverford College, and her MS in survey methodology from the University of Maryland.
Christina Lien, Research Analyst and Field Director
manages our field work, analyzes surveys and focus groups, and writes and edits our reports. Christina moderates focus groups, prepares survey instruments, produces crosstabs, and conducts statistical analysis. Before joining BRS in 2007, Christina completed her MS in Survey Methodology at the University of Michigan, where she worked as a Research Associate in the Institute for Social Research. Prior to her graduate work, Christina worked on numerous political campaigns where she gained experience directing field operations, managing GOTV, and managing campaigns for Dean for America and the Feingold Senate Committee and other races in Louisiana, Florida, Wisconsin, South Carolina, and New Jersey. Christina received her BA in history and politics in 2002 from Carroll College in Wisconsin.
Emma White, Research Analyst
analyzes surveys and focus groups, and writes and edits BRS reports. Emma moderates focus groups, prepares survey instruments and monitors survey projects. Emma came to BRS from Clean Water Action, where she worked on the national political team and was a field organizer in suburban Detroit. Prior to that, she was a field organizer for Dean for America in southeast Michigan. She has also served as an Americorps volunteer in the Maryland State Parks. Emma received her BA from Bryn Mawr College with honors in anthropology in 2001.
Katie Simmons, Research Analyst
analyzes surveys and focus groups and writes and edits BRS reports. Katie came to BRS from Global Strategy Group in New York, where she worked on survey data processing and analysis of surveys and focus groups for a wide-range of clients, including political candidates, corporations, governmental agencies and non-profit organizations. Katie has a B.A. from UCLA and a PhD in political science from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where she wrote her dissertation on the gender gap in Congressional voting.
Stephanie Nelson-Dusek, Junior Analyst
assists in preparing survey instruments, monitoring survey projects, organizing focus groups, and analyzing, writing and editing reports. Before joining BRS, she worked briefly as a Survey Associate for the Science Museum of Minnesota, conducting interviews with museum visitors and writing reports for exhibit developers. Stephanie received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Gustavus Adolphus College, where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa and with honors in 2003. In 2005, Stephanie earned her Master of Arts degree in Social Science from the University of Chicago.
Peter Schamp, Research Assistant & Office Manager
assists in writing, editing, and preparing reports, preparing survey instruments, organizing focus groups, and maintaining the office. Before joining BRS, he worked in a similar role at Michaels Opinion Research in New York. He received his BA in International Relations from Columbia University in 2009.
