Candidates for Office: 2025-2026

Patrick Hsieh

It’s time to elect the next MAPOR council members to begin roles in November 2025. We currently have three positions open for election: Vice-President/President-Elect, Associate Conference Chair, and Associate Secretary-Treasurer. After roughly a month of open nominations, we’ve got some wonderful candidates running this year. Their bios are below.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to president@mapor.org.


Vice-President/President-Elect

Paul DiPerna | EdChoice

Paul DiPerna

Paul DiPerna is Vice President of Research and Innovation at EdChoice, where he has led the research program since 2010. Paul’s work centers on surveys and polling about American K–12 education and schooling. He directs the monthly EdChoice Public Opinion Tracker and oversees the annual Schooling in America Survey. Previously, Paul worked for six years at the Brown Center on Education Policy at the Brookings Institution. He received his MA in Political Science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and his BA in Political Science at the University of Dayton.

Paul currently serves as an at-large member on MAPOR’s Executive Council and for the last three years he has contributed to the Awards, Grants, and Support Committee. During this time he has also co-led MAPOR’s Student Fellowship program and travel grant efforts. Paul has been a member of MAPOR since 2014 and AAPOR since 2009.


Associate Conference Chair

Erik Nisbet, Ph.D. | Northwestern University

Erik Nisbet is the Owen L. Coon Professor of Policy Analysis & Communication at Northwestern University and Director of the Center for Communication & Public Policy. His research examines public opinion and political behavior in the United States and abroad, employing survey, experimental, and computational methods. He received his Ph.D. in Communication from Cornell University, after working for seven years in market research and six years at the Cornell Survey Research Center.

Erik’s involvement with MAPOR began as a first-year master’s student at Cornell in 2002, with his co-authored paper participating in the MAPOR Fellows Student Paper Competition. Since then, he has remained an active participant in the conference as both a graduate student and faculty member. Over the past year, he has served on the MAPOR Executive Council contributing to the Online Learning Committee and currently mentors a MAPOR Student Fellow.

In addition to MAPOR, Erik is active in the World Association of Public Opinion Research, recently editing a special issue of the International Journal of Public Opinion Research and delivered the keynote lecture at the 2025 WAPOR Annual meeting in St. Louis. He looks forward to continuing his service to MAPOR as Associate Conference Chair.


Miranda Kaye, Ph.D. | University of Chicago

Miranda Kaye

Miranda Kaye is the Director of the Survey Lab at the University of Chicago. Prior to joining the Survey Lab, she served as the Director of the Survey Research Center at the Pennsylvania State University where she began her AAPOR and PANJPOR memberships. She has served as the chair of a number of academic committees as well as of the State College Friends School Board of Trustees. Since coming to Chicago, she is an active member of MAPOR.

Miranda completed her B.S. in Human Development at Cornell University, her M.S. in Exercise Science at Arizona State University, and her Ph.D. in Kinesiology at the Pennsylvania State University. She has over 15 years of experience in all phases of survey research, including teaching undergraduate and graduate research methods and statistics classes, specializing in projects involving large-scale, multi-modal, longitudinal, field, mixed-methods, and RDD data collection, and providing leadership to academic research centers. In her own research, she applies multivariate methods to the study of human development, health, and well-being with a focus on scale development, measurement, and program evaluation. She loves examining metadata and considering ways to improve methodology as well as supporting the varied projects and methodical needs of researchers.


Associate Secretary-Treasurer

Caroline Smith | Morning Consult

Caroline Smith

Caroline Smith is the Director of Content Research at Morning Consult. She works on a wide variety of polling, including politics, economics, and market research for financial services, travel, and retail industries. Prior to Morning Consult, she worked at N.O.R.C. in the Public Affairs and media research department. Caroline received her B.A. in Political Science and International Relations and her Master’s degree in Political Science from Loyola University Chicago, and she began attending the MAPOR conference in 2018. Caroline is currently a member-at-large on the Executive Council and she looks forward to continuing her service to MAPOR as Associate Secretary-Treasurer.


Nadia Assad | University of Wisconsin Survey Center

Nadia Assad is a Senior Project Director at the University of Wisconsin Survey Center (UWSC), where she has been a key member of the project directing staff since 2014. She brings extensive experience in survey research administration and methodology.

Nadia began her career in survey research as a telephone interviewer and quickly advanced through roles including shift leader and project director. Her experience with multiple areas of survey operations at the UWSC has made her a key member of the Center’s team. In addition to overseeing complex web, mail, and mixed-mode survey projects, she also provides extensive methodological guidance to clients and colleagues on questionnaire design and layout.

Nadia currently serves as the study director for a state-level panel at UWSC, further demonstrating her expertise in managing large-scale, longitudinal research initiatives. Through her work as a survey methodologist, Nadia has contributed to scholarly publications in journals including Public Opinion Quarterly and Field Methods. Nadia holds a Master’s degree in Sociology from UW–Madison and has taught Sociology courses at both UW–Madison and Madison College. Prior to her work in the U.S., she contributed to internationally funded research projects by organizations such as the World Bank and United Nations Development Program.

