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.
Rainer Kocsis
Research Consultant
Rainer Kocsis
Research Consultant
Rainer brings an enthusiasm for statistical methods, forecasting, and data-driven, evidence-based decision making to the Pivotal Research team. During his time at Pivotal Research, Rainer has successfully led and completed multiple high-visibility evaluative research projects culminating in outcomes which informed recommendations to the public sector. Rainer has supported many initiatives focused on best practice jurisdictional scanning and literature reviews to inform evidence-based bylaw development and strategic planning.
Rainer holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Saskatchewan with a major specialization in economics and a minor specialization in political studies. Before joining Pivotal Research, Rainer’s most recent role was Policy and Research Analyst at the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce where he conducted qualitative and quantitative research, organized successful monthly business leader roundtables, and prepared reports for a wide variety of stakeholders, including community and business leaders. Prior to moving to Edmonton, Rainer served in the Canadian Armed Forces for five years. He has also been employed as a journalist and as a telephone research interviewer.
Emma Martin
Research Consultant
Emma Martin
Research Consultant
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 Scientist
Manish Yadav
Data Scientist
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.
Hafsah Ali
Research Operations Specialist
Hafsah Ali
Research Operations Specialist
Hafsah is a skilled Research Operations Specialist with expertise in implementing multi-faceted recruitment strategies for research participants. She plays a key role in supporting the leadership team by evaluating current research operation processes and facilitating communication between the team and operational platforms.
With a background in Chemical Engineering and a certificate in Project Management from the University of Alberta, Hafsah brings strong capabilities in process design and technical reporting and project management skills to ensure project deliverables and deadlines are met. She focuses on developing internal processes across functional teams to enhance project management efficiency and maintains excellent client communication skills to keep clients informed about critical data collection operations and project updates.
Hafsah has contributed to a range of impactful projects, including Edmonton Transit Services' Customer Satisfaction Program, British Columbia Transit Customer Satisfaction Surveys, and initiatives with the Government of Alberta and various municipalities. She has also supported the College of Dental Hygienists of Ontario in their Voice of the Patient and Public Program along with other health professional regulators’ projects.
Jazlyn Wiebe
Research Analyst
Jazlyn Wiebe
Research Analyst
Jazlyn has a Master of Arts in Political Science with a specialization in International Relations from the University of British Columbia, and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science with Distinction from the University of Alberta. Jazlyn has a strong background in quantitative and qualitative analysis, Gender-Based Analysis Plus, results reporting, and public policy. With a passion for evidence-informed leadership, Jazlyn brings a well-rounded perspective to her work as a research analyst.
With experience as a graduate student and teaching assistant at UBC and as a policy analyst at Western Economic Diversification Canada, Jazlyn brings a unique combination of theoretical and practical skills to her role as a Research Analyst. Her past research in government focused on female entrepreneurship in western Canada, COVID-19 recovery policies, and labour diversity in agriculture.
Jazlyn also has experience in the non-profit sector, including her time at Uganda4Her where she helped write monthly activity and transparency reports, partnered with businesses, and helped deliver curriculum on gender health, social, and economic equality.
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.
Anant Rai
Business Development Manager
Anant Rai
Business Development Manager
Anant excels as a skilled Business Development Manager with a unique background in engineering. She brings a fresh perspective to the realm of business development, combining technical acumen with strategic foresight to drive growth and innovation.
Anant also leads business development at Pivotal Leadership, where she continues to hone her skills in strategic planning, sales management, and client prospecting. She leverages this dual expertise at Pivotal Research to grow and nurture client accounts.
Her proactive approach to seeking out new opportunities, combined with her ability to customize solutions to meet client needs, has significantly contributed to organizational growth. Anant thrives on building strategic partnerships and nurturing meaningful connections within the industry. With a strong sales background and a talent for delivering exceptional customer satisfaction, she understands the importance of achieving results while fostering genuine relationships.
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.