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Meet Your 2011 PAPOR Executive Council |
Paul T. Melevin - President Paul T. Melevin, is a Research Program Specialist II with the Survey and Applied Research Section of the State of California's Employment Development Department. 
He is the lead researcher in charge of overseeing many of the department's survey research efforts including the consumer
satisfaction surveys for the Unemployment Insurance Branch. Paul has a deep interest in research ethics and in the
protection of human subjects. He has organized and presented on numerous panels and workshops on the subject of protecting
the privacy of human subjects. He has been the Principal Investigator on over 120 Applied Research projects for a variety
of government agencies and university research centers. He is the primary author of several articles on survey research
methodology that have been published in Social Insight and the Journal of Applied Sociology. His most recent article,
"Automating Dillman's Total Design Methodology (TDM) for Mail Questionnaires", was co-authored by Susan Ayres and published
as Chapter 12 in Doing Sociology: Case Studies in Sociological Practice (editors, Jammie Price, Roger A. Strauss, and
Jeffrery R. Breese, 2009). He has previously served as PAPOR's Vice President/President-Elect in 2010, Conference Chair in
2009, and as the Associate Conference Chair in 2008, Vice President and Program Chair for the Society for Applied Sociology
(SAS) in 2002-2003, Vice President Elect for SAS in 2001- 2002 and as a member of the SAS Board of Directors from 2000-2001.
From 1998 to 2001, he chaired the Pacific Sociological Association.s (PSA) Committee on Practice, Applied, and Clinical
Sociology and in 1997-1998; he was Chair of PSA's Committee on the Status of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered
Persons in Sociology. He received his Ph.D. in Sociology from Washington State University in Pullman, WA (1988), his M.A. in
Sociology from the University of Colorado, Boulder (1983), and his B.A. in Sociology from Indiana University, Bloomington
(1976).
Contact Paul |
Bob Davis - Vice-President/President-elect Bob Davis is President of Davis Research, a second generation family business focusing on web and telephone data collection for public and private industry. 
Bob's first job in research came when he was 3 years old working for his mom
taping quarters to outgoing mail surveys. Needless to say, he has seen a lot of change in the industry over the last
3 decades. Bob has a particular research interest in methodology strategy for the execution of research projects. When Bob used to
have free time he enjoyed traveling, hiking, cooking, and eating. Now he spends most of his time juggling demands from
his 4 year old son Zach and his 2 year old twins Riley and Jared. Bob holds a B.S. in Computer
Science from UCSD and Masters in Business Administration from the Anderson
School of UCLA.
Contact Bob |
Ed Ledek: Secretary Ed Ledek has been in and around research, politics, polling  and market research most of his life,
including his first professional position with the U.S. Census Bureau in 1980. His first
professional job in the industry was with the 1980 U.S. Census. After working on local political races, his life
and educational goals took him to Utah. Once there, he immersed himself in the world of research. Since 1984,
Ed has worked for full-service, data collection, sample and online research companies. Through those
opportunities, Ed has developed an expertise in field training and implementation. He has trained researchers
all over the world in "Applied Research Methods 101." In addition, Ed has served within the PAPOR, AAPOR, MRA,
SWMRA, CMOR and AAPC communities. He has planned and coordinated many conferences. He has served on various
committees and he has spoken, moderated or presented at conferences around the country. Currently Ed is also
serving the MRA on various national committees. When not working or traveling-- a passion that takes him hither
and yon both domestically and internationally-- Ed enjoys sports and athletics (participating, watching on TV or
live) and reading across a variety of genres and subjects.
Contact Ed |
Mechelle Pierce -Treasurer Ten years ago, after extensive studies in Finance/Accounting at the University of Denver, Colorado, Mechelle Pierce began her career 
as a Sales Representative at Apperson Print Resources.
