Our Team
Our team of dedicated professionals combines expertise and passion to deliver exceptional results. Get to know the experts whose innovative thinking and strategic insights help shape the future of our clients’ industries.

Jihad Melhem
President

Jihad Melhem
President
Jihad is the firm’s president and principal consultant. For over 20 years, he has served as a trusted resource for senior leaders in the public and private sectors on how research can support service delivery initiatives and help meet growth objectives. He is an expert at designing creative and effective research methodologies that leverage the latest technology tools. He also excels at translating data into actionable insights that enable policy change and positive business outcomes.
Throughout his career, he has led high-impact strategic projects for clients in the healthcare, financial services, transportation, not-for-profit and private sectors. A sample of current clients includes British Columbia College of Oral Health Professionals, Edmonton Transit Service, LAPP Corp, and the Centre for East European and International Studies.
Prior to rejoining Pivotal Research, he served as Vice President, at Morpace (now Escalent) in Washington, DC and Global Research Director at SunLife in Toronto, ON and Hong Kong.
Jihad holds a bachelor’s degree majoring in Statistics from the University of Alberta, and an MBA from Wilfrid Laurier University. He has also completed advanced market research certificates from the University of Notre Dame (South bend, Indiana) and the University of Georgia’s Coca Cola Center for Marketing Studies (Athens, GA). Jihad also holds the Canadian Analytics and Insights Professional (CAIP) designation.

Doha Melhem
Vice President of Consulting & Chief Evaluator

Doha Melhem
Vice President of Consulting & Chief Evaluator
Doha Melhem is a seasoned public policy leader with over 20 years of experience and serves as the Vice President of Consulting & Chief Evaluator at Pivotal Research, Inc. Her expertise in evidence-based decision-making and strategic policy implementation has significantly benefitted government and business leaders in Canada and the United States.
Raised in seven countries across four continents, Doha is a proud global citizen skilled in viewing challenges from diverse perspectives, finding common ground, and crafting win-win solutions that satisfy all stakeholders.
At Pivotal Research, she leads a dynamic team, spearheading high-impact research and strategic policy projects focused on regulatory innovation, change management, and labour market insights, driving positive outcomes for businesses and communities alike.
Previously, Doha led policy and legislation teams at the U.S. Department of Labor, directing successful skills development and economic recovery initiatives. Her leadership has been recognized with multiple awards for her contributions to policy development, immigrant integration, and international affairs.
Doha chairs the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce’s Workforce Development and Attraction Committee and actively participates in the International Association of Public Participation and the Canadian Network of Agencies of Regulation.
She holds a Master’s in Public Policy and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Johns Hopkins University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with distinctions from the American University of Beirut.

Jessica DeVries
Director of Program Development

Jessica DeVries
Director of Program Development
At Pivotal Research, Jessica DeVries is the Director of Program Development and holds a Master of Art in Community Engagement and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the University of Alberta.
In her twelve-year tenure with Pivotal Research, Jessica has worked with dozens of healthcare regulatory bodies and associations across Canada. Jessica is currently managing several research programs for health regulatory clients in British Columbia and Alberta that involve complex multi-mode and mixed-methods approaches to uncover stakeholder perceptions and support performance measurement initiatives.
She also collaborates closely with transit authorities, like the Edmonton Transit Service and BC Transit to manage their customer satisfaction initiatives through comprehensive tracking surveys and in-depth qualitative research involving both riders and non-riders of conventional transit as well as paratransit.
Jessica is a member of the Canadian Evaluation Society and, most recently, received the Dean's Gold Medal for her thesis work that explored how formerly incarcerated women define success in life post-prison.

Hafsah Ali
Research Manager

Hafsah Ali
Research Manager
Hafsah is a Research Manager specializing in leading complex, operationally intensive research initiatives across multiple industries, including government, transit, health regulation, not-for-profit, and private businesses. She has collaborated with over 25 clients in her three years at Pivotal Research and has expertise in managing large-scale research projects that require multi-mode data collection methodologies, inclusive sampling frameworks, diverse stakeholder engagement, and rigorous evaluation processes.
With a background in Chemical Engineering and a Project Management certificate from the University of Alberta, Hafsah integrates technical and analytical problem-solving with strategic project execution. She has led the operations team in delivering research and evaluation initiatives that drive meaningful results. Her ability to streamline processes, coordinate cross-functional teams, and implement efficient research methodologies ensures projects are executed with precision and impact.
Hafsah has contributed to a range of impactful projects, including bridging the market research world with engineering firms for business development, which is where her journey in market research first began. Since then, she has played a key role in advancing health regulation initiatives, focusing on patient engagement programs and evaluations across professions and regions nationwide, as well as transit customer satisfaction programs, newcomer integration and community engagement efforts, and key government policy research.
Passionate about bridging research with practical implementation, Hafsah excels in stakeholder collaboration, operational efficiency, and delivering high-quality research insights that inform decision-making. Her leadership in managing intricate research operations makes her a key contributor to impactful, data-driven solutions.

