Julie Pokela, Ph.D.
President

Julie Pokela, Ph.D., is President of Market Street Research, a company she founded in 1978. Julie is directly involved in every study conducted by Market Street Research, by serving as the Project Principal. As Project Principal, Julie is responsible for client communications, communicating client objectives and needs to the research team, input into and approval of all research components, and meeting with key stakeholders.

In the 26 years since Julie founded the company, she has developed a high level of expertise in a variety of industries. Julie has been involved in designing and analyzing marketing research for both business-to-consumer and business-to-business clients. In terms of consumer behavior, Julie has studied consumer attitudes and behaviors from birth to death, working with health care organizations, financial services companies, social marketing organizations, the food and entertainment industry, retailers, the media, educational organizations, not-profit service providers, technology companies, tourist destinations, and funeral homes.

In addition, given the increasing diversity of the American population, Julie has had extensive experience at conducting marketing research targeting minority and immigrant populations, while much of this research has focused on African-Americans and Latinos, Julie also has experience in conducting marketing research targeting Native Americans, Vietnamese, Chinese, Haitians, and Cambodians.

In terms of business-to-business marketing research, Julie has conducted studies of business decision-makers and influencers for medical equipment manufacturers, technology companies, financial services companies, flocked and specialty paper manufacturers, and manufacturers of a wide variety of industrial supplies.

Julie has a Ph.D. and an M.A. from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, MA in Communications, with a specialty in research methods, and a B.A. from the University of Minnesota in Communications. The organizations that Julie currently serves on the board of, or has in the past, include: the Women's Fund of Western Massachusetts, WGBY TV, Tapestry Health Systems, the Cancer Connection, National Conference of Communities and Justice, Florence Savings Bank, Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce, Center for Human Development, Jessie's House, Hampshire Regional YMCA, and Multibank. Julie was a Big Sister for Big Brothers/Big Sisters for many years.