D3 welcomes six of its newest hires this month! Get to know them below. Welcome to the team!

Bios presented from left to right:

Elana Otero joins D3 with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and minors in Spanish and Women’s and Gender Studies from the College of Charleston. Elana worked on qualitative environmental education policy research for the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE), where she specifically examined France and Spain as global leaders in EE. She continued her work with languages and education as both a Spanish and English teacher at the College of Charleston and in Madrid for the Spanish government. She additionally founded her own consulting practice with individual and organizational clients in November of 2022.

Emily Kane has experience implementing qualitative and quantitative research projects throughout her studies. Before coming to D3, she completed a research practicum in Costa Rica, where she participated in conducting mixed-method research on agroecology and politics. Graduating from American University’s School of International Service in May 2024, Emily will have gained a Master of Arts in International Relations. While at American University, she worked for Cogent Strategies as a Government Relations Fellow and as a Virtual Service Federal Intern for the U.S. Department of State. Previously, Emily worked for Teach for America as a bilingual (Spanish) Kindergarten and first-grade teacher in Dallas, TX. While teaching, she earned a Master of Bilingual Education from Southern Methodist University. Additionally, she holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Hispanic Studies from Davidson College, where she was a Division I NCAA Athlete.

Brittany Owen has nearly a decade of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods research experience in all project stages for government, non-profit, and commercial clients. Brittany’s quantitative project experiences spans from sampling, programming, cognitive testing, field and data management, and data reporting & analysis. With her previous project work ranging from local program evaluation to nationwide defense surveys and her personal administration of multiple CATI, CAPI, and paper surveys, Brittany knows no two projects are the same and leverages her practical knowledge to meet project needs. Her additional qualitative research experience includes focus group protocols & administration and data reporting & analysis. Brittany is an experienced data analyst, with proficiency in SPSS, R, and Stata. She is currently pursuing her M.S. in Survey and Data Science in the Joint Program of Survey Methodology at the University of Maryland.

Bios presented from left to right:

Connor Brassil is a Senior Research Technology Specialist & Data Analyst with nearly a decade of experience managing quantitative research projects. In addition to his background in coordinating the entire research project cycle for face-to-face and telephone-based studies across the world, Connor has experience in implementing web-based market research survey solutions. He has a keen interest in building the capacity of field partners to leverage innovative research technologies and meet high methodological standards. He additionally has extensive experience in programming complex surveys and guiding research technology software development. Connor received his B.A. in Government & International Politics from George Mason University, where he also earned a graduate certificate in Geographic Information Science.

Erin McNally joins D3 as a Research Analyst with 4 years of public opinion research experience, most recently having worked at Public Agenda, a New York City-based nonprofit and nonpartisan research firm. She has an extensive and a broad experience in qualitative and quantitative research methods and is looking forward to bringing her skills on to an international level. In addition to being a new team member at D3, she is also a new resident to the area and is excited to explore the DMV!

Emily Levinson is an Assistant Research Analyst with experience in research design, fieldwork management, and data analysis. Before joining D3, she worked on research projects in conflict-affected areas, with a primary regional focus in West Africa. Emily holds a B.A. in International Relations and a B.A. in French from Tufts University.