Intelligence, Personality, & Talent.

You’ll be glad you’re working with a Linker.

Get to Know Us

Linkers are some of the brightest people you’ll ever meet.

They’re a group of smart, collaborative people who love a challenge and have the independence to meet client needs in ways big and small. After all, empowering people is the only means to smarter research and better service.

Amanda Johnson

Position: Vice President
Categories: ATLANTA, RESEARCHERS, SENIOR LEADERSHIP

Hometown
Boca Raton, FL

Education
University of Georgia (MMR)
University of Central Florida (BS in Psychology, Minor in Marketing)

Thinks
Gratitude is the best attitude

What you do
Distill insights, know the data

What makes you a good researcher
Incessant need to have Plan A, B, and C

Has been known to
Say “just kidding” before a joke can land

Amanda Johnson

Vice President

Amani Robinson

Position: Research Manager
Categories: ATLANTA, RESEARCHERS

Hometown
Lawrenceville, GA

Education
Wake Forest University (BS in Business & Enterprise Management, Concentration in Marketing)

Passionate about
Travel, Cooking, TikToks, and True Crime Docs

What makes you a good researcher 
I bring positivity to everything I do and always work hard to get the job done!

Favorite movie
The second half of Titanic…where all the drama happens!

What’s at the top of your bucket list?
Visit all 50 US states

Amani Robinson

Research Manager

Anna Morten

Position: Senior Research Director
Categories: ATLANTA, RESEARCHERS

Hometown
Memphis, TN

Education
Wake Forest University (BA in Psychology, Minor in Journalism)

Thinks
Anything worth doing is worth doing right

Has been known to
Find pizza at any late-night gathering

Guilty pleasure
Arby’s curly fries

Most interesting/unique research topic
Creating a migraine “immersion experience” for clients to walk in the patient’s shoes – complete with drunk goggles, sirens, and nausea-inducing smelling salts

Anna Morten

Senior Research Director

Brian Waters

Position: IT Manager
Categories: ATLANTA, OPERATIONS

Hometown
Jacksonville, FL

Education
Chattahoochee Tech

Passionate about
College football, cars, boats, camping, and hiking

Has been known to
Eat my weight in salsa

Favorite quote
“Those who think they can and those who think they can’t are both usually right.”

What’s at the top of your bucket list?
Stay in an overwater bungalow in Bora Bora

Brian Waters

IT Manager

Cameron Baird

Position: Associate Project Manager
Categories: ATLANTA, RESEARCHERS

Hometown
Raleigh, NC

Education
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (BA in Economics and Public Policy, minor in Spanish)

Thinks
There is no such thing as too many throw pillows!

Has been known to
Order Mac & Cheese whenever it is on a menu

Guilty pleasure
Eating excessive amounts of raw cookie dough

Favorite vacation destination
Topsail Beach, NC

Cameron Baird

Associate Project Manager

Caroline Alessandro

Position: Research Manager
Categories: ATLANTA, RESEARCHERS

Hometown
Winter Park, FL

Education
University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill (BA in Business Journalism & Psychology)

Thinks
Online shopping is a form of therapy

What makes you a good researcher
Curiosity and attention to detail

Guilty pleasure
A $7 latte

Favorite thing about TLG
The collaborative environment, growth mindset, and people who genuninely want the best for each other

Caroline Alessandro

Research Manager

Celestine Imperial

Position: Associate Project Manager
Categories: ATLANTA, RESEARCHERS

Hometown
Tampa, FL

Education
University of South Florida (BS in Integrated Public Relations and Advertising)

Thinks
You are exactly where you should be at any given point in time

What makes you a good researcher
I love to understand people through connections and questions!