Since 2023, Nadia has been an enthusiastic participant in MAPOR’s annual conference, presenting papers at both events. She deeply values the organization’s commitment to methodological rigor and innovation, and its welcoming, intellectually vibrant community that supports professionals at every stage of their careers. Her engagement with the conference has been both professionally enriching and personally inspiring.

As a nominee for Associate Secretary-Treasurer, Nadia brings a strong foundation in research leadership, a commitment to methodological excellence, and a collaborative spirit. She is excited about the opportunity to support MAPOR’s mission and contribute to its continued success.

Candidates for Office – 2024-2025

Benjamin Schapiro

It’s time to elect the next MAPOR council members to begin roles in November 2024. We currently have two positions open for election: Vice-President/President-Elect and Associate Conference Chair. After roughly a month of open nominations, we’ve got some wonderful candidates running this year. Their bios are below.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to president@mapor.org.

Vice-President/President-Elect

Benjamin Schapiro

Benjamin Schapiro is a Research Scientist at NORC at the University of Chicago. A graduate of the University of Chicago, he has worked at NORC since 2014, primarily on the General Social Survey. His research focuses on long-term trends in public opinion, mode effects, and the lived experience of the survey interview. Benjamin has been involved with MAPOR since 2014 and has served on the executive committee for the past three years as a member-at-large, and then Communications Chair and the Website Chair. He has also served as the co-chair of the AAPOR Welcoming Committee.

David Sterett

David Sterrett is a Principal Research Scientist in the Public Affairs and Media Research Department at NORC at the University of Chicago. His research focuses on political attitudes, survey methodology, and the public’s news habits. Prior to joining NORC in 2014, he received his PhD in political science from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
David has enjoyed attending every MAPOR conference since 2010. He served as the student liaison for the MAPOR executive council when in graduate school, was the Conference Chair in 2021, and he is currently serving as a member-at-large on the executive council. David also enjoys attending AAPOR conferences and is currently serving on the AAPOR Membership and Chapter Relations Committee.

Associate Conference Chair

Lindsey Witt-Swanson

Lindsey Witt-Swanson is a Research Director in the Public Affairs and Media Research Department at NORC at the University of Chicago working with federal agencies, non-profit organizations, for-profit companies, and academics. She received her BA in Political Science at Creighton University and her MS in Survey Research and Methodology at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln.
Lindsey has served on MAPOR council since 2019 first serving as an at-large council member and currently serving as the Secretary-Treasurer since the position was vacated in April 2021. She also serves as co-treasurer for the International Field Directors and Technologies Conference (IFD&TC) and has been a member of AAPOR and MAPOR since 2011.

David Sterrett – Candidate for Vice President/President-Elect

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David Sterrett is a Senior Research Scientist in the Public Affairs and Media Research Department at NORC at the University of Chicago. His research focuses on political attitudes, survey methodology, and the public’s news habits. Prior to joining NORC in 2014, he received his PhD in political science from the University of Illinois at Chicago. 

David has enjoyed attending every MAPOR conference since 2011, and he served as the student liaison for the executive council when in graduate school. He is currently the MAPOR Conference Chair. David also enjoys attending AAPOR conferences and is currently serving on the AAPOR Membership and Chapter Relations Committee.

Lindsey Witt-Swanson – Candidate for Associate Secretary-Treasurer

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Lindsey Witt-Swanson has been with the Bureau of Sociological Research (BOSR) at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln for ten years. As the Associate Directors, Lindsey assists clients and researchers with their research and evaluation projects, ensures that BOSR is utilizing the most up-to-date methods and knowledgeable of changes in the field, oversees BOSR’s staff of 125 employees, and is responsible for BOSR’s financial health and growth. Lindsey currently serves as the Communication Coordinator for the Association of Academic Survey Research Organizations (AASRO) and co-treasurer for the International Field Directors and Technologies Conference (IFD&TC). Lindsey has been a member of AAPOR and MAPOR since joining BOSR. Lindsey received her BA in Political Science at Creighton University and her MS in Survey Research and Methodology at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln.

Lindsey has been an at-large council member for MAPOR since 2019, and has been serving as the Secretary-Treasurer for MAPOR since the position was vacated in April 2021.

Justine Bulgar-Medina – Candidate for Vice President/President-Elect

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Justine Bulgar-Medina is a research methodologist at NORC and teaches graduate courses in research methods and public policy at Northwestern.  Her research and work focus on innovative measurement approaches to social identities, specifically sexual orientation/gender identity and race/ethnicity, with a focus on cultural competence and reducing measurement error. 

