WHO WE ARE:
Professional Staff


Paul M. Brala, Ph.D., Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Dr. Brala has consulted in the area of behavior change and maximizing performance with individuals and companies for more than 23 years, working with executives, managers, and individual contributors. In helping develop and refine the performance of systems and individuals, he enhances the satisfaction people take from their careers and personal lives and contributes to the bottom line of the organization.

He has provided services in a broad range of industries including pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, real estate development, health care delivery, electronics technology, financial services, banking, computer hardware and software, food service delivery, insurance, and health care products manufacturing. He has particular experience in consulting to family owned businesses and has also worked with professional service firms.

Before opening his Princeton, NJ offices in 1987, Dr. Brala took two years of postdoctoral training in systems theory and family therapy, and served as a staff family psychologist for CPC Mental Health in Morganville, NJ. Prior to moving to New Jersey, he was the Director of Behavioral Health Services for the Colorado River Indian Tribes in Parker, AZ.

After serving four years as a U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman, Dr. Brala earned a BS with a double major in biology and psychology from The Florida State University. He also completed his MS and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Florida State in 1983 and clinical internship at the University of Massachusetts University Health Services. During his doctoral training he supplemented his clinical and consultation activities by completing an extensive minor in neuropharmacology at The Florida A&M University School of Pharmacy.

Dr. Brala also serves as a Senior Consultant for The Global Consulting Partnership an international consulting firm. He is a member of the American Psychological Association and the New Jersey Psychological Association and he holds a current license as a NJ psychologist.

 


Patricia E. Petersen, M.S., M.B.A., Senior OD Consultant

Ms.Petersen has provided Human Resource and Organization Development for over twenty years as an independent consultant. Her emphasis is on the "human" factor in organizations with a strong focus on leadership development and executive coaching, team building, and managing organizational change. Ms. Petersen has served clients in many industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, transportation, local, state and federal government, telecommunications, and not-for-profits. Prior to establishing her consulting practice, she held internal consulting positions in a number of industries including education, health care and customer service.

Ms. Petersen is the creator of a successful board game, Games Teams Play®, which is in use by numerous organizations around the world. She also designed and facilitates The Leadership Connection©, a six-month process for corporate leaders to enhance their ability to increase organizational effectiveness. This has been available through the Davis Center for Leadership at Jacksonville University.

Ms. Petersen holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Alabama in Birmingham, an Master of Science in Health Services and an MBA from the University of North Florida. She has extensive experience in education, having held faculty positions at the University of Alabama in Birmingham, Columbus College in Georgia, Florida Community College at Jacksonville, and Nova Southeastern University. She is also a former faculty member of the Masters in Human Resources Development program at Webster University. She has held many positions in American Society fo Training and Development (ASTD) on the National, Regional, and Local levels for many years and is actively involved in the Organizational Development Network on National and Local levels.

 

Robert Wederich, Statistical Services Director

Mr. Wederich brings more than twenty years of experience in applied statistics and social psychology to his work at Matrix. He provides services in the areas of computer modeling, survey design and implementation, statistical analysis and data interpretation.

Previously Mr. Wederich was the Manager of the Ernst & Young Survey Center where he specialized in survey methodology, statistical analysis and management consultation. He directed a team of statisticians, consultants and programmers, and was responsible for survey design and analysis, performance metrics, data interpretation, and presentation of results. Mr. Wederich managed the development and deployment of surveys in all media, and implemented global projects for Fortune 500 multinational corporations and trade associations for various industries. Survey projects ranged from multi-year global employee and client satisfaction surveys for major financial institutions to risk assessment surveys for insurance companies and market analysis for retailers. Before his promotion to Survey Center Manager he held the positions of Statistical and Programming Consultant and Manager of Statistical Support Services, also for Ernst & Young.

Mr. Wederich’s earlier work experience includes ten years with Digital Equipment Corporation where he held various positions including operational consultant, product manager, and manager of decision support (business intelligence utilization).

Mr. Wederich graduated “with distinction” from Rutgers University with a B.A. in psychology. He left a Ph.D. program in social psychology at Miami University, Oxford OH prior to completion in order to pursue his business career.

 

Glenn R. Kessler, Consulting Director, Marketing Research Operations

Mr. Kessler introduced use of the Internet as a medical market research tool and has been instrumental in introducing and producing world wide Internet Symposia to medical societies and medical professionals. In addition he has helped major companies develop strategies for merging product lines and sales organizations.

