Speaker Resources

Important Dates

  • Registration deadline: December 5, 2025
  • Hotel room block cut-off date: Wednesday, January 7, 2026
  • Speaker or presentation information changes deadline: December 16, 2025
  • Presentation slides and handouts submission deadline: January 9, 2026

Questions? Contact Melinda Waite, at melindaw@qrca.org.


Speakers

We’re excited about the extensive lineup of industry leaders offering their insights into a changing marketing research landscape at this year’s QRCA Annual Conference.


Each speaker brings a unique perspective, providing valuable knowledge on the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities in qualitative research.

  • Benjamin T. Allen

    Labrador Agency, Inc "The Business Behind the Breakthroughs: Money Management in Qual Research"

  • Reggie Alston

    Ebony Marketing Systems "Seeing the Respondent in the Best Light: Mastering Nuances in Qualitative Research"

  • Sara Bodde

    Priority Designs "Acting for Insights: Acting exercises to help improve your moderating"

  • Emma Bonilla

    Insightly "That’s Not an Insight… Or Is It?"

  • Carina Crabbe

    "Yoga Principles in User Research: Mindfulness, Observation, and Unbiased Insights"

  • Kai Fuentes

    Ebony Marketing Systems Inc. "The Business Behind the Breakthroughs: Money Management in Qual Research"

  • Andy Garlikov

    HowSo "From Duct Tape to Doing it Right: Tech for Solo Quals Who Do It All"

  • Sarah Hambly

    University of Leeds "Making it make sense: A step-by-step guide to narrative analysis"

  • Jeff Hecker

    Athena Brand Wisdom "Smart Starts: The Art and Science of Qualitative Research Design"

  • Marilyn Heywood Paige

    Heywood Paige "Niche Down to Rise Up: A Workshop on How to Differentiate Your Firm To Win More Business"

  • Martha Hayward

    Bird Dog Insights "What is Strategy? A Market Researcher's Guide to Strategy Fundamentals"

  • Steve Ingledew

  • Crystal L. Kendrick

    The Voice of Your Customer "The Business of Research: How to Market, Prospect, and Partner Like a Pro"

  • Claire Kuhn

    OvationMR "Maintaining Human Magic in Digital Workshops"

  • Abby Leafe

    New Leafe Research "Crack the Pack: An Intro Playbook to Packaging Research"

  • Lauren McCluskey

    Responsive Research, Inc. "Working title may be tweaked: “Talking to a Bot: What Moderators and Participants Really Think About AI Moderation”"

  • Julien Naggar

    Dig Insights "From Brief to Breakthrough: A 5-Day Packaging Sprint with Premium Impact"

  • Susan Newhouse

    Susan Newhouse & Associates, LLC "The Bold Spark: Energizing Insights Through Creative Engagement"

  • Paul Peterson

    CoinJar Insights, LLC. "The Real Research Problem? Listening to the Wrong People. How to identify and engage the outliers who cut through the noise, challenge assumptions, and shape what comes next."

  • Laura Quinn

    PJ Quinn Inc. "The Basics of AI in Qualitative Research Preparation and Analysis – Maximizing Gains, Minimizing Risks"

  • Allison Rak

    Vatoca "Let Them: The Mindset Shift That Could Change How You Do Research"

  • Tom Rich

    Thomas M. Rich & Associates "Laddering Up to the Astral Plane What qualitative researchers can learn from psychic cold reading techniques"

  • Susan Saurage-Altenloh, PhD

    Saurage Research, Inc. "Human-First Insight in an AI World: Future-Proofing the Qualitative Researcher"

  • Jonathan Schneider

    The Candor Company "That's a Great Question"

  • Jennifer Spainhour

    Position for Success Coaching & Consulting “The Insight Starts Within: Using Self-Awareness to Elevate Your Moderating and Analysis”

  • Darby Steiger

    SSRS "Cognitive Interviewing 101"

  • Kate Watson

    KCW Global Research, LLC "Crack the Pack: An Intro Playbook to Packaging Research"

  • Allison Wilt

    ContextualY, Inc. "The Impact of Agentic AI on Corporate America"

  • Jay Zaltzman

    Bureau West: Facilitating Growth "Accessing participants’ subconscious minds"

  • Jeffrey H. Witte, PhD

    Indiana Institute of Technology "Old School: Manual Coding and Analysis of Qualitative Data"

Hotel & Travel

🏨 The Westin San Antonio North (a Marriott property) 9821 Colonnade Blvd, San Antonio, Texas 78230, USA Tel: +1 210-691-8888

  • The Westin San Antonio North

    Group Room Rate: $139.00 plus taxes and fees Group rate is available until Monday, February 09, 2026 Deadline/Last Day to Book: Wednesday, January 07, 2026 To Make a Reservation: Use the weblink below or call Marriott Central Reservation directly at 1-844-886

+1 651-290-7491

info@qrca.org

N83 W13410 Leon Road, Menomonee Falls, WI, 53051


© 2025 QRCA - Where Qualitative Research Professionals Thrive