Emma Martin
Research Manager

Emma Martin
Research Manager
Emma is a seasoned researcher with a passion for driving positive change in policy and service delivery ecosystems. She brings expertise in program evaluation including KPI and metric framework development, policy implementation, quantitative and qualitative data and analysis, and a strong understanding of the public sector. Emma holds a Bachelor of Commerce with specializations in marketing and business law from the University of Alberta (2020), as well as a Master of Public Policy with an emphasis in economics for public policy from the University of Toronto (2024).
During her time at Pivotal Research, Emma has supported several projects across the private, public, and non-profit sectors including healthcare regulation, transportation, immigration using a wide variety of research tools including online bulletin boards and mobile ethnography technology.
Her most recent role was with the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, where she supported key housing program files including the Homelessness Prevention and Indigenous Supportive Housing Programs. While completing her master’s degree, Emma co-led the Policy Innovation Initiative, a student-led think tank which enables graduate students to complete independent research to identify solutions to critical policy issues including climate change, AI, housing affordability, and Indigenous governance.

Manish Yadav
Data and Analytics Manager

Manish Yadav
Data and Analytics Manager
Manish Yadav is an accomplished Data Scientist with expertise in data analysis and statistics. He holds a BSc in Mathematics from the University of Delhi and postgraduate diplomas in Research Analysis and Big Data Analytics from Georgian College.
At Pivotal Research, Manish excels in data collection, interpretation, and visualization, providing valuable insights for strategic decision-making. Manish has worked on various projects, including Transit User and Non-User Research, Healthcare Patient Journey Research, and Labour Market Trend Analysis. His roles at Pivotal Research encompass survey programming, data analysis, reporting, and visual dashboard creation, making him an integral part of the team.
Previously a Research Analyst at the Rural Ontario Medical Program (ROMP), Manish developed strong skills in data cleaning, sorting, and visualization. He has extensive experience in survey analysis and dashboard creation using Tableau and Microsoft Power BI. His certifications include Microsoft Excel Expert, Google Analytics, and IBM Data Science Professional.

Una Jungbolt
Research Analyst

Una Jungbolt
Research Analyst
Una Jungbolt is a public policy professional with expertise in policy research, program evaluation, and stakeholder engagement. She holds a Master of Public Policy from University of Toronto (2024) and an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, with a specialization in Public Law and Judicial Studies from McMaster University (2022), where she also minored in Philosophy. Prior to joining, Una supported the Federal Government’s Canadian Digital Adoption Program with project management and sector research and conducted equity, diversity and inclusion audits through employee engagement. She worked as a teaching assistant for Public Policy course at the University of Toronto and Political Theory at McMaster University, where she also authored a Public Health Honours Thesis concerning factors contributing to compliance of government mandated COVID-19 measures. During her graduate studies, Una also served as a Chair of the US-Canada Public Policy Conference, leading a cross-border case competition focused on bilateral issues between the United States and Canada. Una is also bilingual and holds a French DELF certification. During her time at Pivotal Research, she worked on a Government of Alberta foreign credential recognition initiative, conducting research to improve credential assessment and pathways for internationally trained professionals. Una currently supports projects focused on health and allied health regulation; legislative, regulatory and political media tracking; and data collection evaluation. She contributes through jurisdictional scanning, comparative policy analysis, engagement with international experts to inform best practices, as well as design and implementation of data collection tools. Her work involves stakeholder engagement including facilitating advisory working groups and supporting provincial and Pan-Canadian regulatory innovation initiatives.

Chance Galay
Graphic & UX Designer

Chance Galay
Graphic & UX Designer
Chance is a versatile Graphic & UX designer with a background in digital advertising, where he mastered the art of crafting engaging brand identities and adhering to diverse corporate guidelines. Joining Pivotal Research in 2022, he brings a wealth of experience in maintaining brand consistency and translating complex data into visually compelling narratives.
At Pivotal Research, Chance has undertaken projects for municipalities, profession regulators, and industry clients, honing his skills in creating accurate, eye-catching reports, dashboards, and infographics. His dedication to excellence and innovation drives him to exceed client expectations while maintaining brand integrity.
With a keen eye for detail and a passion for visual storytelling, Chance strives to deliver design solutions that captivate and inform audiences. His unique blend of creativity, technical proficiency, and strategic thinking enables him to bring data to life in a way that resonates with users, empowering them with meaningful insights.
As he continues to push the boundaries of design, Chance remains committed to delivering impactful solutions that inspire, inform, and engage. Through his expertise and dedication, he consistently delivers exceptional design work that leaves a lasting impression.