Previously Mr. Kessler has held various sales and marketing positions with Roche Diagnostic Systems and Ortho Diagnostics Systems (a division of Johnson and Johnson). Positions included Director of National Accounts and member of the Roche Diagnostic Operating Committee, Business Unit Manager for Immunoassay Products and Marketing Manager for computer data management systems for Ortho.

In addition to his experience in the diagnostics industry, he was a market research analyst for Time Life Incorporated as well as on the adjunct faculty of University of Baltimore where he taught consumer behavior to juniors and seniors in the college’s marketing program.

Mr. Kessler received a bachelor’s degree from American University in 1975 and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Maryland in 1977.

 

Dr. Chan Choi, Consulting Director, Market Research Services

Dr. Choi is responsible for directing the company’s traditional and Internet-based market research services, including project planning and implementation, survey data analysis and reporting, and designing on-line research applications.

Dr. Choi is an associate professor of marketing at the Rutgers University Graduate School of Management, where he has received numerous awards and grants. Among them include being a two-time recipient of the General Electric Teaching Fellowship Award for his work in developing web-based communication and teaching.

He earned MA and Ph.D. degrees in decision sciences and marketing from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, where he studied under Dr. Wayne S. DeSarbo, a pioneer in conjoint modeling and analysis. He earned an MBA in management science from Michigan State University, and BA and BS degrees in management and pharmaceutics from Seoul National University in Korea.

Dr. Choi has authored and co-authored numerous articles and research papers for leading domestic and international management publications. He has also co-authored several books, and has presented at national and international management conferences.

 

 

Dr. Arthur Kover, Consulting Director

Dr. Kover is a leader in design and execution of advertising testing. Dr. Kover consults on advertising research services and the design of optimal methods to adapt advertising research methods to the Internet. During the 1990’s he was Chair of the Marketing Department at Fordham University’s Graduate School of Business.

Before entering academia, Arthur spent 20 years directing research activities at some of the world’s largest advertising agencies including Kenyon & Eckhardt (now Bozell), Cunningham & Walsh and J. Walter Thompson. Dr. Kover also serves as the Editor of The Journal of Advertising Research and is a Management Fellow at Yale University’s School of Management.

Dr. Kover earned a BA in sociology from Cornell University and MA and Ph.D. degrees in sociology from Yale University. He is the recipient of some of the industry’s most prestigious awards and honors, and has authored or co-authored nearly 100 articles, research papers and books. He is also a noted lecturer, having presented at numerous seminars, conferences and advertising council meetings.

 

Richard Berke, Operations and Legal Affairs Consultant

Mr. Berke provides guidance for legal affairs and consults on various operations matters.

Responsibilities have included developing and expanding of Internet services; managing of Internet market research program; developing new products and services; planning and implementation of new computer network and Internet infrastructure; managing technical and non-technical support staff; project management of complex Internet marketing and market research programs; providing legal guidance in areas of contract, Internet, trademark and privacy related issues.

Previously Mr. Berke held various legal and academic positions including a private law practice and serving as an adjunct faculty member of the Community College of Philadelphia.

Mr. Berke received a BA from the State University of New York at Stony Brook in 1987 and a JD from Boston College in 1991. He is licensed to practice law before the courts of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the U.S. Court of International Trade.

 


Wendy Scharfman, M.S.  Senior Consultant, Research, Communications and Team Development

Wendy Scharfman has 25 years of experience in the worlds of education and research, business and technology, and professional acting.  She served as a school consultant for a mental health center in Durham, North Carolina and a research associate of clinical studies for the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.  Her clinical studies entailed in-depth interviews, assessment and data gathering for at risk families.  

Ms. Scharfman has worked as a presentation specialist and consultant for Bankers Trust and Deutsche Bank providing coaching and support to Banking Executives, Associates and Analysts.  As an actor, she has performed extensively on the New York stage, in both independent and feature films, and on network television.  Ms. Scharfman was the artistic director of the Polaris Repertory Theater in New York City for eight years. She has combined her experiences in the clinical world and the worlds of business and theater
to bring a unique skill set to communications training, team building, and organizational performance.  She helps leaders and other critical team members with communication and presentation skills.  Her hands-on approach to information gathering and field research provide a comfortable environment for professionals to listen, learn, and grow together. 

Ms. Scharfman received a B.S. in Education from Wheelock College in Boston, Massachusetts, an M.S. in Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a Master of Fine Arts from the Asolo Conservatory of Florida State University in Sarasota, Florida.


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