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Meet Our Team of
Superheroes

Brianna Sylver

President

Brianna, founder and President of Sylver Consulting, focuses on helping clients identify, create and execute on their visions for growth. An innovation strategist and worldwide speaker, educator, and facilitator of innovation process, Brianna has a reputation in the industry as an “innovation leader within the innovation movement.”

Brianna’s superpower is CLARITY

Brianna has a unique ability to see and cut through the clutter of indecision, misstep and confusion that accompanies complex growth initiatives. She brings purpose-driven focus to every problem, thereby eliminating unnecessary steps and inefficiencies and creating a clear pathway forward for achieving swift and measurable impact against critical business goals.

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Adriano Galvao

Vice President

Adriano, Vice President of Operations, oversees responsibility for human resources, accounting, vendor relationships, and the office’s physical and digital infrastructure. He has a knack for anticipating the needs of the organization, projects, clients, and employees, ensuring that everything runs smoothly. This holistic view of the business helps Adriano find opportunities and, together with Brianna Sylver, define actionable growth strategies for the company.

Adrianos’s superpower is PRECISION

Adriano is always looking for ways to improve the business of Sylver, which in turn, translates into improved outcomes, benefits and services for our clients. His journey through the process of business innovation is marked by his attention to details, his due diligence as a way to reach informed decision-making and his excellent negotiation skills. Adriano leaves no stone unturned in his search for “better” and is constantly challenging the Sylver team to reach higher.

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Peter Bürgi

Senior Director

An anthropologist with extensive business knowledge, Peter is a project lead experienced in qualitative market and organizational research, design/facilitation of workshops and ideation retreats, and consultation on intercultural and corporate culture issues. His background includes working as Vice President at Research International/TNS and at Beall Research, Inc. He has conducted market research, organizational research, and consulting projects for nearly 25 years on four continents.

Peter’s superpower is IMAGINATION

Building on the concept of culture, Peter believes that growth arises in the synthesis of action, perception, and most importantly, imagination. In ideations for corporations such as Humana, Citigroup, and Philip Morris, he designed activities around unexpected metaphors to help people see research findings in new ways as well as imagine new product and service possibilities. Peter has combined deep research insights with organizational activation for dozens of global corporate clients. He also published academic research on imagination and strategy as a Research Fellow at the Imagination Lab Foundation in Switzerland.

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Matt Newman

Research Lead

Matt is a research consultant and longtime collaborator of the Sylver team, specializing in both advanced statistics and qualitative interviews — yes, really! He has 20+ years of experience working in academic and multiple industry settings, with both qualitative and quantitative expertise across the full research process.

Matt’s superpower is STORYTELLING

Matt’s origin story involves a radioactive spider, a decade spent in an academic career, and the opportunity to work on an incredibly diverse range of projects in various consulting roles. He has an uncanny ability to uncover the big picture in any messy pile of data, whether that pile comprises interview notes or rows in a spreadsheet. Matt is a research nerd with practical tendencies: He believes that the fun part of research is in approaching a new problem, determining the best approach, and translating findings back into actionable insights.

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Robert Maihofer

Senior Market Research Analyst

Robert joined Sylver in 2015 to serve as team project lead of quantitative and hybrid (qual./quant.) methodologies. Robert brings over 15 years of experience in market research and innovation. He is a subject-matter expert and passionate learner who continuously hones his skills for designing and leading quantitative and hybrid-based research to produce actionable marketing management insights.

Robert’s superpower is EXPLORATION

Robert approaches all of life (personal and professional) from a ‘well-planned explorer’ mindset. At work, every project is a new opportunity to chart new territory – whether it is to improve upon what was already been done or whether it is to head in a wholly new direction. Robert’s knack is for thinking through and planning all details of the journey ahead so that, once embarked on, every activity runs smoothly and everyone involved is fully supported and empowered to enjoy, create, and bring their best to the experience.

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Rebecca Kuchar

Insights + Innovation Lead

Rebecca has orchestrated all manner of global research — both qual and quant — for more than 16 years. Her work is informed by her experience as a successful marketer and as a failed mechanical engineering student (damn you, extremely boring Thermodynamics and Circuits!). On a positive note, her college education exposed her to design thinking, which has stuck with her ever since. Rebecca's areas of specialty include financial services, technology, healthcare and guacamole, all of which segue nicely into the following ...

