Strategists, artists, technologists, writers, researchers – we are business people first. Finch Brands is a close-knit group whose strengths and experiences fit neatly together on a perch far away from agency mediocracy.
From the beginning, we have built Finch Brands around people with a tenacious professional personality and low tolerance for drama.
With the profile and stakes that come with focusing at the brand level, we bring it every single day. That's how we live up to our aspiration to be the most consequential partner our clients will ever engage.
CEO
Daniel works to ensure we deliver on his founding vision for Finch Brands, while supporting our clients as an adviser and connector. A retailer, business builder, investor, and philanthropist, Daniel Erlbaum co-founded Finch Brands® after serving as an original investor and Vice President at David’s Bridal. Daniel touched every functional area of the company, and his contributions were pivotal to the company’s IPO and ultimate acquisition; much of the vision for Finch Brands’ holistic approach was borne through this success story. Throughout his career, he has invested in and advised operating companies at varying stages of the growth cycle and is a limited partner in numerous private equity groups. Active in the community, Daniel chairs the board of the Jewish Relief Agency and is deeply involved in other philanthropic organizations.
President
Bill manages day-to-day operations at Finch Brands, charts the company’s growth path, and is deeply involved in client work across our disciplines. Bill is Finch Brands’ lead strategist and one of the premier brand developers in the marketplace. He has been the prime mover in the development of breakthrough strategies for our clients since he joined the company in 2001. A world-class speaker, writer, and facilitator, Bill’s point of view is highly sought after in the media and academic realms. Across his career, Bill’s work has influenced the business and brand direction of hundreds of organizations including American Express, AT&T, Burlington Coat Factory, Everlast, Fathead, General Mills, Herman Miller, IBM, Joseph Abboud, Kraft, Microsoft, Nutrisystem, the Philadelphia 76ers, Volkswagen, and World Wrestling Entertainment.
Chief Experience Officer
Lauren manages our overall work stream — from insights to strategy to activation, helping clients connect with their audiences and break through the clutter. A brand developer with particular experience leading entrepreneurial projects within larger companies, Lauren goes all the way from idea to shelf and back again. After earning her MBA from Drexel University, Lauren spent 10 years at Kimberly-Clark working on innovation for iconic brands like KLEENEX® and SCOTT®. Notably, she leveraged customer and consumer insights to develop a robust global innovation pipeline for KLEENEX. Most recently, Lauren led North American marketing for the drinks division of MARS Inc. where she worked to make brands matter in the B2B space. Lauren’s CPG experience, passion for brand innovation, and ability to connect dots in how consumers shop across categories provides a unique perspective to help our clients activate their full potential.
Chief Insights Officer
John leads our insights practice, with a focus on creating new and innovative strategic frameworks and services that drive value for clients. Recent innovations include launching FinchSightTM Next Generation Insights Communities and Finch’s Voice of the Company® process for customer experience excellence. John also oversees Finch Brands' brand and marketing activities. Before joining Finch Brands in 2013, John, spent 11 years at Campbell Soup Company in roles spanning Brand Management, Consumer & Customer Insights, and New Product Commercialization. While there, John led brands such as Campbell’s Chunky Soup, Prego Italian Sauce, and Swanson Broth to new heights of consumer engagement and financial performance. He is a graduate of the Wharton Executive MBA program at the University of Pennsylvania and completed his Bachelors of Science degree at the Haub School of Business at Saint Joseph’s University.
VP, Insights Communities
Tim leads the FinchSightTM Research Communities offering and helps drive excellence across our qualitative and quantitative insights capabilities. He is an intrepid researcher who delights in pioneering methodologies to get at the heart of decision-making. Prior to joining Finch Brands, Tim spent five years leading insights communities at C-Space for prominent brands including Twitter, Sanofi Aventis, U.S. Bank, Hasbro, Heineken, and Dos Equis. Tim started his career at Forrester Research, where he managed custom and syndicated research programs aimed at helping executives make better decisions.
AVP, Consumer Insights
Amanda brings 14 years of experience in quantitative and qualitative research, strategy, and innovation. She has designed, managed, and implemented research initiatives for Fortune 500 companies, universities, non-profits, and government organizations. She has also instructed hundreds of undergraduate students in Research Methodology & Statistics. She has worked across various sectors including food and beverage, education, healthcare, technology, television & movies, gaming, and energy with brands such as Blue Bunny, Applebee’s, Nintendo, Pizza Hut, and Pharmavite. She completed her B.A. at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Missouri, St. Louis.
