2026 Speakers Panel

Tasja joined Mattel as VP of Global Consumer Insights in 2021, bringing a passion for innovation, qualitative research, and storytelling. She leads a global team of explorers dedicated to understanding consumer behavior, preferences, and trends, translating insights into thoughtful strategies and inclusive design. A skilled leader in qualitative research, Tasja uncovers the deep stories behind the data, believing that the most powerful stories are authentic, empower others, and move us beyond logic. By fostering creativity, purpose, and PLAY, she always aims to inspire collaboration and build meaningful connections that shape impactful, joyful experiences for consumers worldwide.

Natasha Hritzuk serves as VP, Head of Corporate Research for Warner Bros. Discovery. In this role, she focuses on delivering studies that optimize the current business across all enterprise assets, as well as identifying new consumer opportunities that reflect shifts in the entertainment ecosystem. Additionally, she supports WBD’s CSR and Government Affairs teams. Prior to this role, Natasha served as VP, Global Consumer Insights, HBO Max at WarnerMedia. Before that, she was VP Advertising Innovation Research and AdLab Lead for Turner, where she oversaw research strategy and data analysis in support of Turner Incite, the company’s core intelligence platform for advertising sales. As a critical partner to the Client Strategy & Development and Content Partnerships teams, Hritzuk was harnessing research and analytics to help make recommendations to clients based on an insight-driven selling approach. She also developed research strategies designed to quantify the value of the company’s next-generation capabilities, as well as cross-Turner integrated marketing campaigns. Previously with Microsoft as head of global consumer insights and research, Hritzuk led many of the innovative new strategies, products and content development streams within the company’s advertising and monetization division. Prior to joining Microsoft, Hritzuk worked for General Mills UK & Ireland where she was Head of Category and Consumer Insights for 5 years. At General Mills, she ran a team of insight managers tasked with delivering insights to drive a range of marketing and sales initiatives including communications development and execution, new product development, consumer and shopper targeting and category visions. Hritzuk has a Ph.D. from Columbia University in political science, with a political behavior and public opinion focus. She currently resides in New York City.

Rob has spent over 20 years in the marketing, innovation and start-up space running and advising brands in media, financial services, tech, gaming, packaged goods, spirits, fashion, auto, and skincare. Rob is currently the Director of Global Insights for Reddit, where he derives insight from the conversations and communities flourishing on the platform. Prior to this, Rob was a Managing Partner at sparks & honey, where he oversaw their cultural consulting practice and built their AI SaaS platform (Q™) to quantify and predict cultural change. A veteran, Rob credits his time in the Navy for shaping his calm demeanor and love of the ocean, traits he’s hoping to pass on to his two young daughters.

Melanie Ceder is a seasoned insights and analysis leader who is driven by the desire to improve customer experiences. She employs a variety of quantitative and qualitative approaches with the same goal in mind: developing an understanding of, and empathy for, customers in an effort to deliver exceptional products all while accomplishing business objectives. Melanie currently serves as Director of Digital Insights & Analytics at Mint Mobile, where she leads a team of analysts and researchers within the e-commerce department. She has previously held roles at Royal Caribbean Cruises, and PwC. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from New York University and a M.S. in Economics from Florida Atlantic University.

Anthony D. Paul manages the applied foresight practice at Amtrak, scaling futuring and innovation initiatives across the organization. The recent half of his 20-year career in leading creative, technical, and leadership teams has been in the transportation segment, defining novel business models, new technology solutions, and IP for solutions including autonomous robots, camera analytics platforms for large facilities like marine ports and rail switching yards, and other automation, logistics, and perception systems. Prior to transportation, he architected decision-maker tools for US defense, healthcare, higher education, and more. His role at Amtrak operationalizes qualitative insights at scale, to inform organizational strategy, put real-time insights into the hands of field crews, and manage detailed roadmaps for new technology and process introductions.

Raina Rusnak leads Market Research and Business Intelligence at StarKist Co., a socially responsible company dedicated to providing nourishing, convenient protein products to consumers across the U.S. In her role, Raina drives product sensory research, brand health analysis, and the development of innovative flavors. With her expertise in consumer behavior, she helps shape strategic decisions that enhance StarKist’s product offerings and consumer experiences. Previously, Raina served as Director of Consumer Insights for Ahold Delhaize USA, overseeing insights for five distinct brands. Her career spans both client and supplier-side roles, giving her a well-rounded perspective on leveraging data to craft consumer-driven strategies. The author of Sampling Life, Raina was named one of Progressive Grocer’s 2022 Top Women in Grocery (TWiG) and recognized as a Woman Leader in Data by BuiltIn Chicago. Outside of work, she channels her passion for fitness into boxing and mountain climbing adventures.

Shourav Sen is the Vice President- Strategic Insights & Analytics- Enterprise Oral Care in Colgate Palmolive. His role is to put people front and center in all of the global growth and innovation strategies for Oral Care. His 25+ years of experience spans Insights, Analytics and Innovation roles across multiple geographies and cultures. He has lived and worked in India, Dubai, London, Mainland China, Hong Kong and New York.

Amanda Wenzel is a Research Manager at Amazon who leads research teams across the AWS AI/ML, Compute, Storage and Database domains. With 20 years of research experience Amanda has deep knowledge of the human factors research techniques needed to understand the deeply technical B2B and B2C customer that uses Amazon Web Services (AWS) for its application and AI needs. Prior to joining Amazon in 2021, Amanda ran product, marketing and user experience research for a wide variety of industries including automotive, government contracting, non-for-profit and FinTech. Amanda holds dual BS degrees in Economics and Business Administration as well as a MBA and PMP. Outside of work, Amanda is an avid tennis player. Her goal in life is to attend each of the Grand Slam tennis tournaments (US Open, Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon.