Martha leads gravitytank's research team, helping clients understand their unique situations and clearly see new opportunities for growth. She is broadly recognized for her expertise, as evidenced by her role as co-chair of EPIC (Ethnographic Praxis in Industry Conference) in Copenhagen in 2008, and in Chicago in 2009. EPIC is a global conference dedicated to furthering the practice of ethnographic methods to inform business and design. She joined GT from Herbst Lazar Bell, where she was Vice President of Research & Strategy and led programs across a variety of strategic and tactical levels. Previous to HLB, Martha was Ethnographic Research practice lead at Hall & Partners, a brand and communications research firm, as well as Research Director at Sapient Corporation, a technology consulting firm.

Martha began her career at eLab, which is frequently lauded as a pioneer in developing ethnographic research methods in service of business goals. Martha brings a wealth of experience in ethnographic and observational research, focus groups, user interface development, and data collection and analysis. She has been a trusted advisor to an impressive roster of companies that includes General Motors, Nokia, General Mills, Marriott, Microsoft, Unilever, Skype, U. S. Department of Homeland Security, Nextel, SC Johnson Wax, Sara Lee, and Johnson & Johnson.

Martha holds an MA in Performance Studies from Northwestern University and a BA in English from Indiana University, and she currently serves as adjunct faculty at Northwestern University in both the McCormick School of Engineering and Kellogg School of Management. She is the proud author of "Dinner Dates: A Cookbook for Couples Cooking Together" (Harper Collins, 1999), and even prouder mother to 2 busy kids, aged 8 and 5.