AVP, Consumer Insights
Christina focuses on managing quantitative and qualitative research studies in FinchSight™ Research Communities. She is committed to promoting teamwork, collaboration, and continuing education. Prior to joining Finch Brands, Christina spent five years managing custom research projects and the client service team at Turnkey Intelligence, working with leagues, teams, and sponsors in the sports business world. Christina started her career at the Keller Fay Group analyzing word of mouth marketing research for advertisers, agencies, and networks.
AVP, Research & Insights
Kristina brings a background in qualitative research and consulting, specifically in designing progressive research approaches that lead to actionable, strategic insights. She has a track record of elevating the role of insights across companies and brands. For 8 years, she led both B2B and B2C insights communities at C Space with a focus on food and beverage, retail, and tech/electronics brands, though her experience also spans financial services, logistics, and personal care. She’s had the pleasure of supporting a slew of well-known brands, including Sysco, UPS, Inspire Brands, Citibank, Best Buy, LG, L’Oreal, and Sam’s Club.
Creative Director
Jessica is a driving force behind Finch Brands’ brand design work – as a leader, hands-on designer, writer, concept developer, and client advisor. Jessica is the quintessential Finch — with both formative real-world experience along with the curiosity and energy of the best agency creative leaders. She has spent time on the brand team at Target in Minneapolis and, in her agency life, has driven creative brand development and management for brands such as FiveBelow, Build-A-Bear, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, and well beyond. Her extensive experience spans consumer products, retail, technology, B2B, and non-profit worlds. With a passion for providing multi-dimensional brand perspective, Jess is constantly searching for effective yet unexpected ways for a brand to find its voice and express it compellingly to the right audience. Her creative charge leads to solutions that consistently communicate, deliver, and inspire.
AVP, Design
As an influential member of the Finch Brands creative team, Devon finds the right balance between creative inspiration and practical brand communication. While always focused on her passion for brand design, Devon’s career is proof that broad-based marketing experience makes a designer more instinctive and effective. She chose the Advertising major at Temple University, which provided learning beyond the design realm. As a result, Devon is an incredibly strong designer – across conceptual assignments as well as more functional business communications. This is why she delights in bridging strategy and design across traditional and digital realms. Temple-made as an undergrad, Devon enjoys teaching at her alma mater and nurturing young designers.
Director, Client Development
Senior Insights Strategist
Allison is a Senior Insights Strategist at Finch with a background in quantitative and qualitative research methods and a newfound love of data visualization. At heart, Allison is a passionate storyteller. Whether it be through the performing arts or compelling, data-driven reports, she believes the art of storytelling plays a critical role in effecting change and making information accessible to audiences across all walks of life. Prior to joining Finch, Allison coordinated research and evaluation projects relating to tobacco prevention and control, child welfare, and sexual health at PHMC. She earned her BA from Bryn Mawr College, majoring in Psychology with a focus in child and family studies.
Senior Insights Strategist
Alyssa is passionate about people, having earned her Bachelor's degree in Anthropology/Political Science and Master's in Anthropology from the University of Pennsylvania. Her scholastic experience also included a stint as a Research Assistant at Penn’s Museum of Archeology and Anthropology. Prior to joining Finch Brands, she spent 3 years working in market research across pharma, medical devices, and consumer products.
Director of Insights
Annette is the quintessential brand strategist, connecting dots through research and cultural literacy to enable client brands to build strong connections with consumers. Like the most effective strategists, Annette’s experience is diverse yet relevant and includes ‘client side’ exposure, passion projects, and a zest for learning. In the real world, Annette served in marketing roles with Urban Outfitters and The Khaya Cookie Company. She has also taken on pro bono assignments with The Pennsylvania Innocence Project and the Penn Treaty Museum. In the agency realm, she has a distinguished track record in brand planning and strategy for high profile clients including Coca-Cola, the Pennsylvania Ballet, and Saladworks. Along the way, Annette earned her MBA in Marketing & Entrepreneurship from Drexel University and an undergraduate degree from Georgetown University.