Top of your bucket list
Go to Cannes Film Festival

Favorite thing about TLG
Its emphasis on growth, inclusion, and always staying curious

Celestine Imperial

Associate Project Manager

Courtney Turner

Position: Associate Project Manager
Categories: ATLANTA, RESEARCHERS

Hometown
Stockbridge, GA

Education
University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill (BA in Global Health; MPH in Health Behavior)

Has been known to
Fall asleep before the plane takes off

Favorite book
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

Thinks
Most meals should include potatoes in some form

Top of your bucket list
Go to pastry school

Courtney Turner

Associate Project Manager

Dalton Buckley

Position: Associate Project Manager
Categories: ATLANTA, RESEARCHERS

Hometown
Holly Springs, NC

Education
North Carolina State University (BS in Business Administration, Concentration in Marketing)

Has been known to
Listen exclusively to Zach Bryan on road trips

Favorite movie
Good Will Hunting

What makes you a good researcher?
I am never scared to ask questions and find the deeper meanings

Favorite Quote
“To me there are three things everyone should do every day. Number one is laugh. Number two is think — spend some time in thought. Number three, you should have your emotions move you to tears. If you laugh, think and cry, that’s a heck of a day.” – Jim Valvano

Dalton Buckley

Associate Project Manager

D.L. Burrell

Position: Senior Data Manager
Categories: ATLANTA, OPERATIONS

Hometown
Hendersonville, NC

Education
North Carolina State University (BA)
Western Carolina University (MA)

What you do
Fabricate, aggregate, tabulate, evaluate, propogate

Has been known to
Play prog metal music a SMIDGE too loud. Or Broadway showtunes, either one.

Guilty pleasure
Pro-wrestling/MMA podcasts

Favorite thing about TLG
Having experienced other work environments, I really appreciate the people, the culture, and how hard we work for each other

D.L. Burrell

Senior Data Manager

Erik McDonald

Position: Senior Data Manager
Categories: ATLANTA, OPERATIONS

Education
University of Texas – Arlington (BS in Information Systems)

What you do
Make data more accessible and understandable.

Passionate about
Reef aquariums…large reef aquariums

What makes you good at your job
I build cutting edge automation into data tools which leads to cost savings over the long term.

Favorite Quote
“Look, it’s not in my nature to be mysterious. But I can’t talk about it and I can’t talk about why.” – Rusty Ryan, Ocean’s Twelve

Erik McDonald

Senior Data Manager

Fantasia Williams

Position: Program & Process Manager
Categories: ATLANTA, OPERATIONS

Hometown
Atlanta, GA

Education
University of Georgia (BBA Management Information Systems)

Guilty pleasure
The Real Housewives Franchise

Favorite thing about TLG
I love how divested the company is in traditional hierarchical structure. At TLG everyone is empowered to lead.

Life motto
What would Beyonce do?

Has been known to
Travel to a country just for the food

Fantasia Williams

Program & Process Manager

Gia Peeples

Position: Quant Coordinator
Categories: ATLANTA, RESEARCHERS

Hometown
Atlanta, GA

Education
Kennesaw State University (BA Communication)

Passionate about
Helping others by being a connector, live music, and traveling

Has been known to
Eat olives straight out of the jar

Favorite book
The Law of Divine Compensation by Marianne Williamson

Favorite thing about TLG
The culture! There is little ego here, everyone is intelligent, progressive, and truly values a learning environment. They want to see and help everyone around them grow.

Gia Peeples

Quant Coordinator

Jase Bumgardner

Position: Partner
Categories: ATLANTA, RESEARCHERS, SENIOR LEADERSHIP

Hometown
Laurinburg, NC

Education
University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill (BS in Journalism & Mass Communication)

Thinks
Be Kind, Be Brave, Be Yourself

What makes you a good researcher
Working backwards to create a decision advantage

Most interesting research topic
Anything involving the obesity epidemic – why it’s happening, how to drug it, how to beat it

Favorite thing about TLG
Everything

Jase Bumgardner

Partner

Jessica Metcalf

Position: Senior Vice President
Categories: ATLANTA, RESEARCHERS, SENIOR LEADERSHIP

Hometown
Atlanta, GA

Education
Georgia State University (BS in Mathmatics, Minor in Theater)
Kennesaw State University (MBA)

Thinks
You should never be too proud to laugh at yourself; life’s too short to be so serious all the time

What you do 
Simplify complex analyses / numerical insights

Has been known to
Take vacation when a video game I’ve been waiting to drop is first released

What’s your favorite Link Group memory?
Office-wide wine tastings in the Camrud wine cellar

Jessica Metcalf

Senior Vice President

Joi Freeman

Position: Research Manager
Categories: ATLANTA, RESEARCHERS

Hometown
Wake Forest, NC

Education
Wake Forest University (BA in Economics, Minors in Psychology & Statistics)

Thinks
Vulnerabilty is the core of human connection

Has been known to
Wear a sweater when it’s 75 degrees

Favorite quote
“Be somebody who makes everybody feel like a somebody” – Kid President

Favorite thing about TLG
The culture is unbeatable. We are the definition of work hard, play hard.

