Meet the
TEAM
We're a team of innovative thinkers and ambitious change-makers who work alongside our clients with a shared ambition to achieve groundbreaking results.
Founder, Chief Brand Officer, and Marketing Executive
Serena Saitas
Group Director of Operations
SAMANTHA DEMINSKY
Group Director of Digital Analytics
Mary Andrews
Market Research Manager
ALexandra Singerman
Senior Brand Strategist
Ben Abouchar
Director of Digital Analytics
Caitlin Mccluskey
Junior Brand Strategist
ALLISANDRA PASSANITI
Director of Quantitative Research
MARISA DOLAN PARASCHAK
Marketing & Communications Director
CRAIG FESSLER
Serena, an award-winning global brand strategist and marketing executive, is the founder of REAL and a trusted advisor to CEOs and CMOs. Her expertise lies in identifying nascent market trends and transforming insights into groundbreaking opportunities for her clients. Serena is renowned for her bold predictions and unique approach to challenging industry conventions, successfully guiding numerous companies in reframing their positioning and adapting to modern consumer demands. Serena has worked with some of the world’s most esteemed brands including American Express, GE, Delta Air Lines, Chico’s FAS, Old Navy, Pfizer, Morgan Stanley, L.L. Bean, Biogen, J&J and United Rentals, and she has partnered with all of the top global advertising agencies.
Founder, Chief Brand Officer, and Marketing Executive
Serena Saitas
Group Director of Operations
SAMANTHA DEMINSKY
Group Director of Digital Analytics
Mary Andrews
Market Research Manager
ALexandra Singerman
Senior Strategy Partner
Ben Abouchar
Director of Digital Analytics
Caitlin Mccluskey
Junior Strategy Planner
ALLISANDRA PASSANITI
Director of Quantitative Research
MARISA DOLAN PARASCHAK
Marketing & Communications Director
CRAIG FESSLER
Samantha (Sam) leads cross-functional operations, including financial management, business planning, and the day-to-day operations at REAL. For over a decade, Sam has successfully managed large scale global projects across different lines of business for companies including Adobe, Google, GSK, Sanofi, and Johnson & Johnson while working at global advertising and marketing companies such as Digitas, LBi, and MRY.
Founder, Chief Brand Officer, and Marketing Executive
Serena Saitas
Group Director of Operations
SAMANTHA DEMINSKY
Group Director of Digital Analytics
Mary Andrews
Market Research Manager
ALexandra Singerman
Senior Strategy Partner
Ben Abouchar
Director of Digital Analytics
Caitlin Mccluskey
Junior Strategy Planner
ALLISANDRA PASSANITI
Director of Quantitative Research
MARISA DOLAN PARASCHAK
Marketing & Communications Director
CRAIG FESSLER
Mary has deep expertise in data analytics and leads the digital strategy and analytics team for REAL. Mary has built data collection infrastructures, processes, governance and insight-based optimization plans across large scale industries with a special focus on retail, healthcare and automotive. She has led large scale digital analytical engagements for Chase Bank, J&J, and Pfizer.
Market Research Manager
ALexandra Singerman
Senior Strategy Partner
Ben Abouchar
Director of Digital Analytics
Caitlin Mccluskey
Founder, Chief Brand Officer, and Marketing Executive
Serena Saitas
Group Director of Operations
SAMANTHA DEMINSKY
Group Director of Digital Analytics
Mary Andrews
Junior Strategy Planner
ALLISANDRA PASSANITI
Director of Quantitative Research
MARISA DOLAN PARASCHAK
Marketing & Communications Director
CRAIG FESSLER
Alex is an experienced fielding and logistics manager with a long track record of leading high stakes research projects. She manages the scheduling, fielding, budgeting, and field proposals for all engagements and ensures the latest tools, platforms and methods are incorporated into our market research and insight studies. Alex also ensures the integrity of each research project is maintained and is focused on delivering client partner satisfaction.
