RRC ASSOCIATES - Key Persons
Austin joined RRC Associates as a Data Scientist in July 2024, driven by his ambition to innovate mobility research and AI utilization. He holds a B.S. in Data Science from Colorado State University and resides in Austin, TX. At RRC, Austin aids organizations in leveraging mobile data through the manipulation and visualization of geodata. He utilizes a diverse tech stack to extract meaningful insights from data and push the boundaries of traditional analysis. His expertise includes advanced dimensionality techniques, natural language processing, and generative AI models to enhance project capabilities. Austin is passionate about transforming data into impactful solutions and continuously seeks new ways to optimize and innovate within the field. Outside of work, Austin enjoys the outdoors, staying active, and listening to music.
Chris Cares - Founder, Managing Director
Chris has extensive experience in the creation and analysis of tourism, recreation, snow sports, and other applied research projects, as well as more general web-based research programs. His research and recommendations have helped to shape community decision-making and the design, marketing and communications strategies of a wide variety of clients.
Chris has been a Boulder resident and employer for over 40 years, and he continues to participate as an RRC team member on selected projects where his experience and consultation add value.
Job Titles:
- Data Analyst
- Director of Data Innovation
Based in Carbondale, Colorado, Colin is a highly skilled data analyst and data visualist. Colin also has an in-depth background in digital marketing platforms and tools, including experience with Google Analytics, Doubleclick, Bid Manager, AdWords, Tag Manager, and Facebook Ad Manager.
At RRC Associates, Colin has been an "in-house expert" in applying Tableau, SPSS, and other data analysis tools to create clear and compelling visualizations of data and help uncover research insights on a diversity of projects.
Colin has a B.A. in English from Colorado College.
Job Titles:
- Director of Community and Travel Research
- Lead Analyst
David has served as the lead analyst on market research projects for a variety of clients in the skiing, tourism, and real estate industries. He has also served as the primary planner/analyst on a variety of housing, growth management, and economic assessment/impact studies, and heads up RRC's lodging occupancy tracking research.
David has Master's degrees in Urban and Regional Planning and Public Administration from the University of Colorado at Denver, and an MBA from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Donna has been a member of the RRC Associates team since 2003. Her evolving roles include data processing while serving as the office manager. She is the glue that holds our team together!
Donna has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Colorado. In her free time, she is an avid chef who loves cooking for friends and family. She also enjoys spending time with her two Golden Retrievers on open space, traveling and entertaining.
Job Titles:
- Research Manager
- Social Scientist
Ethan is an experienced social scientist with a background in quantitative and qualitative research. Ethan joined RRC Associates in 2018 bringing experience conducting custom research for public and private institutions, including program evaluations, employee and customer satisfaction studies, and organizational needs assessments. Today Ethan oversees the research process for parks and recreation research and conducts several annual studies in tourism, event research, and community surveys. Ethan also brings a wealth of technical knowledge. He coordinates RRC's IT infrastructure and is a subject matter expert on survey software and design.
Ethan holds an M.A. in Sociology from the University of Northern Colorado and specializes in research on social networks and human relationships. Based in Kaysville, Utah, Ethan is an animal enthusiast who enjoys exploration, seeking out new experiences, and tinkering with the latest technology.
Glen joined the RRC team in February 2022 with his background as an environmental social science researcher and experience in quantitative and spatial data analysis. His background as a researcher, coupled with his experience in communications, enables him to interpret complex data and report key findings efficiently.
At RRC, Glen works on multiple projects and focuses largely on research for the nationwide Socioeconomic Monitoring program for the National Parks Service, regional and individual mountain resort tourism, and other market research and feasibility studies.
Glen holds an M.S. in Geoscience from Florida Atlantic University with specialized certification in the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). When brought onto the RRC team, Glen left behind sunny Florida in exchange for mountainous Colorado and has been hiking, camping, and enjoying the cooler weather ever since.
