
Our Team
Our Team
Meet The Ratings Experts℠!
Steve brings a wealth of programming knowledge and experience to the Research Director team. He has programmed in Washington, DC, Boston, Detroit and Cincinnati and held corporate programming positions for AM/FM and Clear Channel. He is a self-described “data geek” and understands the needs and challenges of programmers in today’s radio environment. He is primed to help our clients exploit their ratings opportunities. Steve has a B.A. in Communications from the University of Maryland.
Bethany has a passion for media of any kind and joins the Research Director team with a diverse background in film, radio, TV, and digital client campaigns. She previously worked with Cumulus Media as well as Rain the Growth Agency and National Media Connection in Connecticut. Her role as a sales assistant for Cumulus Media allowed her to learn the ins and outs of the radio industry while gaining important skills that she also utilized in other departments outside of sales—including promotions, business, and creative. She earned her B.A. in English with a concentration in Film, Drama, and Media Studies from the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth. Outside of the office, Bethany enjoys writing, iced coffee, and a good music playlist. She resides with her family in Rhode Island.
As Sr. Media Data Analyst, Karen researches third-party ratings databases to collect, manage, and organize information for our clients to communicate their value proposition to advertisers. She entered the broadcast industry in 1989 as Research Assistant at WPGC-FM. Her experience includes Assistant Research Director and Executive Programming Assistant for WPGC-FM, Local Sales Coordinator at WJLA-TV, and National Sales Coordinator at CBS Radio, all in Washington, D.C. Karen has been with Research Director since 2005.
Nicole joined the team in 2015. Her responsibilities include report generation and quality assurance. Nicole has worked in the Washington, DC area in various administrative roles. She received her B.A. in Political Science from West Chester University.
Dusty joined Research Director, Inc. in 2021. She has worked more than 25 years in marketing research and has 30+ years’ experience with copy editing and proofreading, including for newspapers. With expertise in honing presentations, proposals, correspondence, and client reports, she aims for correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar, as well as tight verbiage and consistency of written text with data. Her command of desktop publishing assists in clearly presenting information via charts, tables, and graphs.
Lucas Gordon joined Research Director, Inc. in 2022, just after graduating with a B.S. in Information Science from the University of Maryland. Lucas interprets radio ratings data to create dynamic presentations that help our clients increase sales. When he’s not at work, he likes to watch movies and go shopping.
Marc is a true Nielsen Audio guru. Before helping found Research Director in 1991, he worked as Arbitron Radio Product Manager, just as the company was introducing its first PC applications, such as Arbitrends™. Marc oversees the development of all software systems related to the production of our products and services, as well as all corporate administration. Marc has a B.S. in Operations Research from The George Washington University and has completed 95% of his work towards a M.S. in Artificial Intelligence from The George Washington University.
Susan joined Research Director, Inc. in 2015. She handles processing, data entry, and special projects. Susan has worked as a Project Leader/Senior Programmer at various banks in the Baltimore area. She earned her B.A. in Mathematics at Bucknell University.

Nia Hicks
Quality Control Specialist and Graphics Support
- 410-295-6619 x22
- nhicks@researchdirectorinc.com
Nia joined Research Director, Inc. in 2023 soon after graduating with a B.S. in Visual Communications and Digital Media from Bowie State University. Prior to joining the team she worked as a writing center tutor and editorial copy editor. She employs her experience and education in graphic design to proofread client deliverables and provide graphic support. Outside the office, Nia spends time watching video essays, playing video games, and constantly trying new things.
Caprisa is a Baltimore native with over 17 years of radio sales experience. During that time she has worked at Radio One Baltimore (WERQ-FM, WWIN-FM, WWIN-AM, and WOLB-AM) and Clear Channel Baltimore (WPOC-FM and WCAO-AM).
Caprisa graduated from HBCU Morgan State University with a B.S. in Communications Radio and Television. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc and enjoys listening to music, singing, cooking, and social media content creating.

