Rebecca Addis
Rebecca is a highly skilled researcher with diverse experience of managing projects on behalf of public, private and voluntary sector clients, having worked in the research industry for over twenty years. She joined Community Research in 2009 having previously worked at two research agencies, ORC International and Opinion Leader Research. At the latter, she headed up the health team, overseeing projects for numerous national and local health organisations and charities.
Rebecca has extensive experience of qualitative and deliberative methodologies, including research with carers and young, elderly and disabled people. Rebecca is an affiliate member of the Market Research Society and an approved associate of The Consultation Institute (TCI), whose certificate in professional development she holds. She holds an honours degree in History and Politics from the London School of Economics.
Rebecca’s communities:
Rebecca has a teenage son and so spends her weekends watching him play football for a local team. She is trying to be more active herself - she attends zumba and pilates classes as well as being a member of a nearby tennis club. Rebecca also attends a monthly book club with other mums that she met when her son was at primary school.
Kate Waller
Kate has over twenty years of market and social research experience, working for a leading management consultancy as well as more traditional research agencies and a charity. She is well versed in qualitative and quantitative methodologies and has run projects for private, public and third sector clients. Recent work includes qualitative research to support the sponsorship strategy of Lloyds Bank and a consultation on the drug strategy for a local authority where she was required to access and interview homeless drug users.
Kate previously worked with both Rachel and Rebecca at Opinion Leader Research, managing both health and education related projects. She holds a joint honours degree in Japanese and Management studies from the University of Leeds. She is member of the Market Research Society and an approved associate of The Consultation Institute (TCI)
Kate’s Communities:
Kate has two daughters and her day-to-day communities revolve around schools and sports clubs. She is a keen gardener and maintains an allotment (albeit with varying degrees of success). She is also a fan of pilates and regularly attends classes on Zoom and in person.
Lucy Lea
Lucy has over 20 years’ experience in research and engagement, covering qualitative, quantitative and deliberative research techniques. She spent seven years working in market research agencies, including at Opinion Leader alongside other members of the Community Research team.
Research in healthcare led Lucy to an eight-year career in the NHS, heading up the equality, diversity and human rights programme for the community trust in Gloucestershire. Through this role, Lucy worked with a broad range of communities, including people with learning, sensory and physical disabilities, transgender people, homeless people, and people from South Asian, African and Eastern European communities. She is passionate about helping decision-makers and front-line staff understand and accommodate the needs of people who are at risk of being marginalised or overlooked. Lucy has an honours degree in Law from Newcastle University. She is currently training as a counsellor alongside working in research.
Lucy’s Communities
Lucy has two boys who are keen on sport, which means weekends are often taken up with standing on sidelines amongst the strong community of other parents of sports-lovers! She has been involved in volunteering for a local Deaf charity and on the school governing board, though studies now mean her spare time is taken up with reading and essays. She unwinds by swimming, getting outdoors and the occasional yoga class.
Our associates
We have a network of trusted associates we work with to bring specific expertise and extra capacity to our team.
Rachel Lopata
Rachel founded Community Research in 2009 and co-ran the company for 12 years. In 2022, Rachel decided to step back to give more time to her broad interests, and she now works with us an associate. We’re delighted to still work with her and benefit from her extensive expertise!
Rachel has over thirty years of varied experience in market and social research. She has considerable quantitative and qualitative research experience, as well as a close working knowledge of deliberative research and engagement techniques. Prior to setting up Community Research, Rachel worked at Director level for ORC International and for Opinion Leader Research. She has specialised in research for the public sector, not for profit organisations and regulated industries for most of her career. Rachel holds an honours degree in English Literature from the University of Birmingham
Rachel’s Communities:
Rachel is a keen scuba diver (PADI Rescue Diver qualified) and co-founder of the marine conservation charity Sea-Changers, both of which now consume much more of her time. A keen runner and an active member of her local running club, Rachel regularly participates in her local community’s Park Run for which she also volunteers.
Lucy Brady
Lucy has twenty years’ experience designing and delivering mixed methods research gained across agency and client-side roles. She has particular expertise in deliberative techniques, campaigns and message development, and stakeholder research. Lucy has worked for a range of private, public and third sector clients including Thames Water and Ofgem.
Lucy was a Research Director at Community Research for six years, and now works freelance. Her previous experience includes managing research and insight at Allianz Insurance and for the Change4Life campaign at the Department of Health, as well as for research consultancies including BritainThinks and TNS BMRB. She has an undergraduate degree in Japanese from Oxford University and a Post Graduate Certificate in Ethnicity & Migration Policy from Birkbeck, University of London.
Lucy’s Communities:
Lucy has three growing children and is an active member of the school community. She is an avid reader and founded a book club in London in 2005 that she attends on a monthly basis (albeit now online!).