Hi, I’m Ciara! (pronounced Keera)
I’m a UX Researcher and systems thinker who helps teams turn complexity into clarity. With a PhD in Cognitive Psychology, I have extensive experience in studying and making sense of human behavior.
I’m drawn to work that blends research, operations, and strategy — using research insights and well-designed frameworks to guide organizations toward confident, user-centered decisions that have lasting impact.
Past Experience
I currently lead UX research and operational initiatives at Nielsen, supporting a 70K-person national research panel and creating frameworks to strengthen cross-team collaboration and improve key processes like participant recruitment and onboarding.
Before that, I earned my PhD in Cognitive Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh at the Learning, Research, and Development Center. I led large-scale in-person & diary studies on learning and decision-making, directed teams of novice researchers, and taught courses in research methodology.
In my spare time, I continue to apply research in new contexts through my work with LIFT — a unique collaboration between lawyers and researchers focusing on improving resilience and well-being in professional education environments.
What I’m Known For
Bringing structure and clarity to complex systems and workflows
Designing systems, documentation, and roadmaps to scale research
Rigorous research methodology and a versatile, mixed-methods research toolkit
Mentoring new researchers in methodology and data storytelling
Aligning research, product, & operations around shared goals