Nevidita Arambam
Data Analyst

Nevidita Arambam
Data Analyst
Nevidita Arambam is a Data Analyst at Pivotal Research, bringing over three years of experience in healthcare data analytics. She holds an M.Sc. in Biotechnology and is currently pursuing an advanced course in Data Science. Nevidita excels in data collection, modeling, analysis, and visualization, creating visually compelling reports and dashboards tailored to client needs.
At Pivotal Research, she collaborates with the Operations team to collect, analyze, and visualize survey data, providing insights that help identify trends and patterns. She is also an expert in dashboard design collaborating on creative projects for various clients in the post-secondary education, healthcare, and non-profit sectors.
Nevidita’s expertise and innovative approach ensure that clients receive accurate, actionable data presented in an engaging and easy-to-understand format. Her dedication to excellence and her ability to transform complex data into impactful visualizations make her a valuable asset to the Pivotal Research team.

Andrew Wiens
Research Operations Coordinator

Andrew Wiens
Research Operations Coordinator
Andrew is a dynamic research coordinator, with experience in data analysis and synchronizing operational research objectives. Holding a BA in Economics, Andrew likes to find the motivations and story in data, driving actionable insights without losing sight of the larger picture. Since joining Pivotal Research, Andrew continues to contribute to project deployment and management in the fields of healthcare, transit, immigration, and employment. His interest in connecting client needs with the correct resources and experts makes Andrew a crucial part of the Pivotal Research team. Andrew’s passion for bringing forth the human story from data is what drew him to the market research industry, and has not diminished in the half-decade he has worked in it. He is known for his critical eye to detail and ensuring that every piece of the research puzzle fits, guaranteeing that an exceptional product is delivered every time.

Sneha Singh
Data Analyst

Sneha Singh
Data Analyst
Sneha is a dedicated data analyst with a background in Data Science and Computer Science Engineering. She brings expertise in research coordination, statistical analysis, and transforming complex datasets into actionable insights. With over 2.5 years of internship experience, Sneha has developed strong analytical and technical skills, applying tools such as Power BI, Tableau, and Excel to support data-driven decision-making.
At organizations including Pivotal Research, Eagle Forgings, and Speak Infinite, Sneha has contributed to projects across education, manufacturing, and technology. Her work focuses on building real-time dashboards, conducting advanced analysis, and ensuring that every stage of the research process aligns with strategic objectives.
Passionate about uncovering the story behind the numbers, Sneha is known for her precision, critical eye for detail, and commitment to delivering high-quality outcomes. She continues to approach every project with curiosity and determination, bridging the gap between raw data and meaningful insights.

Sami Babayandarjazi
Research Analyst

Sami Babayandarjazi
Research Analyst
Sami is a research and policy professional with expertise in health systems, public policy, and strategic consulting. She holds a Master of Public Policy from the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, and an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Philosophy from Queen’s University.
Her experience spans both the health and municipal sectors, where she has supported evidence-based decision-making and organizational transformation. As a health policy research assistant with the North American Observatory on Health Systems and Policies (NAO), Sami conducted jurisdictional scans and synthesized evidence on non-communicable diseases to inform a national policy roadmap. At Blackline Consulting, she worked with municipal governments to modernize service delivery, facilitate stakeholder consultations, and produce comparative analyses that guided client strategies.
Drawing on her interdisciplinary training, Sami integrates political science, philosophy, and policy analysis to approach complex issues with both analytical rigor and human-centered insight. She is particularly skilled at translating complex research and data into practical, actionable recommendations that strengthen institutions and improve public outcomes.
With a proven ability to bridge research, governance, and practice, Sami is committed to advancing innovative, evidence-based policies that enhance health systems and public services across Canada.

Selen Kucuktas
Research Analyst

Selen Kucuktas
Research Analyst
Selen is a skilled researcher with a strong background in research, data analysis, and reporting. She holds a PhD in Cognitive Psychology from the University of Alberta, where she developed expertise in human memory and quantitative research methods, ranging from meta-analytical reviews to brain imaging studies. During her doctoral studies, she worked as a teaching assistant at the University of Alberta and contributed to journal publications focused on visual imagery during memory retrieval. With an academic foundation in psychology, Selen brings a unique perspective to data interpretation—considering both individual and social dimensions of human behavior. Her experience in data collection, analysis, and reporting allows her to approach research with both analytical precision and a deep understanding of the human factors that influence data trends. In Pivotal Research, she supports the research team through data quality assurance and insightful reporting.