Market Research Consultants in Houston to Watch for in 2025

The Experts Shaping Houston’s Insights Industry in 2025

Market research is the unseen engine powering some of Houston’s most dynamic industries. From energy and aerospace to biotech, market research drives innovation in this rapidly evolving startup scene. In 2025, this sprawling metro area (including The Woodlands and Sugar Land) is bursting with businesses hungry for not just more data, but better data. Behind this strategic and impactful data are the consultants translating numbers into action, and feedback into growth.

At Digital Reference, we believe in celebrating the researchers making that impact. We've conducted a thoughtful evaluation of market resarch professionals in the area to develop this curated list. Through a review of their work, public insights, methodologies, and the clients who trust them, we've created a list of standout experts. These aren’t generic shoutouts. They’re high-performing leaders uniquely suited to serve Houston’s markets.

Some of these consultants are freelancers. Others run boutique firms. But all of them are standout problem-solvers trusted by enterprises, agencies, and startups alike.

We picked each consultant based on:

• Their track record with real-world business problems
• Methodologies that reflect innovation or specialization
• Clear impact on client outcomes (especially locally)
• And their active presence in the Houston metro area

If you're new to the industry, check out our talent ecosystem insights — a resource our team built to help leaders evaluate partners.

Here are Houston’s top market research consultants to watch in 2025:

Russell Jackson – Decision Information Resources (DIR)

📍 President, CEO & Founder - DIR
🌐 Website | LinkedIn

Russell Jackson isn’t just leading a research firm, he’s shaping how research improves systems at scale. As CEO of Decision Information Resources (DIR), Russell heads one of Houston’s most established firms working in education, public policy, and workforce development. For over three decades, DIR has served major clients like the U.S. Department of Education and several philanthropic foundations.

• Oversees large-scale program evaluations for education and public sector agencies
• Leads a team known for rigorous, equity-centered methodologies
• ‍Trusted by government, academic, and nonprofit clients for high-stakes, high-impact research

Elvia De La Garza-Morales – DLG Research

📍 Partner - DLG Research
🌐 Website | LinkedIn

Elvia De La Garza-Morales is a B2B and consumer insights expert who knows how to get to the root of a business problem. As a partner and qualitative moderator at DLG Research, she helps organizations move beyond awareness and into strategic change, specializing in bicultural moderation, communications testing, and unique insights.

• Known for creating strong emotional connection during moderation sessions
• Expert in qualitative and quantitative mixed-method designs‍
• Passionate about building authentic consumer narratives for brands in transition

Kristen Lightner – KKL Research

📍 Founder - KKL Research
🌐 Website | LinkedIn

With razor-sharp instincts and innovative research strategies, Kristen Lightner brings human understanding to the forefront of research. She leads KKL Research, a Houston-based qualitative market research firm focused on comprehensive research services and a detail-orientated approach.

• Known for strategic, discovery-driven interviewing techniques
• Trusted by Fortune 500 brands for early-stage product and concept testing‍
• Offers custom recruiting, moderation, and analysis under one streamlined roof

Carolina Dominguez – Freelance Market Research Consultant

📍 Consumer Insights & Market Research Specialist
🌐 LinkedIn

Carolina Dominguez is a Houston-based insights consultant with a strong background in consumer and shopper insights. Having worked with top consulting firms and directly with clients, she offers a rare combination of strategic storytelling and cultural fluency.

• 10+ years in international and U.S. market research, especially in pharma and CPG
• Expertise in technical research with a strong background in analytical problem-solving skills
• Known for an adaptable leadership style and strong influence

Denise Anderson – SpencerHall

📍Consultant -  SpencerHall
🌐 Website | LinkedIn

Denise Anderson is a creative insights translator. At SpencerHall, she helps brands generate and evaluate new ideas, particularly around product development, consumer segmentation, and brand positioning. Her facilitation style is high-energy, high-empathy, and backed by robust strategy.

• Innovation-focused moderator with a flair for creative workshop design
• Works across qualitative and hybrid methodologies‍
• Specializes in brand storytelling and consumer co-creation

Ryder Pratt – Revalere Insights

📍 Founder & Lead Researcher - Revalere Insights
🌐 Website | LinkedIn

Ryder Pratt is the kind of quantitative researcher who loves a challenge. As founder and lead researcher of Revalere insights, he focuses on custom research solutions for companies that need clarity fast. From survey design to qualitative and quantitative analysis to brand positioning, Ryder has helped clients across the Houston metro area translate survey data into marketing strategy.

• Specializes in competitive intelligence, customer segmentation, and primary and secondary research
• Leads a firm that offers online surveys, dashboards, and actionable reporting‍
• Trusted by clients for his responsiveness, strategic thinking, and clear deliverables

Marciel Dominguez-Watson – Connexion Research

📍 Co-Founder - Connexion Research
🌐 Website | LinkedIn

Marciel Dominguez-Watson has made multicultural insights her business. As the Co-Founder of Connexion Research, she’s built one of Houston’s most trusted agencies for multicultural consumer research. With over 20 years of experience, Marciel leads projects that dive deeper than surface-level demographics, blending cultural context with strategic application.

• 20+ years of multicultural research experience, with a focus on Hispanic audiences
• Built Connexion Research into a full-service firm, offering qualitative, quantitative, and hybrid methodologies
• Frequently recognized for her leadership in cultural competency and inclusive research practices

Christy Harper – End to End User Research

📍 Co-Owner & Managing Partner - End to End User Research
🌐 Website | LinkedIn

Christy Harper is the go-to partner for companies that want their user experience to feel truly user-driven. She co-founded End to End User Research to bring high-quality qualitative research to product and design teams. Her background includes experience in human factors research as well as strategic product design research.

• Deep specialization in UX research and usability testing
• Has worked with major clients in education, digital entertainment, and input devices
• Co-leads a team that brings empathy and methodological rigor to every engagement

Wrapping Up: Houston’s Research Landscape in 2025

This year, Houston is seeing an evolution in how research is being used, not just for validation, but for real innovation. From public policy to healthcare UX, product testing to segmentation, these consultants are at the center of it all. They’re guiding some of the most important decisions being made in Texas.

Whether you’re looking for a solo qualitative expert, a full-service analytics partner, or someone who understands the nuances of cross-cultural engagement, there’s a name on this list for you.

At Digital Reference, we don’t just write about consultants. we help connect leaders to the insight professionals they need. If you're interested in market research consultants in other regions, check our our curated list of Market Research consultants and specialists in Boston and Chicago.