About the Company

At The Focus Room, we focus on just one thing: Qualitative Research Excellence.

The Focus Room has been specializing in online and in-person qualitative recruiting for over three decades. As a trusted partner in qualitative recruiting for clients and brands around the world, we deliver respondents who meet your criteria, enhance the discussion, and bring authenticity and depth to your research project.

Our seasoned qualitative recruiting team and senior level Project Managers are located throughout the US, covering every time zone, guaranteeing national coverage for both participants and clients. By pairing our in-house recruiting experts with our extensive internal nationwide database covering US, Canada, and UK, we ensure qualified, articulate and passionate respondents verified to participate in all online, in-person and mixed methodology studies.

Let us help bring your brand into Focus!

Meet the team

Tiffany Hays

CEO
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Andrew Junggren

Managing Director
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Sara Brand

Senior Project Manager
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Denise Venga

Project Manager
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Cassidy Greibesland

Junior Project Manager
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Leslie Dyer

Operations Director
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Angela faklaris

Recruiting Manager
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Alex Gerskowitz

Senior Recruiter
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Tracy Kanterman

Senior Recruiter
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Lexi Bright

Senior Recruiter
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Alyssa Burrows

Project Assistant
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Kendra Hadlock

Social Media Specialist
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Paula Michaels

Financial and Human Resources Director
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Jean Simanis

Finance Associate
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Jennifer Nelms

Finance Assistant
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Our Community

Memberships & Organizations

Certifications

Adverse Event Reporting in Market Research Legal and Ethical Guidelines for Data Analysts
Insights Professional Certification Legal and Ethical Guidelines for Data Analysts
Burke Institute Focus Group Moderator Training

Tiffany Hays

CEO

Life-long researcher, founder of FUEL, co-founder of watchLAB, and serial entrepreneur, Tiffany’s “No Fear” attitude has made her a leading market research practitioner. Tiffany spearheaded research for the largest ad campaign launch in history: the eight-country, Windows 7 ‘My Idea’ campaign, and has served on several Market Research Association boards. Her passion for market research excellence motivates her to continually push the boundaries on behalf of her clients, and she actively participates in industry events and initiatives. After hours, Tiffany sings and dances to remain fit, works as an animal rescue activist, and plays with her own irresistible fur balls, which she adopted along the way.

Andrew Junggren

Managing Director

Wouldn’t it be great if there were an on-site person who understood research inside and out, who had years of experience optimizing studies through respondent and facility management, and personified helpfulness, enthusiasm and quick thinking? Enter Andrew, our Managing Director who proves there are real world applications for sociology majors. And while he doesn’t wear Dress Whites (drat!) or curse (whew!), he is an accomplished sailor, tennis player and Yankees fan.

Sara Brand

Senior Project Manager

We all have good reasons for choosing this shampoo, adorning that designer, and shopping at certain stores over others. There are politics to everything—and when Sara realized this, she left the campaign trail and moved into fieldwork. As a project manager, Sara enjoys getting to know her clients and helping them reach their research goals. A native of Colombia, all company coffee must meet her high standards, a major boon for all you bean-drinking, caffeine addicts.

Denise Vanga

Project Manager

A native New Yorker, Denise spent her youth playing sports and music studying with her Juilliard professor. Having stumbled upon the market research world, Denise landed at The Focus Room and hit the ground running. With 11 years of experience, Denise excels in mixing quota management with excellent communication, planning, and scheduling. When you realize Denise will be your dedicated PM, it will be music to your ears and if you’re lucky, she may even play one of your favorite tunes.

Cassidy Greibesland

Junior Project Manager

Not afraid to try new paths in life, Cassidy jumped into market research with our team as a Project Assistant. She has worked in multiple different fields throughout the years and has officially found a position that makes her excited to start her workday! Getting through every project successfully with organization from start to finish is always a goal and an accomplishment. Outside of the office, you can find her with friends and family, researching places to travel, or near a bonfire camping.

