February 21 2023 — Los Angeles, CA — Women in Research (WIRe), a global non-profit organization that champions diversity in the marketing research industry, has added four new members to its 2023 advisory board: Jo Brockhurst (Client Engagement Director, Kantar); Shazia Ginai (Chief Growth Officer, Catalyx); Damon Jones (VP, Community and Culture/Telephone Operations at Burke, Inc.); and Cherie Leonard (Head of North America Insights, Colgate-Palmolive). As the organization moves into its 16th year serving the Insights and Market Research industries, these new members will not only play an important role in guiding the non-profit strategically but also in continuing to evolve its scope and mission.

‍Jo Brockhurst is currently the Client Engagement Lead for Kantar Insights Australia, having been in the depths of the research world for over 15 years she's found her passion area in recent years - leading & inspiring people, peers and clients. Jo has also been engaged with WIRe for over 10 years, being inspired herself by the events in London she has since launched a WIRe event series in Australia in 2014 which now covers Sydney, Melbourne & Perth. Jo's a fierce believer in paying it forward and championing others, she takes joy in watching others flourish in their professional and personal lives and being part of that journey. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jobrockhurst/)
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Shazia Ginai is the Chief Growth officer at Catalyx, a leading edge strategy & insight agency, leading global growth strategy for the business. A creative and curious insight and marketing professional with a passion for people and leading insight to action. She has a track record of successfully building and leading insight capability and embedding this into organisations to drive action across multiple markets and functions. Prior to working at Catalyx, she worked across the luxury fragrance and skin care brands at P&G after which she created and led the global insight function at ghd. Most recently Shazia was the CEO of Neuro-Insight in the UK, managing the growth of the business and overseeing projects across a range of media and industries. Shazia has a passion for truly actionable insights and empathetic leadership and is a strong advocate for equality and inclusion. Shazia is Chair for CORe (Colour of research) and a member of the Market research society D&I Council. She also has a passion for driving awareness and research into menstrual health, actively volunteering for Endometriosis UK. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/shazia-ginai-971224b/)

Damon Jones is the Vice-President of Telephone Operations at Burke, Inc. and plays a critical role in Burke’s Data Collection Division as he oversees the day-to-day operations involved in the execution of telephone research projects serving as leader of phone projects, estimating, facilities management and human resources. In addition, Damon serves in the capacity of VP, Culture & Community, engaging in partnerships that promote actionable positive direction for the greater Cincinnati region and continuing to elevate Burke’s brand in the marketplace. Damon also serves as Chair of Burke’s Inclusion & Diversity Strategic team Kaleidoscope and serves on multiple teams within the organization. Damon is continually involved in staying current in MR Data Collection and general industry knowledge by his active membership in the Insights Association. He was also one of the 2021 WIRe MRX Diversity Champion award recipients. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/damon-jonescincy/)
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Cherie Leonard’s passion for Insights stems from connecting the dots and weaving them together across people, culture and brands. She is focused on driving a deeper people-centric mindset through Insights, identifying future-focused and culturally relevant opportunities for growth, championing disruptive category innovation and creating a deeper omnichannel grounding. Previously, she held a variety of Global and North America Oral Care roles at CP, including the development of Foresight with a focus on cultural influence and evolution. Cherie earned an MBA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s A.C. Nielsen Center for Marketing Analytics & Insights, with prior experience in CPG, hospitality and retail. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/cherie-leonard-5b33971/)

WIRe Managing Director Michelle Andre remarked excitedly as to the new additions, sharing that, “this year’s additions to the WIRe Advisory Board are excellent representations of the changing face of WIRe as an organization and of Market Research at large. Damon, Cherie, Jo and Shazia have been integral to our community and I cannot wait to see how their wisdom and expertise steers us in the months ahead.”

Danielle Todd, Roddy Knowles, Sima Vasa and Marion Elliott will retire as emeritus WIRe Board members in accordance with their term.