Job Titles:
- Data Scientist
- RRC As a Data Scientist
Gus joined RRC as a data scientist in October of 2023. Gus has a B.S. Mathematical Statistics from Wake Forest University. Gus enjoys applying his knowledge of Python, Alteryx and other data analysis tools to uncover underlying patterns in complex datasets. At RRC, Gus cleans and processes mobile device geodata to provide insights and visualize results. Gus lives in the Denver Metro Area and loves to ski, backpack and collect national park passport stamps.
Jake has over a decade of experience in visitor research specifically revolving around parks and public land, outdoor recreation, and tourism. Prior to joining RRC, Jake worked for the Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research at the University of Montana where he led research projects for destinations and DMOs across the state. Past project examples include visitor use research for Yellowstone National Park, Glacier National Park, Missoula CVB, the Montana Tourism Office, and more.
Since joining RRC, he has served as the lead analyst on a variety of tourism research including Yellowstone National Park, Breckenridge Tourism Office, Chattanooga CVB, Whitefish Mountain Resort, and Arapahoe Basin, among others.
Jake earned a Ph.D. in Forestry and Conservation Sciences from the University of Montana, an M.S. in Recreation Management from the University of Montana, and a B.S. in Recreation and Tourism Studies from the University of North Dakota.
Job Titles:
- Director of Economics and Tourism Research
Jeremy specializes in tourism & recreation economics, visitor use management, regional economic analysis, as well as survey development, deployment, and analysis. He brings more than ten years of post-Ph.D. experience in socioeconomic-based actionable research. As an economic geographer by training, he approaches his projects through a lens of all things being connected through space; whether this is through the sharing of physical land or economic interdependency.
Jeremy currently leads multiple projects under the National Park Service's nationwide socioeconomic research contract, including those that seek to place economic and social value on lands, and wildlife. Additionally, he leads projects involving Market Assessment and Planning of tourism and recreation regions, assets, and investments.
Prior to coming to RRC in 2022, Jeremy led the Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research at the University of Montana, where he directed annual projects to estimate statewide visitor spending and profiles, as well as an assortment of niche tourism studies. He also spent time as the Associate Director of the Freight Policy Transportation Institute at Washington State University, conducting infrastructure investment studies for several State Departments of Transportation and the USDA.
Jeremy holds an Interdisciplinary Ph.D. (Economics, Geography, and Rural Sociology) from Washington State University, an M.S. in Human Dimension of Ecosystem Science and Management from Utah State University, and a B.S. in Ecology from Washington State University. Jeremy is a firm believer that research is ‘me-search', thus his draw to all things outdoor recreation, living in Missoula, Montana, and 40+ triathlons. Go Cougs!
Jimmy joined RRC in July 2022. After nearly a decade spent in ski and outdoor recreation industries across the West, he brings his firsthand knowledge of mountain communities to RRC's research projects. His graduate research focused on the economic and environmental impact of destination ski areas as well as sustainable development for mountain communities more broadly.
At RRC he channels his academic rigor and lived experience to interpret the changing dynamics of communities in the American West.
Jimmy holds a Sustainable Planning and Management Masters of the Environment degree and dual Bachelors of Arts in Environmental Studies and Biology from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
At RRC, Kailyn leads the parks and recreation research sector, handling everything from project initiation to questionnaire design, analysis, and final reporting. Drawing from her experience as a public servant in a parks and recreation department, she champions the use of community feedback to shape strategic plans and goals for parks and recreation agencies.
She has a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Oregon and a Sustainable Planning and Management Masters of the Environment degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder. A Colorado native, Kailyn now resides in Westminster. Outside of work, she has a passion for travel (having visited 23 countries), yoga, and outdoor adventures with her golden retriever, Riley.
Job Titles:
- Senior Data Analyst
- RRC As a Data Analyst
Kara joined RRC as a data analyst in September of 2021, bringing a strong background in social research and quantitative analysis. Her personal philosophy is rooted in using statistical rigor to produce actionable solutions and intuitive summaries of complex data. Kara has applied this philosophy to academic studies of public opinion, global health, and social inequality using a combination of survey and demographic data.
At RRC, Kara is currently applying her data skills to annual socioeconomic and visitor experience research for entities such as the National Parks Service, National Ski Areas Association, regional and individual ski resorts, regional airports, and DMOs.