Leslie Dyer

Operations Director

When you are looking for a solution and everyone else is telling you it can’t be done, you need to connect with Leslie. Her Operational talents combined with her savvy Client Service and keen financial perspective lend to the art of making the impossible possible. Her 25+ years working in the marketing research realm enable her to take on every Corporate, Client or Project related challenge yielding nothing short of successful results for FUEL’s team and their clients.

Angela Faklaris

Recruiting Manager

Having been in the market research industry for over 20 years, Angela fully understands clients’ recruitment needs and what is required to provide qualitative recruiting excellence. As Recruiting Manger, she is energized by guiding and overseeing the recruiting team and ensuring goals are attained week after week. Her passion for managing and motivating teams successfully for over a decade consistently shines through in every aspect of her work. Angela also calls herself mom to two wonderful girls, who keep her on her toes! When she’s not at work, you might find her at an outdoor music festival, in her yard gardening or on a bike ride at a local state park.

Alex Gerskowitz

Senior Recruiter

What began as a part-time job during college eventually turned into a career for Alex. With over 11 years of experience in the market research industry, she has a fine-tuned understanding of what is needed to produce quality projects and loves hearing positive feedback from happy clients. When Alex is away from her desk, it is likely you will find her at a concert in Chicago, watching an old movie (yes, in black-and-white!), or camping under the stars.

Tracy Kanterman

Senior Recruiter

Tracy has focused her entire career on identifying the right candidates for her clients. After years as an agency and then corporate recruiter, she transitioned into market research 14 years ago and hasn’t looked back. She loves knowing that she impacts the research process. In her free time, you can find Tracy cheering on the Yankees, at the gym or enjoying live music.

Lexi Bright

Senior Recruiter

After High School Lexi moved from the Midwest to the West Coast to enjoy the beach and further her studies. She soon realized she wanted something more and was off to Paris, France not knowing the language or ever visited. She studied psychology and found an interest in psychological research. Her passion for connecting with others and research led her to the field of Market Research. Lexi feels fulfilled helping clients get what they need and loves the hunt in finding a great qualified participant.

She enjoys kayaking, rock climbing, mountain biking, dancing, and cooking. Being active is a way for her to feel centered and productive. She also enjoys electronic music and attends as many festivals as possible.

Alyssa Burrows

Project Assistant

Having been a performer for most of her life, Alyssa sought out a degree in Theatre after High School. This allowed her to pursue her love of understanding people and making them smile. These skills transferred perfectly to Market Research along with her 4+ years of Administrative experience. Alyssa doesn’t just want to get the job done, she wants to get it done right and she brings that to every project she works on. Outside of work you’ll find her painting, meditating, working on creative projects with her friends, and taking long walks to appreciate nature alongside her dog Phoebe.

Kendra Hadlock

Social Media Specialist

Kendra is our social media maven! Her background in information science and passion for creative writing brings extensive social networking skills along with digital storytelling. She connects the community across our many networks. Her previous social media work includes a rare books library, a community of social activist nuns, and a small-town bookstore. She enjoys splitting her time between the Pacific Northwest and Southern India.

Paula Michaels

Financial and Human Resources Director

Paula is our culture keeper. An administrative wizard and well-being advocate for each employee, Paula strives to create a top-notch environment for her FUEL family. Quality, attention to detail, continuous improvement and excellence are constants thanks to her dedicated efforts. A lover of all animals and a humanitarian at heart, Paula spends her free time volunteering at animal shelters, watching football and cooking with her husband and spoiling her own Jellicle cats.

Jean Simanis

Finance Associate

While many see beauty in a sunrise or a snowflake, Jean finds utter perfection in a balanced budget. Tracking endless figures with ease, she supports FUEL’s hardworking, dedicated team of professionals and says the positive, encouraging environment is nothing short of inspirational. When she’s not crunching numbers, she’s swimming, walking or refining her yoga asanas.

Jennifer Nelms

Finance Assistant

Jennifer brings 15 solid years of market research bookkeeping experience to the table, sharing her love of numbers and her tech-savvy talents with the finance team. Specializing in quick, accurate and balanced reconciliations, Jennifer uses her expertise to maximize efficiencies and make the finance world look easy. When Jennifer isn’t crunching numbers, she dabbles in genealogy, nature photography, and enjoys spending time with family.