Founder, Chief Brand Officer, and Marketing Executive
Serena Saitas
Group Director of Operations
SAMANTHA DEMINSKY
Group Director of Digital Analytics
Mary Andrews
Market Research Manager
ALexandra Singerman
Senior Strategy Partner
Ben Abouchar
Director of Digital Analytics
Caitlin Mccluskey
Junior Strategy Planner
ALLISANDRA PASSANITI
Director of Quantitative Research
MARISA DOLAN PARASCHAK
Marketing & Communications Director
CRAIG FESSLER
Ben conducts marketing research, identifies unique opportunities for brands, and helps develop brand and marketing strategies for client partners. He is uniquely skilled at both quantitative and qualitive analysis and is succinctly in tune with what modern consumers demand from brands today. Ben is well versed in topics that converge at the intersection of culture, technology, and consumer behavior, and is passionate about exploring a wide range of research methods including AI and Large Language Models (LLMs) and their potential to transform productivity and strategic decision-making within marketing.
Founder, Chief Brand Officer, and Marketing Executive
Serena Saitas
Group Director of Operations
SAMANTHA DEMINSKY
Group Director of Digital Analytics
Mary Andrews
Market Research Manager
ALexandra Singerman
Senior Strategy Partner
Ben Abouchar
Director of Digital Analytics
Caitlin Mccluskey
Junior Strategy Planner
ALLISANDRA PASSANITI
Director of Quantitative Research
MARISA DOLAN PARASCHAK
Marketing & Communications Director
CRAIG FESSLER
Caitlin helps drive successful client business outcomes through data analysis, measurement, and compelling storytelling. She specializes in uncovering insights from complex data sets and creating impactful data visualizations that contextualize opportunities for client partners. Her experience covers various industries, including Fenty Beauty, Gap, and Feeding America. Her expertise is further demonstrated in the leadership roles at the Digital Analytics Association (DAA) and as a Tableau User Group Leader.
Founder, Chief Brand Officer, and Marketing Executive
Serena Saitas
Group Director of Operations
SAMANTHA DEMINSKY
Group Director of Digital Analytics
Mary Andrews
Market Research Manager
ALexandra Singerman
Senior Strategy Partner
Ben Abouchar
Director of Digital Analytics
Caitlin Mccluskey
Junior Strategy Planner
ALLISANDRA PASSANITI
Director of Quantitative Research
MARISA DOLAN PARASCHAK
Marketing & Communications Director
CRAIG FESSLER
Allisandra supports the team by conducting market research and assisting in the development of strategic insights to drive client success. Her strong interest in culture, emerging trends, and her passion for people give her a unique perspective, making her a valuable contributor across all aspects of our business, especially in projects aimed at Gen Z consumers. Allisandra has worked on The Paper Store, Stripes, and 1 Hotels, and she is contributing to a thought leadership a study focused on Gen Z women.
Founder, Chief Brand Officer, and Marketing Executive
Serena Saitas
Group Director of Operations
SAMANTHA DEMINSKY
Group Director of Digital Analytics
Mary Andrews
Market Research Manager
ALexandra Singerman
Senior Strategy Partner
Ben Abouchar
Director of Digital Analytics
Caitlin Mccluskey
Junior Strategy Planner
ALLISANDRA PASSANITI
Director of Quantitative Research
MARISA DOLAN PARASCHAK
Marketing & Communications Director
CRAIG FESSLER
Marisa leads the design and customization of data-driven studies for clients seeking to measure success, track brand health, and gain a deep understanding of customer behavior. With a passion for transforming data into actionable insights, she oversees large-scale projects, leading our team of analysts to deliver impactful, strategy driven results.
Founder, Chief Brand Officer, and Marketing Executive
Serena Saitas
Group Director of Operations
SAMANTHA DEMINSKY
Group Director of Digital Analytics
Mary Andrews
Market Research Manager
ALexandra Singerman
Senior Strategy Partner
Ben Abouchar
Director of Digital Analytics
Caitlin Mccluskey
Junior Strategy Planner
ALLISANDRA PASSANITI
Director of Quantitative Research
MARISA DOLAN PARASCHAK
Marketing & Communications Director
CRAIG FESSLER
Craig is an experienced marketing communications director and copywriter with a deep specialty in the retail and health industry. Craig shapes the copy and tone of brand and marketing campaigns, develops brand, mission and positioning statements, and collaborates on the strategic direction of cross-channel campaigns. Craig is versatile and innovative and helps drive meaningful value through the creation of highly impactful and effective marketing communications that drive results. Craig worked at L.L. Bean for over 13 years and is currently leading the communications efforts for several health and retail clients.