Rebecca’s superpower is OBSESSION

Bringing her writing and editing skills to bear, Rebecca is noted for her attention to detail, listening carefully to clients and research participants alike, and getting to the bottom of all matters cultural, linguistic and behavioral. Let's just say that she really gets into her subject matter — whether that's avocados, yogurt or meat alternatives. Literally and figuratively, she can't help but fully consume the subject matter at hand.

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Jason Taft

Design Researcher

Jason is a jovial, young design researcher that seeks knowledge and understanding at every turn. He always aims to bring fresh perspectives from his background as a designer and apply creative solutions to any problem he faces. Whether he is working with coordinating with international partners or conducting qualitative studies himself, Jason approaches every project with passion and an insatiable desire to learn.

Jason’s superpower is CONNECTION

Jason strives to form deep understandings of how things, and people, function in the world around him. In his work, this is presented through his ability to dive in and learn each facet of a topic area allowing him to understand how they connect together to form the big picture. It is also evident in the strong working rapport he forms with each client he interacts with, utilizing humor and wit to form connections of mutual trust with any partnering teams.

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Paige Hendersen

Design Researcher

Paige engages in human-centered design research to understand user needs and translate them into actionable insights for Sylver clients. On a daily basis, this looks like creating discussion guides, conducting user interviews, engaging in quantitative market research, making frameworks and reports to reveal findings, and hosting ideation sessions with key stakeholders. Paige takes great pride in focusing on representation in her research tactics, seeking out underrepresented voices at every touchpoint for products, services, and systems.

Paige’s superpower is CURIOSITY

Paige has an innate curiosity in collecting and archiving all kinds of information. She seeks to learn from all project stakeholders and reveal the true pain points or user needs behind a product, with the goal of inciting action. She uses a variety of qualitative methods, her favorites including in-depth interviews, co-creation workshops, 2x2 matrix mapping, and service blueprints to synthesize her findings. The more questions she asks, the more she wants to ask, and it leads her to have a great empathy with users while continuously improving her design research tool kit.

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Brady Nahlik

Research Analyst, Quant Focus

Brady supports our quantitative research capabilities, doing everything from project design and material development to analysis and communication. He loves being able to balance deep dives into the data to see what patterns emerge with careful and targeted tests on the effects clients are the most interested in.

Brady’s superpower is ATTENTION

Brady prides himself on his ability to pay attention to the things that really matter and the things others may not notice, giving him a critical understanding of the issues at hand. It also affords him the ability to empower collaborators and stakeholders, making sure voices and perspectives that would not otherwise be heard are heard.

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Paul Sagraves

Design Researcher

Paul is a design researcher who seeks to empathize with the users’ needs in order to have a direct, measurable, and positive impact on the way organizations approach and solve strategic problems. He aims to synthesize research in a creative and innovative fashion in order to bring a valuable perspective to Sylver’s clients. Paul has always been drawn to uncovering the “why” behind human behavior and looks at each project as an opportunity to learn a little more about why people make the decisions that they do.

Paul’s superpower is ADAPTABILITY

Paul has a natural ability to adapt to new environments and see the benefits that can come with change. He leverages this adaptability to quickly grasp the needs and experiences of a wide variety of clients and user groups, and help facilitate positive changes for both. On a more human level, Paul's adaptive nature means that he works easily and productively as part of any team.

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Briel Kobak

Design Researcher

Briel is a design researcher that has over 12 years experience in human-centered research. With a background in anthropology, she specializes in a variety of qualitative methods that include in-depth interviews, ethnography, and concept testing. She enjoys drawing on her broad range of experience to align the details of any project with its broader objectives.

Briel’s superpower is EMPATHY

While fascinated by human behavior in general, Briel is particularly interested in how others experience emotions. She excels at observation and finding the words for an otherwise unarticulated feeling. Her genuine interest in others enables her to fully adopt the perspective of users and project stakeholders throughout the research process.

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Jacqueline Walker

Market Research Recruiter

Jacqueline Walker has stepped into the role of market research recruiter.

