Advisory Board

Susan Royer is a seasoned independent research consultant providing highly strategic research design, implementation and analysis supporting both the corporate and non-profit sectors. Most recently, Ms. Royer was Managing Director of MMSI, a boutique brand strategy firm. In this capacity, Susan developed brand identities and growth strategies for domestic and international brands across a wide range of categories. Key clients included PBS Kids, HIT Entertainment, Glaxo Smith Kline, Oi (largest Brazilian Telecom), Cablevision (Madison Square Garden).

Prior to MMSI, Susan served as Vice President and Executive Director of Education and Research at Sesame Workshop, makers of Sesame Street. In addition to spearheading company-wide research strategies, and being a visible spokesperson for the Workshop curriculum, Susan supervised a team of 30 researchers and content specialists. Collectively their work spanned all aspects of development and execution including branding and messaging, formative and evaluative impact research across all properties and media platforms for toddlers to school age children, parents, caregivers and influentials.

While at the Workshop, Susan oversaw an important research initiative among children between the ages of 4 and 8 years, focusing on understanding how this cohort looks at the world of interactive media in the context of “things to do”, using user imagery as a window into their perceptions. In addition, she oversaw a two year research study among elementary school aged children, designed to understand their view of the world around them. The study took a unique approach by going directly to the children and asking them, without interference from adults, to describe their lives. Children were given booklets designed to capture their perspectives through drawings, collages, mini-essays, and photographs. The study was unprecedented in that is was conducted both before and after September 11th. The research helped to inform new endeavors at the Workshop and influence the field at large.

Prior to joining Sesame Workshop, Ms. Royer was Senior Vice President and Group Research Director at Young & Rubicam, Inc, working under advertising luminary, Alex Kroll. She also introduced the research function to the Advertising Council as its first V. P., Director of Research and Planning. Ms. Royer began her career at Colgate-Palmolive as a marketing research analyst.

Ms. Royer serves on the Youth Board of the Department of Youth and Community Development, City of New York, and is a Member of the PBS KIDS Next Generation Board. She resides with her husband and two teenagers in Montclair, NJ.