Justine has been an active AAPOR and MAPOR member for several years, taking on leadership roles with AAPOR starting in 2015 by serving as the chair of the AAPOR Welcoming Committee (2015-2021) and Chair and Associate Chair of the Conference Support Committee (2017-present).  Additionally, she serves on AAPOR’s Inclusion & Equity Committee.  Since 2018, Justine as served on the MAPOR council as the Commnications Coordinator.  Justine has greatly enjoyed all volunteer and leadership opportunities at AAPOR and MAPOR.  She is hopeful to continue to serve the MAPOR community as with focused programming and opportunities for established and new(er) MAPORites to become involved in our professional community as Vice President/President-Elect.   

Benjamin Schapiro – Candidate for Associate Conference Chair

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 Benjamin Schapiro is a Research Analyst at NORC at the University of Chicago. A graduate of the University of Chicago, he came to survey research via the University of Chicago Survey Lab, where he worked as a phone interviewer and research assistant. Since 2014, he has worked at NORC, primarily as part of the General Social Survey, where his work focuses on the lived experience of the interview, as well as the intricacies of large-scale complex survey research. While at NORC, he has done work for the Templeton Religious Trust and the Quatari Science Ministry, as well as the International Social Survey Programme. Benjamin currently serves as a co-chair for the AAPOR Welcoming Committee, aiming at facilitating the best possible conference experiences for new members. He has attended MAPOR since 2013, and been a proud member his whole professional career.

Y. Patrick Hsieh – Candidate for Associate Conference Chair

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Y. Patrick Hsieh is a research survey methodologist and digital sociologist in the Survey Research Division at the RTI International. His expertise includes developing mixed-method research, designing social media campaign for sample recruitment, and integrating digital technologies and technology-enabled research practices, such as crowdsourcing and citizen science, into survey methodology to improve research design and data quality. Patrick has served on the MAPOR Council as the webinar series coordinator since 2016 and is a member of MAPOR Conference Committee since 2018. He also assisted the AAPOR Education Committee’s Diversity Subcommittee to organize and host the very first SurveyFest in Chicago in 2018. Patrick earned his Ph.D. in media, technology, and society at Northwestern University’s School of Communication in 2014, prior to joining RTI International. Patrick’s dissertation has won the best student paper award of MAPOR in 2013 and he has been attending MAPOR since then.

Hillary Hanson – Candidate for Associate Conference Chair

Patrick Hsieh

Hillary Hanson is the Assistant Director of the University of Chicago Survey Lab. She started her survey research career at the Survey Lab in 2011 as a project coordinator and currently specializes in web surveys and in planning, staffing, training, and monitoring progress for field studies. She especially enjoys the opportunity to train students in data collection methods and to introduce them to the field of survey research. Hillary has been a member of MAPOR since 2011 and appreciates the approachable nature of the conference and the opportunity to learn from other attendees who do similar work. She also regularly attends and presents at the International Field Directors and Technologies Conference (IFD&TC). Hillary received her BS in psychology from Iowa State University and completed the Master of Arts Program in the Social Sciences at the University of Chicago.

Leah Dean – Candidate for Associate Conference Chair

Patrick Hsieh

Leah Dean is a survey scientist in the Survey Research Division at RTI International. Her expertise is in health surveys and health policy. She has served on the MAPOR Council and as a member of the MAPOR Conference Committee since 2020. She also serves as a member of AAPOR’s Transparency Initiative Committee. Leah earned her Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Cincinnati, where she worked at the Institute for Policy Research prior to joining RTI International. She is also a member of the board of directors for the Red River Gorge Climber’s Coalition, a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and conservation in the Red River Gorge region of Kentucky. Leah serves as secretary to the organization and assists in the planning and execution of their major fundraiser.

Kevin Ulrich – for Vice President/President-Elect

Patrick Hsieh

Kevin Ulrich is the Director of the University of Chicago Survey Lab. In this role he plans, implements, and oversees data collection and consulting services for academic and non-profit organizations. His expertise includes developing and applying strategies to efficiently maximize recruitment and retention of survey participants. Kevin regularly develops and conducts training on survey methodology and data collection procedures with research assistants and staff. Kevin previously managed the Survey Research Program at Group Health Research Institute (now the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute). In that role, he oversaw and managed data collection for all survey-related studies and provided methodological consultation to the Institute’s faculty and their collaborators. 

Kevin has been an AAPOR and MAPOR member since 2006. He joined the MAPOR Executive Council in 2015 and served as the webinar coordinator in 2015 and 2016. He was the Associate Secretary Treasurer in 2017 and 2018 and has been the Secretary Treasurer since 2019. In 2019, Kevin led the group that developed MAPOR’s Operational Reserve Policy. Kevin was a member of AAPOR’s online education subcommittee from 2016-2020. He has also served on the Executive Council of the Association of Academic Survey Research Organizations (AASRO). Kevin holds a BA and MA in social science from the University of Chicago. He is a US Navy veteran.

Kevin has significantly benefitted both professionally and personally from being a MAPOR member and is eager to continue his MAPOR service and colleagueship as Vice President/President-Elect.