Joi Freeman

Research Manager

Kathrine Soliman

Position: Associate Project Manager
Categories: ATLANTA, RESEARCHERS

Hometown
Charlotte, NC

Education
University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill (BSBA, BA in Economics)

What makes you a good researcher?
I’m a good mix of left- and right-brained. I love listening to/communicating with people, but also enjoy analyzing and finding patterns in data.

Guilty pleasure
Mindlessly eating kettle jalapeño chips or Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia

Favorite quote
“Women belong in all places where decisions are being made.” – RBG

Favorite thing about TLG
The people and the culture! I’m encouraged to learn and grow with the support of Linkers every step of the way.

Kathrine Soliman

Associate Project Manager

Katie Kennihan

Position: Research Director
Categories: ATLANTA, RESEARCHERS

Hometown
Chapel Hill, NC

Education
University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill (BSBA)

Passionate about
Dogs, traveling to new places, British reality TV

What makes you a good researcher 
I never get tired of learning new things or meeting new people

Has been known to
FaceTime my family’s dogs regularly

Guilty pleasure
Pineapple on pizza

Katie Kennihan

Research Director

Lara Case

Position: Associate Project Manager
Categories: ATLANTA, RESEARCHERS

Hometown
Ashland City, TN

Education
Trinity University (BS Business Administration)
Wake Forest University (MS in Business Analytics)

Favorite book
Becoming by Michelle Obama

What’s at the top of your bucket list
Machu Picchu and Bora Bora

Favorite thing about TLG
Feeling supported and respected by all my colleagues!

Has been known to
Monogram too many items

Lara Case

Associate Project Manager

Lynn Young

Position: Director, Accounting & Business Management
Categories: ATLANTA, OPERATIONS

Hometown
Atlanta, GA

Education
Georgia State

Thinks
Travel is an investment in yourself

Guilty pleasure
FAIL videos (people falling, etc.)

Favorite quote
“Brevity is the soul of wit.” – Hamlet

Favorite movie
Anything Will Ferrell and Jaws

What’s at the top of your bucket list?
To have a hobby farm!

Lynn Young

Director, Accounting & Business Management

Mason Atwell

Position: Associate Project Manager
Categories: ATLANTA, RESEARCHERS

Hometown
Raleigh, NC

Education
University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill (BA in Business Journalism)

Passionate about
Oysters on the half shell

What makes you a good researcher?
Attention to detail and personability

Favorite quote
“Sometimes it is the people no one imagines anything of who do the things no one can imagine.” – Alan Turing

Favorite movie
Inception

Mason Atwell

Associate Project Manager

Matt Kulasevig

Position: Quantitative Project Coordinator
Categories: ATLANTA, OPERATIONS

Hometown
Boca Raton, FL

Education
Florida Atlantic University (BS in Business Management)

Passionate about
Animation, model kits, and my dog

What makes you good at your job
I cover a wide array of projects and take what I learn to the next project

Has been known to
Go out to buy lunch even though I packed one

What’s at the top of your bucket list?
Visit Japan to see the life-size Gundams

Matt Kulasevig

Quantitative Project Coordinator

Michelle Lester

Position: Partner
Categories: ATLANTA, RESEARCHERS, SENIOR LEADERSHIP

Hometown
Chattanooga, TN

Education
UGA (BBA, MMR)

Thinks
The only constant in life is change

Passionate about
Food, neuroscience, and fantasy football

Has been known to
Say what everyone else is thinking

What is your “at bat” song?
Short Skirt, Long Jacket by Cake

Michelle Lester

Partner

Natalie Camrud

Position: Research Manager
Categories: ATLANTA, RESEARCHERS

Hometown
Atlanta, GA

Education
Scripps College (BA)