Jacqueline restarted her educational journey at University of Illinois at Chicago in 2017, and got a degree in Research Communication. During that time she interned at three different small to midsize companies where she got first hand experience in digital marketing and business development in the healthcare industry. In that same year she was accepted to the Out for Undergrad marketing conference in Dallas Texas. In 2018, she also won first place at Think Chicago competition, which was based on creating and mapping out possible innovative tech ideas for the current social climate of Chicago. All of these experiences have led her to always continue to learn, understand her surroundings, and put her next foot down wisely.

Jacqueline's superpower is REFLECTING

Jacqueline prioritizes the words wisdom and empathy when navigating success and setbacks in professional and personal life. The ability to take a step outside of oneself and back into oneself is the key to connecting with individuals. Differences are what Jacqueline believes brings us together, and she weaves that ideal and passion in the work that she does.

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Robyn Minor

Social Media & Video Strategist | Event Coordinator

Robyn hails from the land of creativity, passion and professionalism but with a dash of spice. Ever since she was six years old, Robyn had a camera in her hands. She brings extensive experience in video editing and video production to Sylver Consulting and thoroughly enjoys creating visual content for an audience. Robyn is particularly skilled in communication, empathy and organizational skills (you should see the color coordination of her social calendar)!

Robyn's superpower is COORDINATION

Robyn thrives off taking control and creating something beautiful yet exciting. Whether it’s assembling a social media campaign, producing a video, hosting a themed party with her friends or planning Sylver’s next company BBQ, she loves it all. Robyns passion for detail while brandishing the “woo” trait makes her perfect for being a leader/the girl who takes charge. The task of coordinating may be daunting to others but Robyn embraces it with full confidence and excitement.

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Enya Silveira

Graphic Design Consultant

Enya joined the Sylver team as a Graphic Design Consultant, and is responsible for bringing to life (or to the screen) many things related to graphic design (for example, much of the content you see on Sylver’s social media). Her passion for graphic design started about 13 years ago, when she was fifteen, influenced by her parents who own a wedding invitation stationery’s company in Brasilia, Brazil, where they actually live. Enya has designed a lot of wedding invitations and has improved her skills with graphic design software, as well as her graphic design skills. She loves to live a life of curiosity and creativity, and sees these skills as essential to solve problems. She recently received a degree in Graphic Design from University Center of Federal District (UDF), and is now studying remotely for a certificate in Project Management from the Ensign College through BYU-Pathway Worldwide.

Enya's superpower is PERSEVERANCE

Enya is someone who loves to bring the ideas in her mind and other’s to life through graphic design. In any project, she enjoys the process and all the opportunities she gets to learn and grow, and if she finds some difficulty along the path, she’ll use her curiosity and creativity to persevere and look for other solutions to reach the finish line of the project. You will find her celebrating each small victory, overcoming obstacles along the way. She loves learning new things and celebrates each new skill she gains. Enya has a willingness to jump into new challenges outside her comfort zone. She then obtains the necessary skills to create ideas with graphic design, by hearing and understanding the needs of end users and key project stakeholders.

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Need to transform your brand, product, service, company or team? We can bring clarity and focus to that process.

Reach out to set up a free discovery call. On this call, we’ll get clear on your scope of work to be tackled, how your initiative ladders to a broader business goal of your organization, and assess — without attachment — if Sylver Consulting is a “best fit partner” to support you in your scope of work.



Today at Sylver Consulting, we celebrate the power of CIVIC INNOVATION!

Last year, Brianna Sylver worked as an Innovation Coach for three of the 35 Champion Cities selected by Bloomberg for the 2018 Mayor’s Challenge. These cities made such impressive strides ...

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Eyetech

UNESCO Report: How to think about the future

What are the opportunities and potential obstacles for companies in a growing economy? UNESCO published Adriano Galvao’s research into this question in their report on sustainable development.

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Why the Transformation of Brands, Products and Organizations Often Fail: YOU Fail to Show Up!

In this LinkedIn article, Brianna shares the number one obstacle to business growth that she sees with her clients.

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Brianna is the featured guest on the latest episode of the Aurelius Podcast!

Listen now to hear her talk with Zack Naylor about the differences between Market Research and User Research.

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