Virtual Event

Activate Better Insights
with Real Users

More Methods. More Research. All in One Platform.

Join us for a 2-day virtual summit to discover the new tools, strategies, and trends driving UX and market research innovation.

May 7-8th, 2025

9am PT | 12pm ET | 5pm CET

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The market has shifted and there is an increased demand for user insights to inform product development, marketing strategies, and overall business decisions.

Join Activate to stay ahead of the curve on the most pressing topics facing researchers today.

Product Innovation Shapes Research Strategy: Building market leading products requires a research-first approach. It's time to start embedding research throughout the product development lifecycle.

Integrated Research Drives Greater Business Impact: When organizations prioritize collaboration, embrace new methods, and bring it all together on an integrated platform, they can uncover insights faster and drive smarter strategies.

AI is Transforming Research, Unlocking Efficiency, & Opportunity: AI enables businesses to extract more value from research while reducing time to insight. This shift isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about empowering organizations to be more customer-driven than ever before.

Activate 2025 Speakers

Javier Bargas

Former UX Director

Google

Kim Cooper

VP, Market Research & Competitive Intelligence

EverBank

Mario Mijares

VP Marketing, Loyalty and Monetization Platforms

7-Eleven

Andrea Eaker

Global Guest Research Director

Alaska Airlines

Ambria Escamilla Johnson

Sr. Manager, Alpha & Beta Program

Adobe Inc.

Javier Bargas

Former UX Director

Google

Javier is a UX Director with more than 20 years of experience in the field. He's passionate about building high-performing research organizations that drive product success by delivering critical user insights. A trusted leader, he excels at developing teams and fostering a culture of innovation.

At Google, he successfully built and scaled research organizations for key products like Play, Cloud, Ads, and YouTube. Prior to Google, he led the HCI research lab at the University of Basel. With a Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology, he has authored over 30 peer-reviewed papers in HCI, focusing on user satisfaction, mental models, aesthetics, and internationalization.

Kim Cooper

VP, Market Research & Competitive Intelligence

EverBank

A professional with 15 years of banking experience, Kim currently serves as the VP of Market Research and Competitive Intelligence at EverBank. In this role, her responsibilities encompass managing the client community, as well as leading competitive intelligence and brand research initiatives within the marketing department. Her strategic and analytical skills drive impactful insights for EverBank’s marketing strategies and competitive positioning.

Mario Mijares

VP Marketing, Loyalty and Monetization Platforms

7-Eleven

Mario leads the teams responsible for customer research and analytics, loyalty programs, in-store and shopper marketing and monetization platforms. Mario joined 7-Eleven in 2020 with more than 20 years of experience in retail and retail-consulting with top brands across the USA, UK, France, Canada, Mexico, and Australia. Over the last two years, his team has created several products, including C-Shopper, The Brainfreeze Collective and Gulp Media to help CPGs better understand and market to the immediate consumption consumer. Mario earned an MBA from Northwestern University and a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Universidad Iberoamericana Ciudad de México. He and his family live in the greater Dallas area.

Andrea Eaker

Global Guest Research Director

Alaska Airlines

Andrea loves bringing data to life. Her career has spanned deep expertise in both qualitative and quantitative approaches. In addition to owning primary research, she creates data-driven stories for business leaders that utilize a variety of data sources. Across her 20 years as a researcher, she’s been most inspired by brand positioning and customer motivation insights. She has worked at Alaska Airlines since 2017.

Ambria Escamilla Johnson

Sr. Manager, Alpha & Beta Program

Adobe Inc.

Ambria Johnson is a Sr. Manager for Alpha & Beta Programs at Adobe, dedicated to transforming Digital Experiences for Fortune 500 enterprises. With 15 years of industry experience, Ambria excels in driving exceptional customer engagement strategies and leading innovative projects. Currently, she is spearheading a process modernization initiative to scale the program through automation, impacting thousands of product development experts, driving customer value and experience.

