Research Team

• Project Design and administration
• Questionnaire design and consultation
• Sampling
• Analytics
• Data collection
• Quantitative and qualitative research
• Database Management
• Psychology
• Marketing

Corporate Bios

Jay Zelinka, CEO		Jay Zelinka, CEO Jay Zelinka is the founder and Principal of North American Testing Organization. Jay has over 30 years of supplier-side research in consumer packaged goods, insurance, health care, and entertainment industries. Jay supervises and standardizes/validates all operations within company regarding field, recruiting, data accuracy and databases. He has managed strategic research and product testing for such companies as ConAgra, PepsiCo, Unilever, Disney, and Fox. Jay is a graduate of Boston University with degrees in Biology and Psychology. After working at Harvard University, he went on to complete his MBA in Marketing.
Laura Schneck, President and CFO		Laura Schneck, President and CFO Lauran Schneck is President and CFO and has over 26 years of client-side research, including Hasbro (VP Worldwide Research), PepsiCo (International Research) where she was awarded Research Director of the year in 1999, and American Home Foods where she won an EFFIE for the strategic brand positioning work on PAM Cooking Spray. Laura has held Leadership positions at large corporations, testing many food, consumer packaged goods and entertainment products across multiple categories (GF, CPC, Nestle, AHF, Pepsi/Frito Lay, Hasbro) Laura has been a guest speaker at many research conferences and has served as a panel member at ARF, IIRNY, and Esomar conferences. She has also been the subject of industry publications, including the Research Business Report and the Research Director's Report. She is a also a member and key participant in The Client Congress on Research Data Quality.
Tom Smith, Senior Statistician		Tom Smith, Senior Statistician Tom Smith heads up the analytic team with over 25 years of experience as a statistician analyzing marketing, consumer, and social data. Tom specializes in the selection and application of techniques that use state-of-the-art, traditional, and ad hoc analytic approaches. He has developed unique strategies for use in attitude research, sample segmentation, and perceptual mapping. Tom is a key partner in all higher-order fundamental values-based work. He personally implements all detailed analyses and personally develops all models for profiling, positioning, and segmentation of population and products. Tom has taught research design and statistical techniques at UCLA and USC and has served as a research consultant for the Veterans Administration and the California Department of Developmental Services
Kathleen O'Reilly, Vice President		Kathleen O'Reilly, Vice President Kathleen O'Reilly is Vice President and brings her extensive experience in research and marketing. Kathleen has extensive client side experience and has been a key staff member since 2003. Her experience includes being a Research Director at such companies as Nestle and Mattel. She has over 25 years of market research experience and has and continues to develop unique and innovative research methods and applications. Kathleen is highly experienced in designing and administering qualitative and quantitative research programs for a variety of consumer and business manufacturers and service industries, including Disney, Walmart, St. Joseph's Health System, Sutter Health System, Discover, Bandai Toys, Birdseye, Dole, Pepsi, Imation and Unilever.
Christy Kennedy Vice President		Christy Kennedy, Vice President Christy Kennedy is Vice President and has over 25 years of client and supplier-side research experience with several nationally recognized firms, including ConAgra Foods, The MARC Group, and Cheskin Research. She is highly experienced in developing and managing qualitative and quantitative research programs for a variety of consumer and business manufacturers and service industries, including Pepsi, Frito-Lay, Lance Foods, Borden, Nestle, ConAgra Foods, Disney, Xerox and Yahoo. Christy places strong emphasis in designing consumer research programs to build brand identity, develop brand positioning, and identify key consumer segments. She is also experienced in identifying under-leveraged brand benefits and white-space opportunities for a variety of consumer packaged goods brands and in working with marketing teams to develop strategic growth plans.