Designer
As an integral, versatile member of our design team, Anthony blends irrepressible creativity with the practical know-how to develop creative that works. Anthony is well-versed in print and digital formats with deep experience in brand identity. His career has included a diverse roster of agencies and projects. A musician, he has taken an active role in an ongoing musical project, Hedera, for which he serves as a primary songwriter and art director. A New Jersey native, Anthony received a B.A. in graphic and interactive design and music at Moravian College in Bethlehem, PA.
Insights Strategist
Beste is an Insights Strategist with a passion for understanding human behavior and decision-making. She likes to ask “why” to get to the root of a problem and uses her strategic thinking and creative skills to tell a story with data. Born and raised in Istanbul, an incredible culinary destination, Beste loves all things food. She also loves to travel and meet people from different backgrounds. Beste is a graduate of the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania where she completed her Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Management, with a specialization in Entrepreneurship & Innovation and a Certificate in French Studies.
Brand Strategist
Brett is a brand strategist who focuses on delivering the ultimate experience for our clients through all aspects of work from strategy through creative and everything else in between. Brett is enthusiastic about delivering results to advance our client’s brands and businesses. Prior to his time with Finch Brands, Brett received a degree in Communications from Ursinus College and a Master’s degree in Marketing from Temple University.
Insights Design Manager
Known for her overall versatility and strength in typographic layouts, Brindy is adept at both high concept and more functional brand design. A winner of multiple design awards as an undergrad, Brindy earned her B.F.A in Graphic and Interactive Design from West Chester University in 2017 and joined Finch Brands® shortly thereafter. While deployed across our design practice, Brindy particularly enjoys the before/after impact of rebranding processes. Away from the office, Brindy is active in community service as both a pro bono designer and overall volunteer.
Insights Manager
Candelaria is passionate about high-quality data analysis, impactful data visualization, and progressive research methodologies. She has spent the past 4 years working in myriad research settings - such as community-based research, hospital administration, and foodservice - across qualitative and quantitative projects alike. She has managed concept testing programs for clients like Taco Bell and has worked closely with other companies such as Tyson, US Foods, and Kellogg to execute a bounty of custom projects. Her passion for research was first ignited by her undergraduate work in Cognitive Psychology at Colorado College.
Insights Manager
Catherine is a data-obsessed analyst equipped with a Marketing BSBA from Drexel University and the drive to understand what makes people tick. Never settling for the status quo, she is always looking for new tools and methods to push the dynamics of research. Her prior experience includes national and global pharmaceutical market research with clients such as Eli Lilly, Novartis, and Sanofi.
Senior Insights Coordinator
Chastin manages operations and the member experience for those who comprise FinchSight insights communities. She is a curious and motivated team player with a passion for delivering unique insights through data. Chastin received her BS in Marketing from Rowan University and continued her education at Stockton University where she earned her MS in Data Science and Strategic Analytics.
Senior Insights Coordinator
Chloe is a Senior Insights Coordinator with a naturally analytical mind. She has a passion for understanding people and their collective thoughts, behaviors, and choices which is why she graduated with a BA in Sociology from Davidson College. Chloe likes to use both methods of qualitative and quantitative data to tell a holistic experience of the data. Much of her previous research background was under qualitative research within issues of racial equity and social equity. San Francisco is one of her favorite cities in the country, and where she learned the majority of her quantitative skills that make her eager to learn more.
Manager, Consumer Insights
Claudia has been interested in the “why” behind consumers’ decisions for years, leading her to pursue a dual major in Marketing and Business Intelligence and Analytics from Saint Joseph’s University. While she focuses primarily on quantitative research, she also enjoys opportunities to gain insights from qualitative and hybrid methodologies. Her prior experience includes sensory testing ice cream flavors with Turkey Hill and pharmaceutical market research with clients such as Novartis, GlaxoSmithKline, and Takeda.
Controller
Danielle leads our Finance and HR teams. With 15 years of experience working with service-based industries, she brings a strong background in global finance and forensic accounting to Finch Brands. Danielle’s work includes overseeing accounts payable and accounts receivable, managing revenue recognition, and reconciling the firm’s transactions. An avid counter of beans, her work is instrumental in ensuring we’re on sound financial footing and that key operational processes flow smoothly. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Drexel University.