What to expect at Activate 2025

DAY 1

May 7, 2025

9am PT | 12pm ET

Innovation Keynote: More Research, More Insights, One Platform

12:00 - 12:30 EST

Presenters:
Mary Kay Evans, Chief Go-To-Market Officer, Alida
Connell Oreilly, VP Product, Alida
Jodie Masikewich, Sr Director Product Marketing, Alida

User research is at an inflection point, the role of the researcher is evolving and the demand for user insights is on the rise. Join our product experts to get the latest on how to:

Root decisions in genuine customer needs
Execute faster research and create engaging, data-rich customer narratives
Dedicate more time to strategic analysis

Industry Roundtables

Combining Qualitative and Quantitative Data to Uncover the “Why” Behind the “What”

12:30 - 1:00 EST

Presenters: Javier Bargas, Former UX Director, Google, Kim Cooper, VP, Market Research & Competitive Intelligence, EverBank

In today's data-driven landscape, product teams are under pressure to make decisions that are both informed and strategic. Yet, when it comes to user research, relying on either quantitative or qualitative data alone can lead to incomplete and misguided decisions. In this panel discussion, we’ll dive into the transformative power of blending these two approaches to deliver actionable insights that drive product success.

The Role of Research in Driving Business Strategy

1:05 - 1:35 EST

Presenters: Kim Bastoni, CRO, Alida | Mario Mijares, VP Marketing, Loyalty and Monetization Platforms, 7-Eleven

How do you ensure your research efforts are strategic, impactful, and aligned to the goals of your business? In this fireside chat, we’ll discuss the role research plays in driving the strategic direction for a business, along with key principles and best practices for building a best-in-class research program and roadmap that you can take to the board room.

Storytelling and Stakeholders: Scaling the Impact of Insights

1:40 - 2:10 EST

Presenters: Paul Hagen, Principal Director, Alida, Andrea Eaker, Global Guest Research Director, Alaska Airlines, Ambria Escamilla Johnson, Sr. Manager, Alpha & Beta Program, Adobe Inc.

Generating insights is only half the battle—the real challenge lies in translating those insights into action across diverse stakeholder groups. This panel explores the art and science of storytelling with data, revealing how researchers can transform findings into narratives that spark action, drive alignment, and elevate the strategic value of research. Hear from leading market and user researchers as they share real-world examples, techniques, and frameworks for presenting data in a way that resonates with stakeholders.

DAY 2

May 8, 2025

9am PT | 12pm ET

Workshops

The Modern Research Revolution: Why Mixed Method Matters

12:00 - 12:45 EST

Presenters: Lisa Petitte, Principal Research Strategist, Alida | Paul Hagen, Principal Director, Alida

Learn how to design and implement a mixed method research engine that blends the scale of quantitative data with the depth of qualitative insights. Explore real-world examples and discover why combining quant + qual gives you a more complete picture—not just what users think and do, but why.

From surveys and digital intercepts to video interviews and unmoderated testing, discover how to use the full range of tools to gather richer, more actionable feedback.

Research Efficiency: Reclaim Your Time and Focus on What Really Matters

12:45 - 1:30 EST

Presenters: Alexandra Crossley, VP Customer Success, Alida. | Anamika Shori, Customer Success Manager, Alida

Imagine having more time to delve deeper into your research findings, and connect it to more powerful and impactful outcomes.

In this session, we’ll focus on sharing opportunities to add speed and efficiency to your research program. From streamlining survey authoring & distribution, to accelerating testing & analysis and leveraging AI, reclaim your time and focus on what really matters—delivering insights that drive better decisions.

Programming Pitfalls & How to Overcome Them

1:30 - 2:15 EST

Presenters: Kelsey Drake, Research Specialist, Alida | Julia Nathanson, Principal Solution Advisor, Alida

Measure twice, cut once. How do you ensure you get the results you need on the first try? Hear from the experts as we break down common survey programming mistakes, and share tips and tricks for building smarter, more reliable surveys from the start.

This session will sharpen your approach, boost your confidence, and help you program with precision.

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More methods. More research.

All on one platform

Activate is the perfect event for market researchers and UX professionals seeking to expand their knowledge, refine their skills, and connect with industry leaders. You’ll leave with a deeper understanding of how to transform user feedback into strategic business value, along with the tools to execute high-quality research programs.

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Activate Better Insights with Real Users