It was quickly noted that Mechelle had a unique skill set that allowed her to review and analyze data files, reports, etc and
anticipate problems or troubleshoot issues that others may overlook. It was these exact characteristics that Apperson was looking for
to spearhead the new Digital Technology Services division that was acquired through an acquisition. In 2002 she transitioned to the
Director of Digital Technology Services, Mechelle developed a division that now offers a full line of services including; survey
design, printing, mailing/distribution, collection of raw data, and more. Under Mechelle's direction, the division has grown more
than 500% in just 7 short years. Mechelle is also known for her great networking abilities, and has developed strategic partnerships
with many market research companies to assist with the deployment of paper-based surveys. In her spare time, Mechelle enjoys
traveling (but not on business), reading and volunteering. Mechelle may be reached via email at Contact Mechelle |
Amy Simon - Conference Chair Amy R. Simon is a partner at Goodwin Simon Strategic Research. Amy Simon brings 20 years of political experience to her work as a pollster and 
communications strategist. She conducts research on a variety of public policy issues and her clients include state and
local government, non-profits, labor unions, and both political and candidate committees. She has worked on candidate and
ballot measure campaigns at the federal, state and local level in over 40 states. Prior to founding GSV Research in 2001,
she worked as a pollster at Bennett, Petts and Blumenthal and GLS Research. A former campaign manager, direct mail
consultant, and political director before becoming a pollster, Ms. Simon helped elect pro-choice women at the Women's
Campaign Fund and was an organizer on the Dukakis presidential campaign. Locally, Ms. Simon managed city council and state
assembly races. Ms. Simon serves on the Board of Directors of PeacePAC and Emerge America and is a contributing author to
True to Ourselves, a collection of essays by prominent American women. Ms. Simon graduated with Honors from the University
of Michigan in 1987. She studied at the Joint Program in Survey Methodology (Universities of Maryland and Michigan). She is
a member of the American Association for Public Opinion Research and the American Association of Political Consultants. Contact Amy |
H. Stuart Elway - Associate Conference Chair H. Stuart Elway has been measuring and analyzing public opinion since 1975. As president of Elway Research, Inc.,  he has
directed
research projects for large and small businesses, associations, not-for-profits, public agencies at all levels, candidates, ballot
measures and media outlets.
In addition to being regularly and widely quoted in Northwest media, he has appeared on all 6 television networks and been quoted in
nearly every major newspaper in the country, plus Time and The Economist. He has appeared as a guest on NPR. talk shows and was an
on-air analyst for the 2008 US presidential debates for Al Jazeera.
Elway Research has been conducting electronic town meetings and interactive polling forums since 1988 for organizations from the
Muckleshoot Indian Tribe to the United States Navy and is pioneering the use random-sample interactive polls on live television. He
designed and conducted nationally acclaimed citizen engagement programs on government accountability and performance.
Elway holds a Ph.D. in Communications and has taught in the graduate public affairs programs at both the University of Washington and
The Evergreen State College. He is on the Visiting Committee for the University of Washington Department of Communications, and is a
member of the American Association of Public Opinion Research.
Contact Stuart |
Sarah Cho - Membership Chair Sarah Cho is a Survey Analyst at the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation in the Public Opinion and Survey Research program. 
Her current work examines the public.s attitudes
towards and experiences with the health care system, with a focus on Americans' views
and knowledge of the health care reform law. Previously she was a Data Analyst at Safe
Horizon where she researched help-seeking among crime victims in New York City.
Contact Sarah |
Kelly Patterson - Student Paper Competition Chair Kelly Patterson is Professor of Political Science at Brigham Young University. 
His research interests include campaigns and elections, public opinion, and election administration. Professor Patterson received
his Ph.D. in 1989 from Columbia University. He worked on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. as a Congressional Fellow with the American
Political Science Association. In 2002 he became the Director of the KBYU-Utah Colleges Exit Poll, a poll that has surveyed voters in
the state of Utah for over 20 years. He is currently director of the Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy at BYU.
Contact Kelly |
Leora Lawton -Councilor-at-Large (Webmaster) Leora Lawton wears many hats: She owns a boutique consultancy specializing in custom social science and consumer behavior research, 
TechSociety Research (www.techsociety.com), and has been conducting online research since 1994. She teaches community-based
research and other courses in the UC Berkeley Sociology department. Because she enjoyed being on campus, in 2008 she began
working as the executive director of the Berkeley Population Center. She is president of a very small non-profit, the
Eastbayshore Eruv Corporation. Her scholarly research interest in family dovetails with her employee satisfaction
consulting: she is currently studying work-family balance, flexibility and job satisfaction. Past association experience
includes Treasurer and Executive Director of the Society of Applied Sociology, and with the section on Sociological
Practice of the American Sociological Association she has served as councilmember, Chair, Secretary, and now newsletter
editor. She feels like she doesn't have any spare time with all that, but somehow manages to entertain friends with home
cooking and go bike-riding. Leora has a Ph.D. in sociology from Brown University.
Contact Leora |
Paul Johnson -Councilor-at-Large Paul Johnson is Senior Analyst at Opinionology. Paul specializes in online sampling design and advanced analytic methods. 
Paul's research based approach to identifying and recommending solutions positions him well to
investigating panelist behavior; oversee data processing efforts; improve online data integrity and provide advanced analytic support to
clients. Paul also actively pursuing a research agenda on survey research methods and applications of conjoint methodology. His
research on research efforts have been featured regularly at ESOMAR, AAPOR, CASRO and Sawtooth events. Paul holds an MS in Statistics
and BS in Actuarial Science from Brigham Young University. He joined Opinionology in 2006.