Senior Insights Manager
Darby is a Senior Insights Manager and self-described ‘shameless survey design nerd.’ Grounded in their sociology education at Bryn Mawr College, Darby is passionate about using creative research methods to reach beyond common assumptions and get to the root of people’s behavior and perceptions. Prior to joining the Finch Brands team, Darby worked as a public health program researcher on projects covering LGBTQ health and tobacco use prevention.
Insights Manager
Emily is a Consumer Insights Manager with a passion for understanding what drives behavior. This passion led her to a career in research, where she helps brands to uncover insights that translate into actionable brand strategies. Prior to joining Finch Brands, Emily worked at a global consulting firm helping to lead strategic research studies for top pharmaceutical clients. She is a proud alumna of Fairfield University, where she earned a degree in Psychology and Spanish.
Senior Designer
George is a versatile designer and leader who effortlessly balances the practical with the inspired — he is a central driver of our creative output in both digital and traditional formats. George brings to Finch Brands® 10+ years of broad-based design experience, a professional and personal journey that has included home bases in Brooklyn, Baltimore, and Philadelphia. His brand development and creative skills have been applied in the service of artists, non-profits, and companies across categories and sizes — such as EP Henry, DrayNow, WIT, PetCoach, International Data Group, Sigma Co, and singer/songwriter Devendra Banhart. George holds degrees from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, and an MFA from CUNY Hunter College in New York.
Marketing Manager
Jojo is our in-house Marketing Manager - evolving the Finch Brands marketing program and helping us widen our acquaintance. Starting as an intern and spending time in Operations, Jojo has gained real-world Finch Brands experience. Jojo graduated from Albright College with a BA in PR & Advertising and recently earned her Masters of Science in Strategic Advertising & Marketing from Temple University. At Finch Brands, she manages our very own brand through the website, office design, podcast, social media, online and event marketing, and so much more.
Insights Strategist
Kayla digs data. What she digs most is uncovering the voice of the consumer behind the data to drive change that matters. Kayla earned her BS in Communications from Pennsylvania State University. Before joining Finch Brands, Kayla worked as a Marketing Coordinator at Aramark and then as an entrepreneur expanding her mom’s brand, Nex Level Fitness in Doylestown, PA. In her experience, shifting from corporate to startup to agency, she has confirmed her belief that the most important aspect of any business is its people.
Senior Insights Strategist
Kendall is a Senior Consumer Insights Strategist who loves finding patterns in data that help explain why people act the way they do. She started her career managing complex market research projects for a range of clients, with an emphasis on telecommunications, digital media, and multicultural audiences, and has experience with both quantitative and qualitative research. Most recently, she used her research skills to help inform marketing communications decisions at Saint Joseph’s University. Her interest in research and data analysis was first sparked through her undergraduate work in sociology at Bucknell University.
Senior Insights Coordinator
As a Senior Insights Coordinator at Finch Brands, Laura focuses on enhancing the community member experience and providing support to execute research studies. Born in Panama and having Brazilian roots, Laura speaks Spanish, English, and Portuguese. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing with a minor in Psychology from Saint Joseph’s University. Her passion for research and understanding human behavior led her to getting a Master’s degree in Neuromarketing from the University of Barcelona.
Senior Insights Director
Lauren conducts both quantitative and qualitative research studies within FinchSight research communities. She is passionate about bringing insights to the fore using advanced data visualization and storytelling techniques. Before joining Finch Brands, Lauren managed complex custom research engagements at AMC Global, working across CPG, retail, and tech. Lauren started her career at industry legend GfK with the Brand and Consumer Experience team managing brand trackers and copy tests. She is a proud St. Joe’s Hawk, a species scientists confirm will never die.
Graphic Designer
As a versatile designer, Luke brings skill in graphic design and illustration to our team—where he balances both creative and production work. He has worked professionally in Chicago and Philadelphia on brands such as Ziploc, Scrubbing Bubbles, Glade, Windex, Mr Muscle and Lavazza. Luke received his B.F.A. in Graphic and Interactive Design from Tyler School of Art and Architecture, Temple University, and received multiple honors in the Graphics New Talent Annual.