Maria Lee
Quality Control Specialist and Administrative Support
- 410-295-6619 x27
- mlee@researchdirectorinc.com
Previously with Nielsen (Ad Intel), Maria came to Research Director, Inc. in 2023. She has a B.A. in Modern Languages and Linguistics and an M.A. in Intercultural Communication, both from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and is bilingual in English and French. She excels in written communication, and has a thesis published on ProQuest. Outside of the office, Maria enjoys playing video games, reading, and foraging for wild mushrooms and plants. Slowly but surely, she’s coming to terms with being an “elder emo,” and has recently discovered a passion for 80s music.
Karen excels at finding the right narrative for radio stations to grow their ratings and revenue. She has 20+ years of experience in the radio industry, the majority with Arbitron/Nielsen. At Research Director, Inc., Karen is responsible for all aspects of client communications and interactions to ensure that clients get the best value from our services. She received a B.S. in Marketing from Northern Illinois University.

Charlie Sislen
Partner Emeritus
Charlie retired at the end of 2021. Please reach out to Marc Greenspan or email info@ResearchDirectorInc.com.
Charlie knows radio from the inside out and outside in. He spent 12 years as Vice President of Research/Marketing at Eastman Radio. During that time he was also a member of the Arbitron Advisory Council and Chairman of the RAB Goals Committee. Prior to Eastman, he held positions as Client Service Representative at Arbitron for the firm’s rep/network/agency division, and Account Executive at WWDC-AM/FM in Washington, D.C. He joined Research Director, Inc. as a Partner in 1997. He received a B.S. in Administration and Management from Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Industrial Administration.

Anne Sloan
Information Systems & Product Management Specialist
- 410-295-6619 x15
- asloan@ResearchDirectorInc.com
Anne joined Research Director, Inc. in 2007. Over the years, she has been involved in research, data analysis and presentation, product management, process improvements, IT, project management, website administration, marketing, training, and leadership. Her analytical and thoughtful nature fuels her passion for solving problems for the company and its clients. She holds a B.A. in Communication from the University of Maryland. She has also completed a certification program in Business Analysis, and is currently working towards a certificate in UI/UX Design.
Nicole was an experienced media professional when she arrived at Research Director in 1998, having worked for radio stations and in regional marketing/advertising sales at a national cable servicing company. Throughout her career at RDI, she has helped our clients by delivering consultations, trainings, and impactful sales presentations that reinforce their competitive strengths. Nicole now oversees the process of transforming raw data into specific, actionable information that our clients can use to make excellent strategic decisions.
A native of North Carolina, Chuck earned his B.A. in Communication and Media Studies at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington. With over 20 years of radio experience serving as both a general manager and owner, he has worked with large national groups including Audacy and Cumulus Media. He got his start in 1996 at Ocean Broadcasting, which he owned and operated for 10 years.
Chuck joined the RDI team in 2023, with a wealth of industry knowledge, having spent his entire career in radio. His recent stints with Milwaukee Radio Alliance and Audacy in Denver have given him a firm grasp on the obstacles stations are facing at this time.
Matt joined the team in 2017. Over his time at Research Director, Inc. he’s had his hand in all stages of client deliverables; from downloading the data, all the way to quality control. His main focus these days is to support the Information Systems Administrator and the rest of the Research Director, Inc. team provide excellent customer service. He has a B.A. in Communication-Arts from Salisbury University. His previous media roles include interning with WMZQ-FM in Washington, D.C. and working as a Research Associate at Arbitron. He is an avid D.C. sports fan and is looking forward to seeing his teams win again … someday.
Ebony White joined the team in 2022. Prior to working for Research Director, Inc., she was with a market research company where she monitored and evaluated telephone interviews, along with compiling information for data analysis. Outside of work, she loves reading, video games, and listening to music. Her work motto is to be humble, and always keep on the sunny side of life.
Andrew joined Research Director, Inc. in 2022. He graduated with a B.A. of Business Administration from Temple University in 2021. His role is generating presentations highlighting competitive advantages for our clients. When Andrew is not in the office, you can probably find him in his home kitchen cooking new meals, or anywhere outdoors enjoying nature. Prior to this role, Andrew worked as a student consultant for several firms in the Philadelphia area on data analysis and database implementation projects.

Matthew Wright
Quality Control Team Supervisor & Graphic Designer
- 410-295-6619 x18
- mwright@ResearchDirectorInc.com
Matthew joined Research Director, Inc. in 2021. He develops marketing assets and graphics, supervises the Quality Control Team, and has supported the team’s market research and production efforts. Prior to joining, he has been a multimedia, administrative, and technical specialist with experience in small business and community development; media and technical training across the lifespan; and arts administration. He received his Bachelor’s in Fine Arts with a concentration in Animation from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.