Contact Paul |
Anthony Salvanto -Councilor-at-Large -
Anthony Salvanto has been with CBS News since 2002 where, in addition to his work on design and analysis for the CBS News and CBS News/New York Times Polls, he is a 
member of the CBS News Decision Desk, which estimates election outcomes on Election Night. He contributes columns on public
opinion to CBSNews.com and has appeared on the CBS Evening News and on CBS Radio. His Ph.D. is from the University of
California, Irvine. Anthony is also Vice President/ President-Elect of the New York Chapter of AAPOR. Though based in New
York, Anthony also keeps a close eye on California's politics and its
weather reports. Contact Anthony
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Donna Fong: Councilor-at-Large Donna Fong is the Research Administrator of the Population Research Laboratory (PRL) at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta. 
The PRL is the largest academic-based survey research center in Western Canada that has served university researchers and
external clients since 1966. Donna is pleased to join PAPOR as a councillor-at-large in Canada's most northerly provincial capital
city. She has 25 years of experience in budgeting, questionnaire design, and project management of telephone surveys, field studies,
self-administered questionnaires, and focus groups at the PRL, Statistics Canada, non-profit organizations, and management consulting
firms. Donna is the treasurer of the Society of Edmonton Demographers, an association devoted to the advancement of demographic
research in Alberta. She enjoys downhill skiing, hiking, photography (watch out for her camera at PAPOR and AAPOR Conferences!),
politics, and visiting public libraries and museums.
Contact Donna |
Jill Darling: Councilor-at-Large Jill Darling is Survey Director/ IRB consultant at the Greater Los Angeles Veterans Administration Center for Healthcare Provider Research. 
She is also the founder of Darling Research Associates, a full-service survey research and consulting firm. Until 2008, Ms. Darling was
Associate Director of the award-winning Los Angeles Times and Times/Bloomberg Poll where she conducted more than 400 public opinion,
voter, and special population studies. Her work has been published in the newspaper, online, on local and cable news programs, as well
as in peer-reviewed journals. She has been an active member of the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) for fifteen
years and is currently serving her second year of a three-year term on its Ethics Committee. She has also been active in the Pacific
chapter (PAPOR), serving on the chapters. executive council in various capacities including president, conference chair, treasurer, and
webmaster. Jill lives with her wife Lorrane in the San Fernando Valley area of the city of Los Angeles, where they spend a great deal of
their spare time working in the garden with the help of a small herd of happily digging cats.
Contact Jill |
Sonja Petek: Councilor-at-Large Sonja Petek is a survey project manager at the Public Policy Institute of California. 
In this capacity, she plans, designs, and oversees individual survey projects and serves in a support role on other surveys. In addition
to working on surveys examining Californians' public policy preferences and ballot choices, she has managed
numerous surveys focused on
attitudes toward K-12 and higher education, the environment, and population issues. Before joining PPIC, she worked at The Henne Group
in San Francisco, managing qualitative and quantitative research projects that focused primarily on health/sexual health issues and HIV
prevention. She holds a B.A. in political science from Stanford University.
Contact Sonja |
Floyd Ciruli - Past-President Floyd Ciruli founded Ciruli Associates, a research and consulting firm specializing in public policy, community and cultural affairs and strategic planning, in 1985. 
Clients include
major Colorado corporations, business and civic associations. Mr. Ciruli is perhaps best-known to Colorado audiences as a pollster and
political analyst for 9-KUSA TV, The Denver Post, The Rocky Mountain News and KOA Radio. In addition, he has appeared on NBC Nightly
News, Lehrer News Hour, CNN, Fox News Special Report with Brit Hume, and National Public Radio. Recent analysis has appeared in Time
Magazine and The Economist. His firm publishes The Variable, a political newsletter analyzing current trends and public opinion, and
hosts www.ciruli.com for political news and information on the web. Mr. Ciruli holds a law degree from Georgetown University in
Washington, D.C. and a bachelor's degree in political science from UCLA. Mr. Ciruli is a member of the American Political Science
Association and the American Association of Public Opinion Research (AAPOR). He serves on the Council of the Pacific Chapter of AAPOR as
the Conference Chair. He teaches graduate classes in media, public opinion and policy for the Graduate School of Public Affairs at the
University of Colorado-Denver. He is a board member of the Social Science Foundation of the University of Denver Graduate School of
International Studies and the President-elect of the Denver Athletic Club. He is a native of Pueblo, Colorado. Contact Floyd |
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Previous Councils:
2008 | 2009 | 2010
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