A trusted team with
experience and expertise.

Today, no other research firm in Canada has a deeper understanding of what moves and motivates working people. And we’re learning more every day – to serve our clients better.

Our experienced strategic advisors are trusted by our clients to deliver deeper insight and better advice than any other research company. And supported by our team of experts in quantitative research, data science, and qualitative methodology, we use the best tools to find the most rigorous answers.
Our company is proudly owned and led by women. And our team members work with clients across Canada from our offices in Winnipeg, Ottawa, and Vancouver.

For over 35 years, we’ve specialized in working with governments, public institutions, Crown corporations, professional associations and unions, and charitable and non-profit organizations. Our clients are dedicated to making life better for Canadians. We help them achieve it.

Heather Fraser
Partner

An expert in opinion research and strategy, Heather knows what moves people. With more than 20 years of experience fusing communications, research and organization into effective strategies, she knows how to inspire people to positive action. A skilled focus group moderator and serial focus group observer, Heather believes when we listen to people, we learn the secrets of the universe. 

Heather led communications for CUPE National for nearly five years, crafted a member engagement strategy for SEIU Canada and served as the NDP’s Director of Organization for the better part of a decade.  

Heather is also the President of The NOW Group. She lives in Ottawa with her husband Chris and is a proud mom of two daughters.

Joanne Deer
Partner

Jo’s everything we love: savvy strategist, brilliant writer, witty tweeter and a great person to work with. 

Joanne’s forte is pulling insights from surveys and focus groups – and applying them to real world campaigns and products. And when you wander too far afield, she’ll pull you back to match those insights to your strategy. Motivated by her other role as a partner at The NOW Group, she’s in hot pursuit of news ways to test digital advertising to measure results and provide insights in real time. 

As a former news producer who headed comms for ACTRA and the federal NDP, Jo’s expertise and eye for great production values bring a strategic and creative touch to everything she does. Possibly the only Nova Scotian – safari guide – comedian you will ever meet.

Michele Della Mattia
Partner

Michele’s superpower is her deep understanding of our client’s needs and desires. She’s got an incredible ability to know what you need — even before you do. 

She knows that the best outcomes happen when we test our assumptions – and she’ll help you navigate a myriad of opinion research choices to fit your strategy and your budget.

Michele is a partner at The NOW Group, where she has overseen the client services team since 2014. She always ensures we all have what we need to excel and get the job done right for you. 

Leslie Turnbull
Senior Advisor and Former Principal

Leslie Turnbull knows exactly the right question to ask and when to ask it – to get the insights that our clients count on.

Since joining Viewpoints in 1991, she has provided clients with results-oriented strategic advice based on the best market research. Her areas of expertise in opinion research range from policy development and prioritization to testing communications messaging and advertising creative. Leslie’s experience covers the gamut of opinion and market research, but strategic guidance is her forte, especially when it comes to campaigns.

As a partner at Viewpoints, Leslie built our reputation for delivering top-quality research and trusted strategic advice to clients across Canada. Leslie has logged thousands of miles by air, land and sea, to lead focus group discussions from Iqaluit to Halifax to Victoria. And between trips, she puts her 30+ years’ experience to work in her home city of Winnipeg. 

Ginny Devine
Strategic Advisor and Former Principal

As one of Viewpoints’ founding partners, Ginny has decades of experience helping our clients tackle their opinion and market research challenges head-on. She has a sixth sense about how people think and why, which translates into insightful analysis of research results. 

With a background in public policy and government and extensive experience working on projects with unions and businesses, Ginny is adept at understanding the dynamics unique to many sectors. Her years of experience in developing surveys, moderating focus groups and interpreting the results allow her to solve research problems in inventive, effective and efficient ways. 

Elana Schultz
Senior Research Associate

With over 30 years of experience in quantitative research design and statistical analysis, Elana’s expertise helps determine the most rigorous methods for every project – giving our clients the most accurate insights. Her analytical approach and track-record of success instills confidence in Viewpoints’ clients that their research strategies are always well designed from the ground up. 

Elana holds a Bachelor of Science with a Major in Statistics from the University of Manitoba and is a member of the Marketing Research and Intelligence Association (MRIA).

Elana lives in Winnipeg with her husband, Myron. When she’s not designing surveys and testing new research methods, she is an active volunteer board member with several non-profit community organizations in Manitoba. 

James Valcke
Director of Research and Strategy

A skilled focus group moderator, James Valcke brings years of experience working on the frontlines where public opinion meets campaigns that impact national policy agendas.

James has a knack for finding the heart of an issue and using it to help clients tell their stories more effectively. A sharp understanding of audience definition and engagement has provided him with invaluable insights throughout many campaigns. His ability to refine research into clear and reliable communications has made him a trusted advisor to leaders across sectors.

Throughout his work in the political, municipal and labour sectors, James has learned how clients can leverage opinion and research to not just shape national conversations, but to meet people where they are – and bring them with. 

Mark Shank
Operations Manager

 

Fixer. Organizer. Technology trouble-shooter. Manager extraordinaire. 

Mark Shank proudly wears all those hats and more. When Mark is on the job – especially when it comes to managing our focus group facility and online focus groups – clients can rest assured no detail will be overlooked and no administrative need unmet.

Learning. Growing. Innovating.
To give you more insight.