Kara holds an M.A. in Sociology from the University of Oklahoma and an M.S. in Statistics from Indiana University. She is based in Melbourne, FL with her husband and two cats. In her free time, Kara is a live music lover, board game nerd, and craft cocktail enthusiast.
With over 18 years at RRC, Katie has vast experience working on a variety of projects from downtown studies, parks and recreation surveys, and snowsports research. She is able to use her broad range of skills to carry through these projects.
Katie has been involved in the qualitative side of RRC, conducting intercept interviews, and recruiting for and hosting focus groups. Now as the Data Manager, Katie oversees the survey data to ensure accuracy and data entry delivery in a timely manner.
Living and working abroad has helped Katie develop an excitement for travel and tourism research. Katie has a B.A. in Communication from Regis University in Denver.
Kelli joined RRC in May 2022 as the Business Manager. After a number of years in Wealth Management as an Analyst and Associate, she brings a strong business background to the company. At RRC, Kelli's responsibilities include accounting, Human Resources, and business-related items. Kelli served on the Board for Downtown Boulder Inc. and as Co-Chair for the Hospice Care of Boulder fundraising event (Pizazz!).
Kelli holds a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of South Dakota, and MBA studies from Schiller International University in London, England. She enjoys volunteering, traveling, and hiking in the mountains and the Arizona desert.
Job Titles:
- Director of Outdoor Recreation Research at RRC
- Social Scientist and Project Manager
Lucy is an interdisciplinary social scientist and project manager. Drawing on a diverse research background in the study of human behavior and opinions, she is able to address our clients' nuanced questions about their visitors and local residents. She excels in both quantitative and qualitative research methods, and her areas of expertise include parks and protected areas, outdoor recreation, and tourism. She has extensive experience in consulting, non-profit, government, and academic settings, while her background in teaching enables her to successfully translate complex science and data into formats that are meaningful to clients and their stakeholders.
As the Director of Outdoor Recreation Research at RRC, Lucy leads a wide range of projects, including annual studies for the National Ski Areas Association and individual ski resorts, winter and summer visitor research for mountain resort communities, airport user and planning projects, and special events assessments. She also serves as a core member of the National Park Service's nationwide socioeconomic research team.
Lucy holds a dual-title M.S. in Recreation, Park and Tourism Management (RPTM) and Human Dimensions of Natural Resources and the Environment (HDNRE) from The Pennsylvania State University, and a B.A. in Event Planning from Indiana University. She lives in Los Alamos, New Mexico with her husband and their cat, Theodore Roosevelt. In her free time, she enjoys backpacking, skiing, paddling, and outdoor adventuring in the Southern Rockies and beyond.
Job Titles:
- Research Manager
- Associate at RRC
Based in Carbondale, Colorado, Sarah is an Associate at RRC with expertise in snowsports research. Leveraging her experience as a marketing data & analytics manager for outdoor brands, she excels at using an analytical perspective to pull actionable insights from extensive datasets. Her proficiency in interpreting multifaceted data sets is complemented by her data story-telling skills, empowering her to turn client objectives into data-driven deliverables.
At RRC, Sarah is involved with the snowsports sector where she specializes in the intersection of ski resorts and mountain community research.
Sarah holds a Biology and Psychology bachelor's degree from the University of Denver. Living in the Roaring Fork Valley, she takes advantage of the access to outdoor adventures. In her free time, she loves to ski, float on the many rivers of the Roaring Fork Valley, and explore the Elk Mountains with her friends.
Sean guides the overall market research and consulting practice for RRC Associates. His background in downtown management and tourism/recreation, as well as a unique perspective on visitor experiences, special events, and retailing, is invaluable to the team at RRC.
Sean served as the CEO of the Downtown Boulder Partnership for 10 years. He previously served as Executive Director of the Boulder Economic Council and Small Business Development Center for the Boulder Chamber of Commerce. He also serves on the board of the Boulder Convention and Visitors Bureau and has been a monthly columnist for the Boulder Daily Camera for 16 years, focusing on economic and civic issues.