Passionate about
Reading, being outdoors, memorizing restaurant menus beforehand, and naps

Has been known to
Dance so hard that my silent disco headphones fly off

Favorite quote
“Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it” – Eckhart Tolle

What’s at the top of your bucket list?
Go canyoneering at Zion National Park

Natalie Camrud

Research Manager

Nick Rowland

Position: Senior Quantitative Analyst
Categories: ATLANTA, RESEARCHERS

Hometown
Atlanta, GA

Education
Cornell University (BS)

Thinks
A lot about everything

What you do
Makes the improbable reality

Passionate about
My children

Favorite book
The Count of Monte Cristo, Othello, and The Brother Karamazov

Nick Rowland

Senior Quantitative Analyst

Olivia Katsoudas

Position: Associate Project Manager
Categories: ATLANTA, RESEARCHERS

Hometown
Burlington, NC

Education
University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill (BS in Statistics and Analytics, BS in Psychology, Data Science Minor)

What you do (in 5 words or less)
Learn and grow every day

Favorite book
The Shining

Favorite quote
Everything that is meant for you is on its way

Top of your bucket list
Speak fluent Greek

Olivia Katsoudas

Associate Project Manager

Phereby Kersh

Position: Associate Project Manager
Categories: ATLANTA, RESEARCHERS

Hometown
Chapel Hill, NC

Education
Wake Forest University (BA in Psychology)

Passionate About
Spotify playlists, good food, bookstores, and walking fast

Guilty Pleasure
Love Island (but only the UK version)

Has been known to
Buy a new book at any chance even when I have a stack of unread ones on my nightstand

Favorite Quote
“Instructions for living a life. Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.” – Mary Oliver

Phereby Kersh

Associate Project Manager

Raja Gupta

Position: Partner
Categories: ATLANTA, RESEARCHERS, SENIOR LEADERSHIP

Hometown
Birmingham, AL

Education
University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill (BSBA)
Duke University (MBA)

Thinks
Do what you love and success will follow

What you do
Support clients and colleagues in their growth

Has been known to
Be a little extra when it comes to making cocktails

What’s your superpower?
Ordering just the right amount of food at big a group dinner

Raja Gupta

Partner

Sara Smith

Position: Research Manager
Categories: ATLANTA, RESEARCHERS

Hometown
Louisville, KY

Education
University of Kentucky (BA in Mathematics)
Wake Forest University (MSBA)

Thinks
Ice cream for breakfast is the best way to start your day

What makes you a good researcher 
I am always very curious. I strive to constantly learn more and ask the why behind every answer.

What’s at the top of your bucket list?
Backpack through Asia

Favorite thing about TLG
The candy drawer. Oh, and the love, support, and laughter of Linkers that fills the TLG offices.

Sara Smith

Research Manager

Saritha Venkataram

Position: Associate Project Manager
Categories: ATLANTA, RESEARCHERS

Hometown
Tampa, FL

Education
Wake Forest University (BA in Economics)

Guilty pleasure
Pixar short films

Favorite quote
“What we do is more important than what we say or what we believe” –  Bell Hooks

What’s at the top of your bucket list?
Visiting all the national parks!

What makes you a good researcher?
Being a creative and curious problem solver!

Saritha Venkataram

Associate Project Manager

Steve Barnard

Position: Partner
Categories: ATLANTA, RESEARCHERS, SENIOR LEADERSHIP

Hometown
Deland, FL

Education
University of Florida (BS)
University of Tennessee (PhD)

Thinks
Life is your oyster!

What you do 
Help build and implement best practices

Passionate about
Not getting too out of shape, building/fixing things, my family

Guilty pleasure
Candy Crush

Steve Barnard

Partner

Contact Us

Ready to talk to the right researcher?

We typically work directly with end-clients! Tell us more about you and the work you’re looking to do, and we’ll have the Linker with the right expertise reach out directly. There’s no sales team at The Link Group, so you’ll get direct & personal attention from a researcher right away, and you can see for yourself what smarter research and better service feels like. 

Name(Required)
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.