Insights Director
Mara conducts quantitative and qualitative research and is particularly passionate about data visualization and its utility in clearly communicating complex findings. Prior to Finch Brands, Mara led public health research and evaluation projects at Public Health Management Corporation, particularly focused on behavioral health, LGBTQ+ health, adolescent health, and health equity. Mara holds an MPH from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where she received the Bloomberg Fellowship and a certificate in Health Communications. She received a BA in Sociology from Macalester College, where she also worked as a graphic designer.
Associate Insights Director
Marie is a broad-based Associate Insights Director, who draws on diverse analytical frameworks to elevate Finch Brands’ insights work. Prior to joining our team, Marie led complex pharmaceutical and medical device research projects for a leading global consulting firm. She has always been comfortable grappling with big questions, while also relying a technical skills and cultural literacy – as epitomized by her academic background in French Language and Philosophy at Bryn Mawr College.
Associate Director, Insights
Marisa loves rolling around in data to identify the insights that progress brands and businesses. With a Master’s Degree in Consumer Insights from Pitt, Marisa makes sure we derive every bit of learning from the data we collect. A quant specialist (who can do so much more), ‘Spags’ delights in finding those hidden nuggets that make all the difference. After graduating from Hamilton College, she spent 3 years in media planning in NYC while cultivating a love of data and the stories it tells. This passion led her to grad school and then back to her hometown for this role at Finch Brands.
Operations Coordinator
Nora manages a range of operations tasks at Finch Brands and is a versatile, go-to team member. Graduating from Saint Joseph's University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications, Nora facilitates communication both internally and externally. She collaborates with teammates across all departments, with key roles in onboarding, internships, hospitality, and other things that keep Finch Brands moving. She also works with our vendors daily to ensure the best possible workplace experience.
Senior Insights Manager
Olivia is passionate about building relationships with clients and their target audiences to uncover deep insights that drive impact. Naturally curious, she loves exploring new ways of thinking and excels at drawing on a range of methodologies to get at the heart of research needs. Prior to joining Finch Brands, Olivia spent 4+ years at C Space leading community-based research across CPG, food and beverage, and tech. Olivia has had the pleasure of supporting clients including Kimberly-Clark, Drinkworks, Beam-Suntory, Behr Paint, and Hill's Pet Nutrition.
Insights Coordinator
As an Insights Coordinator, Gina assists with research, manages community members' experience in Finch Brands insights communities, and executes logistic tasks. Gina has a passion for research and understanding the why that's behind the data. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Bloomsburg University and started her career as a substance abuse counselor before shifting to research.
Accounting Coordinator
Shandra’s 20 plus years of finance experience has prepared her for a leadership role on the accounting team at Finch Brands. She brings detail orientation, process expertise, and a natural ‘can do’ spirit to our core financial functions. Always smiling when ‘counting beans,’ Shandra integrates accounting with other Finch teams to ensure administrative excellence across the enterprise.
Senior Director of Strategy
Steve is a brand strategist through and through - identifying what makes our clients unique and communicating it to those who matter most. Steve spent his early career in the trenches of brand development and management for B2B service companies in the sustainability space, helping businesses improve their environmental footprints. In addition to building brand strategies that push our clients’ businesses forward, Steve lends his expertise in web/digital and marketing automation to craft the tactical elements that help clients capture and nurture prospects.
Senior Insight Strategist
Tollie is a Senior Insight Strategist with Finch Brands who has a passion for connecting the theoretical to the applied. With a history rooted in Social (M.A.) and Quant Psychology (M.S.), she adopts an innovative and holistic approach to both strategy and analytics. Tollie believes research is more than just reporting— it is a powerful opportunity to uncover important consumer stories that help clients build thriving brands and better lives for their customers. Prior to Finch, Tollie’s experience has been dynamic across multiple domains, ranging from B2B, B2C, academic, and charity-based work.
Associate Insights Director
Trevor is one of our Associate Insights Directors—straddling both the insights and strategy teams. Born in Switzerland, it’s not too surprising that he is a Swiss-army knife in all kinds of research spanning both quantitative and qualitative. Trevor comes to Finch having collected experiences from across the globe—like helping produce think tank events with leaders in Washington D.C., designing communication strategies for an award-winning startup in Paris or even teaching English in francophone West Africa. Trevor also earned his bachelor’s degrees in French Studies and Public Relations from Brigham Young University. But no matter where Trevor is or what he is doing, his passion always remains in finding data that brings out those sweet “aha!” moments.