Leadership Team

CEO

Michael has a natural curiosity of how to make things better. Whether he is trying to solve a challenging riddle, create a more effective way around a common problem, or combining two solutions into one more efficient approach, he never stops thinking “how can this improve”. This is why market research has been his passion for nearly 20 years.

Every day, Michael is grateful to work closely with internal teams and clients to support them by achieving better outcomes. Michael has spent his career leading growth and product development for companies seeking expansion. This includes multiple start-ups and scale-up companies who achieved successful acquisitions.

As CEO, Michael is the Visionary of The Olinger Group, leading the team’s key initiatives. This includes Live Well™, scalability of products, fostering a culture where employees and clients win, and being an industry leader speaking at conferences helping others in the industry learn.

Competitive both on and off the “field,” Michael is an avid sports fan. He watches any sport that keeps score, has season tickets for the Kansas City Chiefs, and is a die-hard Dallas Cowboys fan. Yes, he likes to win, but he also appreciates strategy and skill. Speaking of which, Michael is the head chef at the Vasquez Bistro de Casa, where he enjoys cooking for his family.

COO

Chanttel is the team “glue,” a.k.a. The Olinger Group’s COO. She presents with a big smile and a ready laugh, but she drives with a razor-sharp business mind and a strong vision.

Since joining The Olinger Group more than 20 years ago, Chanttel has focused on developing a strong team and a collaborative work environment where everyone is encouraged to embrace “figure-out-ability.”

She also leads by example and is helping the company successfully navigate radical industry changes as new technology and methods are adapted to market research. For example, Chanttel is the driving force behind The Olinger Group’s ISO 27001 certification, which helps ensure data security for both The Olinger Group and its clients.

And if that weren’t enough, Chanttel is also skilled at zeroing in on what’s important to people. She is a certified Insights Professional and a Burke-trained moderator who specializes in in-depth interviews. She has served as President of the Atlanta SE Chapter of the MRA (now Insights Association) and on numerous IA Chapter Liaison committees.

Along with her family, Chanttel loves to travel, drink wine, and jam to good music. She is fluent in American Sign Language and volunteers in the local deaf community. And while Chanttel loves to laugh, she cannot tell a joke to save her life!

Director of Research Operations

Like everyone on our team, Meg wears a lot of hats. Her official title is Director of Research Operations, but she also serves as The Olinger Group’s unofficial cruise director and voice of reason. Meg is brilliant at supporting and championing others, helping everyone achieve the best possible outcome.

Meg oversees our quantitative and qualitative projects from beginning to end, serving as a day-to-day liaison between our clients and the The Olinger Group’s Research Team. She joined us in 2008 and worked exclusively on the Healthcare Project Team for several years, where she gained extensive experience in handling sensitive data and ensuring HIPAA compliance. That experience, coupled with her desire to learn, enables Meg to form a true partnership with our clients.

Internally, Meg is committed to recognizing individuals and celebrating their strengths and contributions. She instinctively views all projects, discussions, and possibilities from a broad lens, often asking team members how, or even if, something fits into the big picture. Meg’s focus on people and goals helps our clients figure out custom solutions with the best possible outcomes. Go Meg!

While she thoroughly enjoys her role in transforming data into compelling stories and mindshare, Meg’s true love is her family. She enjoys exploring the Pacific Northwest with her husband and playing endless games of hide-and-seek with her son.

Owner and Founder

Jude combined his fascination with people, business, and empirical data to establish The Olinger Group and to propel the market research industry forward.

A people person at heart, Jude has never met a stranger. He thrives on making connections and is excited by big ideas and new information. His energy and effortless networking make him a natural at moderating. He has moderated more than 1,000 focus groups in various settings and industries.

Starting his career more than 30 years ago as a part-time research interviewer, Jude quickly and methodically embraced the industry when he launched The Olinger Group as a full-service, custom research firm in 1994.

Jude always looks ahead and enjoys leading The Olinger Group with new ideas and strategic thinking.

While serving as the Board Chair of the Council of American Survey Research Organizations (CASRO), Jude engineered the merger of CASRO and the Marketing Research Association (MRA) into the newly created Insights Association (IA) in 2017. He continued to serve on the IA board for five years. He is also active in the Entrepreneurs Organization, serving on numerous boards and committees.

Jude lives in New Orleans with his wife and daughter. A New Orleanian through and through, Jude loves sharing the city’s culture with others. With a personality that seems larger than life, Jude drives a restored vintage Austin Healey and is often the first to make a toast, dance down the hallway, or lead the parade (literally)!

Qualitative Research Director

Part investigator, part sponge, and 100% curious, Lisa Harrison is in her zone as TOG’s Qualitative Research Director. “I really like hearing people’s personal stories and hearing them talk about their lives. I’m nosey,” she said with a laugh. “This is the perfect job for me.”

Lisa oversees our Qualitative Research team and works closely with project managers, account executives, and clients throughout the life of a project. She also serves as a conduit between brand teams and brand users, ensuring that everyone is part of the conversation.

Since conversations never follow a script, it helps that Lisa is also part tap dancer and improv artist. That is both literal and figurative. Lisa’s training in the arts helps her go with the flow that is intrinsic to qualitative studies; she can think on her feet and change directions quickly.

Lisa received her Bachelor of Applied Arts from Central Michigan University, where she majored in Interpersonal and Public Communications and minored in Advertising. Professionally, Lisa served as the Co-Chair for the Southeast Chapter of the Qualitative Research Consultants Association, or QRCA.

On the home front, Lisa and her family are involved in sports. In addition to tap dancing, Lisa practices hot yoga and watches baseball with her husband. Her daughter is in college and attends the football games, and her son plays high school baseball.