Our Team

Strategic Research Associates operates a full in-house field research center consisting of over a dozen employees;  researchers, supervisors, and permanent part-time interviewers work side by side to ensure the highest level of research quality for our clients on every project.

In-House Research Management Staff

JOANNE VEGA, MBA

Research Director, Analyst, Moderator – Owner

Joanne’s extensive background in marketing and campaign development make them the ideal fit for panel survey development, reporting and economic member analysis, research project development and research theory management, and moderating qualitative research projects.

Along with lending their knowledge to current projects and providing project management support, their key performance tasks include crafting custom research plans for clients using current research methodologies, and the day to day management of Strategic Research. They effortlessly guide clients through the proposal and project initiation phases, helping teams fine-tune their general research initiatives into effective, actionable research plans.

Joanne earned a M.B.A. in Marketing from Capella University, and B.B.A. degrees in International Management, Business Management, and Marketing from Northwood University (Midland, MI).

Prior to joining Strategic Research, Joanne has worked the gamut of client-side marketing campaign planning and organization. From representing national food and hardline brands to Costco and Sams Club, navigating the ins-and-outs of the manufacturing and rapid prototyping industries, and developing collateral for multi-million dollar direct mail marketing campaigns in the retail sector, their wide range of experience in multiple consumer markets allows them to easily add a customer-centric focus to any research initiative.

Email Joanne Vega or call direct at 425-644-3778.

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NATHAN DARNELL

Operations Manager

Designing structure in the randomness that is market research is Nate’s specialty. Nate has been a leading force in programming, collecting, and organizing the data that comes through Strategic Research. Because of his expertise with computers, Nate has had the opportunity to perfect Strategic Research’s database management system and computer-aided interviewing system, both of which are frequently used in conjunction with Strategic Research’s projects. Nate also prepares raw data for analysis, produces cross-tabulated results, and supervises Internet surveys.

Having been with Strategic Research Associates since its inception in 1996, Nate has provided invaluable leadership to Strategic Research, including coordination of focus groups, communicating with clients, and since 2004, overseeing Strategic Research’s field staff. Nate also assumes project management responsibilities, including questionnaire development and analysis and reporting. Working with a variety of organizations and projects is what Nate enjoys most about being part of Strategic Research.

Nate spent approximately five years in England, where he received his education at RAF Lakenheath.

Email Nathan Darnell

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VIVEK H PATIL, PH.D.

Research Partner/Contracted Analyst

Vivek Patil is an Associate Professor of Marketing at Gonzaga University. He has over 10 years of experience in teaching, conducting research and consulting with for-profit and non-profit organizations in the fields of marketing and marketing research. Vivek’s research is multi-disciplinary in nature and his works have appeared in journals such as the Journal of Business Research, American Journal of Health Promotion, Managerial and Decision Economics, and the Journal of Current Issues and Research in Advertising. He teaches courses related to marketing, marketing research, and multivariate statistics. He has a Ph.D. in Business (Marketing), a Master of Engineering (Software Systems), and a Master of Management Studies.