our people

Andrea Marker, CEO and Founder

Raised on a steady diet of The Simpsons, Super Nintendo, and Sondheim, Andrea has advised CEOs, CMOs, and studio heads in the entertainment and tech industries on everything from the value of highlighting “no b.s.” in a tagline, to developing and marketing movies for multicultural audiences.  

Andrea has a one-of-a-kind background that’s rooted in understanding people and the entertainment business: she’s been a researcher, product manager, multicultural marketer, Comic Con sponsor, and celebrity interviewer. Andrea founded Hulu’s consumer insights and UX research division; led the go-to-market strategies for the first Spanish-language streaming service, Yaveo, and LGBTQIA Outfest Online at DIRECTV; oversaw VOD marketing at AT&T; and conceptualized brand campaigns for DIRECTV NOW (AT&T TV NOW).

As a researcher, Andrea was an executive at Penn Schoen Berland, MarketCast, and Ipsos, where she oversaw film, gaming, TV, and tech research divisions. The first title Andrea ever tested was “The Chronicles of Narnia,” from which she learned that Americans prefer talking animals to adolescent British accents. Since then, Andrea has worked on numerous blockbuster movie franchises, video games, and TV series, including “Star Wars,” “Fast & Furious,” “Deadpool,” “Despicable Me,” “Overwatch,” “The Sims,” “The Masked Singer,” “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” and “Star Trek: Discovery.”

Tracey Patten, Principal

Part entertainment junkie and part skilled research methodologist, Tracey loves searching for the answers to important questions. In her role as Principal, Tracey pairs her business savvy with her eclectic interests – ranging from binging reality TV to following the latest social media trends to dabbling in NFTs – in her quest to help clients gather intel about their audiences and markets.

With more than a decade of experience, Tracey’s work has informed product, content, and marketing decisions at the executive levels of every major FAANG company and other large media companies globally. Most recently, Tracey was Senior Vice President at National Research Group where she partnered with prominent tech, entertainment, and gaming clients. She also worked at Ipsos, Nielsen, and Edelman Data & Intelligence previously. Tracey’s areas of expertise include surveying niche audiences, boiling down complex analytical concepts, and developing actionable recommendations from mixed methods research.

Tracey is based in Brooklyn, NY with her husband and two cats. She has a B.S. in Communication with a concentration in Public Relations from Boston University.

Megan Harmon, Director

Fusing the scientific investigative skills of Dana Scully with the tenacity of Sailor Moon, Megan is passionate about combining her technical expertise in data and statistical analysis with her overall drive to uncover meaningful, actionable insights.

Megan’s expertise spans advanced quantitative custom research methodologies, global trends in entertainment and media, and language (both foreign and semantics). Leveraging her diverse interests, from cheering on the Dodgers to an encyclopedic knowledge of the Real Housewives and Fast & Furious “families”, Megan has partnered with major players in the streaming, television, film, gaming, and live event industries to develop and market new releases, help brands retain and reach new audiences, and improve consumer experiences and engagement. Previously, Megan was Director of Content & Strategy at National Research Group and specialized in entertainment research at Ipsos and MarketCast. She has also achieved every movie researcher’s dream: Charlize Theron once thanked Megan in-person for her research on a film. 

Megan is based in Los Angeles with her ghost-hunting Chihuahua-Pomeranian, Fox. She holds an MS. in Applied Psychology with a specialization in Consumer Psychology and a BA. in Psychology & Linguistics with a minor in French from the University of Southern California.

Agnes Wasilewski, Director

Researcher, DIY queen, and planner-extraordinaire, you will find Agnes exploring restaurants around NYC, or casually flipping between the Great British Bake Off and the newest true crime documentary. Agnes combines her attention to detail, penchant for patterns, and love of spreadsheets to cut through data “clutter” and uncover what consumers are saying below the surface.

During her market research career at Material, Agnes adopted a “jack of all trades” persona, delivering strategic insights to a variety of major global clients, ranging from technology and social media to toys and fashion. Her work has informed brand strategy, new product development, customer retention and acquisition strategy, and message optimization. Though well-versed in a variety of research methods, Agnes has a strong affinity for path-to-purchase and segmentation research, which allows her to really dig deep and enhance clients’ understanding of consumer needs. 

Agnes holds a MSc. in Integrated Marketing Communications from Northwestern University, in addition to a BSc. and BA. in Interdisciplinary Social Sciences and Communications, respectively, from Florida State University.

Kate Radin, Strategy Lead

A data troll moonlighting as an Adobe CC fangirl, Kate leverages her diverse range of interests and experiences in journalism, academia, design, and market research as a master strategic storyteller.

Growing up partly amongst ivy-covered buildings in the English countryside, and partly in Baltimore, MD, Kate feels as if she has been conducting unofficial ethnographies since she could speak. However, in a more official capacity, previous roles include working as a content strategy specialist at both Ipsos and Marketcast, a foray in fashion journalism at Harper’s BAZAAR Australia and SUITCASE Magazine, and work as a freelance graphic designer. While her “bread and butter” is streaming and next gen audience research, she has worked passionately and closely with a wide range of entertainment, gaming, tech, sports, and publishing clients.

Kate holds a MSc. in Global Media and Communication from the London School of Economics, an MA. in Global Communication from University of Southern California’s Annenberg School, and a BSc. in Journalism from Boston University. She also still reads academic papers for fun.

Ashley Thieme, Senior Strategy + Insights Manager

As an avid moviegoer who averages 35 trips to the theater per year, Ashley fuses her pop culture knowledge, market research experience, and a critical lens to understand the world around us and uncover meaningful insights.

Ashley is a dynamic market research professional with experience working with major technology, media, and financial services companies across a variety of strategic insights needs. Most recently at Morning Consult, her work informed key brand strategy decisions, from campaign, message, and social media strategy optimization, to target audience deep-dives that expanded her clients’ market opportunities. Her expertise meshes well with her genuine interest in understanding the people around her - whether it's through an in-depth conversation about someone's new favorite show or delving deep into social media to discover the catalyst behind the latest trend. Previously, Ashley channeled her DC-suburbanite roots at National Journal, where she supported organizations with inside-the-beltway engagement and communication.

Ashley is based in Los Angeles and holds a BA in Women's Studies and Government & Politics from the University of Maryland.