Practice Leaders
Elba Valle
Managing Director, Hispanic Practice
She is a bi-lingual, bi-cultural, seasoned marketing research professional with over eighteen years of experience studying emerging cultural markets across a wide array of categories for both the client and supplier side allowing her a well-rounded business perspective. Throughout her career, she has facilitated thousands of focus groups, one-one-one interviews and ethnographies among diverse consumers (specializing in Hispanics), implementing a wide range of cutting edge projective methods. In doing so, Ms. Valle has developed an uncanny ability to connect with consumers and a deep understanding of the nuances that make them unique and valuable to her clients. Her passion for the U.S. Hispanic market is evident in the level of commitment she portrays and the quality and integrity of her work. Moreover, she views every project she works on as an opportunity to be the “voice of the consumer” thus portraying them with the respect and dignity they deserve as valued customers.
Along with her extensive research experience, Ms. Valle is also an expert in consumer insight generation and brand building techniques focusing on delivering a deep understanding of a diverse marketplace and impacting growth and sales. Another one of her strengths centres on innovation and new product development where she has worked with numerous clients designing and implementing research studies from concept to actual product launches and beyond through the use of Co-Labs, Online Packaging Studies, Total Proposition Studies and by using the actual market as a laboratory through Control Store Testing.
Before starting Consumer Connection Inc., in 2003, Elba was the U.S. Southeast Region Senior Planning and Research Manager with Diageo, the world’s leading Spirits Company, where she oversaw a multi-million dollar research budget.
Ms. Valle holds a B.A. in Communication with a minor in International Relations from Florida International University. Having completed R.I.V.A I&II and the DWBB I&II, she has had extensive training in facilitation techniques.
Born in Cuba and raised in New Jersey, Ms. Valle has made Miami, Florida her home for the past 17 years where she lives with her son.
Nury Lavandier
Managing Director, Hispanic Practice
Ms. Lavandier has over 14 years experience in implementing and analyzing all forms of research methodologies (i.e. quantitative, qualitative, ethnographic, syndicated, and online), and turning research results into meaningful consumer insights. She is also a professional bilingual, bicultural moderator with broad experience researching consumers of all cultures and walks of life. Her passion and years of experience conducting research among U.S. Hispanics have made her an expert in understanding the many complexities that make up this important segment of the population.
Prior to co-founding Consumer Connection in 2003, Ms. Lavandier was a Research Analyst at YupiMSN, Microsoft’s Spanish-language portal for the Americas and part of the MSN global network, where she successfully managed and executed all internal US Hispanic and Latin American research projects for YupiMSN, Microsoft and advertisers. In this capacity, she was able to delve into the ever growing Hispanic and Latin American online market. She was an integral part in the process of merging Yupi.com and Microsoft by providing insights in to the untapped Hispanic market and providing competitive and market intelligence.
Throughout her career, Ms. Lavandier has conducted numerous research projects in both the quantitative and qualitative fields including but not limited to: attitude and usage, brand-tracking, price sensitivity, concept tests, focus groups, one-on-one interviews, ethnographies and online. The scope of her experience covers a wide of range of product and services such as packaged goods, financial services, personal care products, food and beverages, alcoholic beverages, automotive, and technology. Additionally, Ms. Lavandier has worked on innovations and new product development research where she has implemented and managed projects ranging from exploratory qualitative, concept tests, packaging studies and Control Store Testing.
Ms. Lavandier holds a B.A. in International Relations with a minor in Spanish-American literature from Rollins College. She is a member of the Qualitative Insights Consortium, a collaboration of the nation’s premiere qualitative research professionals.
Born in Puerto Rico and raised in the Dominican Republic, Ms. Lavandier has made Miami her home for the past eighteen years where she lives with her husband.