Founder, Chief Brand Officer, and Marketing Executive
Serena Saitas
Group Director of Operations
SAMANTHA DEMINSKY
Group Director of Digital Analytics
Mary Andrews
Market Research Manager
ALexandra Singerman
Senior Strategy Partner
Ben Abouchar
Director of Digital Analytics
Caitlin Mccluskey
Junior Strategy Planner
ALLISANDRA PASSANITI
Director of Quantitative Research
MARISA DOLAN PARASCHAK
Marketing & Communications Director
CRAIG FESSLER
Serena, an award-winning global brand strategist and marketing executive, is the founder of REAL and a trusted advisor to CEOs and CMOs. Her expertise lies in identifying nascent market trends and transforming insights into groundbreaking opportunities for her clients. Serena is renowned for her bold predictions and unique approach to challenging industry conventions, successfully guiding numerous companies in reframing their positioning and adapting to modern consumer demands.
Serena has worked with some of the world’s most esteemed brands including American Express, GE, Delta Air Lines, Chico’s FAS, Old Navy, Pfizer, Morgan Stanley, L.L. Bean, Biogen, J&J and United Rentals, and she has partnered with all of the top global advertising agencies.
Samantha (Sam) leads cross-functional operations including financial management, business planning and the day-to-day operations at REAL. Sam has successfully managed large scale global projects across different lines of business for brands including Adobe, Google, GSK, Sanofi, and Johnson & Johnson and she has worked for over a decade at global advertising and marketing companies including Digitas, LBi, and MRY.
Mary has deep expertise in data analytics and leads the digital strategy and analytics team for REAL. Mary has significant experience developing data collection infrastructures, processes, governance and insight-based optimization plans across large scale industries with a special focus on retail, healthcare and automotive. She has led large scale digital analytical engagements for Chase Bank, J&J, and Pfizer.
Alex is an experienced fielding and logistics manager with a long track record of leading high stakes research projects. She manages the scheduling, fielding, budgeting, and field proposals for all engagements and ensures the latest tools, platforms and methods are incorporated into our market research and insight studies. Alex also ensures the integrity of each research project is maintained and is focused on delivering client partner satisfaction.
Ben conducts marketing research, identifies unique opportunities for brands, and helps develop brand and marketing strategies for client partners. He is uniquely skilled at both quantitative and qualitive analysis and is succinctly in tune with what modern consumers demand from brands today. Ben is well versed in topics that converge at the intersection of culture, technology, and consumer behavior, and is passionate about exploring a wide range of research methods including AI and Large Language Models (LLMs) and their potential to transform productivity and strategic decision-making within marketing.
Caitlin excels at optimizing client business outcomes through data analysis, measurement, and compelling storytelling. She specializes in uncovering insights from complex data sets and creating impactful data visualizations that identify opportunities for client partners across various industries, including Fenty Beauty, Gap, Fitbit, and Feeding America. Caitlin's expertise is further demonstrated by her leadership roles in the Digital Analytics Association (DAA) and as a Tableau User Group Leader.
Allisandra is a recent graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and helps support the brand and marketing strategy needs at REAL. Allisandra’s strong interest in culture, emerging trends and her passion in people allow her to provide a valuable point-of-view particularly on projects geared to Gen Z consumers. She is responsible for contributing insight starters that feed into workshop development, co-creation labs, and internal strategy sessions. Allisandra also supports client engagements throughout all phases of a project. She has worked on insight and strategic engagements for The Paper Store, Stripes, and 1Hotels, and is contributing to a thought leadership a study on Gen Z women.
Marisa leads the customization and design of data-driven studies for brands seeking to measure success, track brand health, or to provide a reliable understanding of consumer behavior. Marisa loves to apply data to create meaningful stories and oversees large-scale projects year-over-year with our team of analysts.
Craig is an experienced marketing communications director and copywriter with a deep specialty in the retail and health industry. Craig shapes the copy and tone of brand and marketing campaigns, develops brand, mission and positioning statements, and collaborates on the strategic direction of cross-channel campaigns. Craig is versatile and innovative and helps drive meaningful value through the creation of highly impactful and effective marketing communications that drive results. Craig worked at L.L. Bean for over 13 years and is currently leading the communications efforts for several health and retail clients.
