Generative & Evaluative Research: Led key discovery research impacting product design and business strategies across several product domains (Checkout, Fresh, Savings, Value, Core, Omnichannel, and Design Systems).Context of Use: Conducted research clarifying the gap between customer and business needs, leading to a change in strategy.Dimensions of Value: Uncovered drivers beyond cost savings through ethnographic studies, leading to new opportunities in quality, time, and delight which the business acted on.ECO Innovation Challenge: Organizer of Kroger’s annual innovation challenge focused on sustainability, igniting business-wide enthusiasm and impacting our environmental sustainability goals.Insights Advocacy: Translated data into actionable strategies for stakeholders, using storytelling to align product and business directions.Research Governance: Managed a researcher and contributed to Kroger’s research infrastructure, with a focus on recruitment and insight synthesis.Cross-Functional Collaboration: Worked with product teams and leadership to define research roadmaps and integrate user research into agile development.

• Led the founding and commercialization of a new alcohol brand, from value proposition creation through concept iteration, brand /marketing strategy development, and brand launch.• Drove product launch timelines, and integrated marketing promotions/communication campaigns, whilst maintaining legal/regulatory compliance with federal, state, and local governments.• Managing the ongoing operations/production, supply chain management (both domestic and international), brand stewardship and P&L oversight. • Responsible for the e-commerce, digital and social media marketing strategies from creation through activation. • Built a WordPress website to ensure intuitive and engaging user experience journey to shorten path to purchase. • Managing future brand penetration, product expansion and strategy.

• Delivered fast, effective consumer immersion projects to global clients using mobile video to collect authentic, contextual representation of consumer environments.

• Managed a consumer testing lab and operations team of agency contractors and consumer panelists.• Provided guidance for Tums Chewy Bites based on consumer complaint data and product performance versus benchmark to validate product reformulation. Guided product relaunch with revised brand positioning.• Conducted quantitative consumer testing for US Tums Chewy Bites seasonal launches and US/UK Nicorette QuickMist sprays. • Designed and executed digestive health product research plan for 12 supplement concepts to address consumer behavior, liking, and attitudes. • Identified and quantitatively validated new digestive health technologies and technical solutions designed to deliver a benefit to consumers managing and preventing acid reflux disease.

• Served as lead consumer researcher for Oreo global platform innovation to generate insights and fuel ideation. Approach included co-creation and mixed-method holistic product research. Collaborated closely with cross-functional business units to collate trend, primary, and secondary data sources, which identified 5 growth territories.• Consumer research program lead for Ritz and Wheat Thins to bring an innovation spirit to the research teams and process by embracing and enhancing the techniques, approach, and design.• Validated the following products through quantitative consumer liking testing prior to commercialization: ► Ritz 2019 Seasonals (Football Tailgate, Snowflake, and Fudge-dipped) ► Ritz Crisp n’Thins Flavors (Sea Salt, Cheddar, Cream Cheese and Onion, and Barbecue) ► Wheat Thins Toasted Chips (Veggie) ► BelVita relaunch (Blueberry and Cinnamon Brown Sugar)

• Designed a creative, mixed method research approach that incorporated ethnographic, user journey mapping, shop along, and focus group concept validation. Consumer quantitative test results informed pipeline prioritization to strengthen the business strategy.• Led and executed the global product research plan for the commercialization of the co-branded Trident-Oral B oral health platform. Designed a holistic end-to-end research plan including value proposition exploration using ethnographies and co-creation, claims substantiation, design of experiments using descriptive evaluation and consumer liking, and final validation with quantitative home-use-testing of final product and packaging.• Collaborated on and executed a survey-based claims test using Max-Diff that identified two claims categories for target consumer segments that maximized acceptance and penetration.• Monitored industry landscape to map trends for long term innovation pipeline. Recommendations helped to maintain ongoing supply of limited edition and product line extensions.• Led a cross-functional team that was awarded executive support to conduct further consumer research and commercialization of a skunkworks project.

• Managed and trained one undergraduate and one international Master’s student on capstone sensory projects.• Served as assistant coordinator for annual Wine Microbiology and Sensory Certificate Program.• Supported research studies across various products for private clients and state research initiatives.• Taught classes and laboratories to the graduate and undergraduate students.• Organized recitations and experiments.• Responsible for lab reports grading.

• Managed shelf-life testing that identified a new flavor with improved stability for clear spirits.• Correlated sensory and analytical data that identified a key chemical defect in whiskey.• Developed and implemented a standardized sensory program for brown spirit evaluation. • Supported discrimination testing (i.e. tetrad) and analysis to release products to market.