About Us

More than 3 Million Surveyed in 1,000 Cities Since 2010

ETC Institute is your premier partner for community surveys and engagement, dedicated to empowering local governmental organizations with data-driven insights that transform community planning.

Founded in 1982 by Dr. Elaine Tatham, our mission is to gather valuable data from residents and drive meaningful community engagement to foster vibrant and inclusive neighborhoods. ETC Institute has a proven track record of successfully conducting research projects and surveys for clients in 49 states. Our comprehensive portfolio includes thousands of surveys, focus groups, and stakeholder meetings, all aimed at enhancing community planning and decision-making.

Over the past five years, ETC Institute has administered surveys in over 1,000 cities and counties across the United States, making us the preferred choice for anyone seeking reliable research solutions.

Team Leaders

ETC Institute consists of a staff of 100+ people, both in-house and in the field. Our staff are highly qualified in various areas of expertise, including parks and recreation surveys, customer satisfaction surveys, onboard transit surveys, data visualization, and more.

CEO, Chris Tatham

Chris Tatham

Chief Executive Officer
CFO, Greg Emas

Greg Emas

Chief Financial Officer
Vice President of International Business Development, Paulos Assefa

Paulos Assefa

Vice President of International Business Development
Vice President of Systems, Andrew Kolcz

Andrew Kolcz

P.E., AICP
Vice President of Systems
Vice President of Data Management, Nick Jones

Nick Jones

Vice President of Data Management
Vice President of Field Research, Aaron Hekele

Aaron Hekele

Vice President of Field Research
Vice President of Field Research, Fred Gsell

Fred Gsell

Vice President of Field Research
Vice President of Community Research, Jason Morado

Jason Morado

Vice President of Community Research
Vice President of Operations, Mike Rich

Mike Rich

Vice President of Operations
Director of Household Research, Tina Chafin

Tina Chafin

Director of Household Research
Director of Field Operations, Bradley Carlson

Bradley Carlson

Director of Field Operations
Assistant Director of Community Research, Ryan Murray

Ryan Murray

Assistant Director of Community Research
Senior Project Manager, Robert Heacock

Robert Heacock

Senior Project Manager
Project Manager, Dawn Davis

Dawn Davis

Project Manager
QA/QC Manager, Jason Jones

Jason Jones

QA/QC Manager
Business Development and Communications Manager, Bridget Courneya

Bridget Courneya

Business Development and Communications Manager
Survey Data Supervisor, Mary Huffe

Mary Huffe

Survey Data Supervisor
Data Analyst, Christian Tatham

Christian Tatham

Data Analyst
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Leading the Way Awards

The Leading the Way Award by ETC Institute acknowledges exceptional local governments for their exemplary service delivery to residents.

Awardees, representing the top 10% of cities and counties in the US, excel in three key aspects gauged through the DirectionFinder® Survey: overall service quality satisfaction, customer service by employees, and perceived value of local taxes and fees.

View Past Winners
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Join Our Team

As we continue to expand, ETC is constantly seeking passionate individuals to join us. If you’re enthusiastic about leveraging data to enhance communities and are committed to driving positive change, explore our employment opportunities today!

View Current Openings