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Social Lens Research

Social Lens Research

About Social Lens Research

Social Lens Research helps organizations understand people in the context of their lives and use that understanding to improve products, services, customer experiences, and communications. We specialize in qualitative research with communities traditional approaches often overlook, recruiting through trusted relationships and designing studies that fit into people's lives.

Our work combines custom research, mobile ethnography, and interactive experiences that help participants reflect, share, and test ideas. Our proprietary Social Lens Library adds a growing collection of firsthand video perspectives, helping teams explore questions and build on existing research.

We bring experience in product strategy, marketing, and customer experience design to turn findings into practical recommendations. Clear reports, participant video clips, and interactive tools help teams understand the findings, share them, and decide what to do next.

Focus on building ethical, people-first data to help AI teams build for underrepresented communities.

We build that data with consent and ground every simulated persona in participant research. Teams use it to develop and evaluate AI against real lived experience.

Our team

Partners and leads behind the work.

Portrait of Julie Diaz-Asper, Founding Partner

Julie Diaz-Asper

Founding Partner

Julie has over two decades of experience helping organizations understand consumer needs, innovate, and pursue new market opportunities. She has worked with American Express, Google, Electronic Arts, Samsung, AARP, Univision, Share Our Strength, and Georgetown University. Julie specializes in optimizing multicultural research investments and engaging niche populations — frontline employees, small business owners, high net worth households, SNAP/WIC recipients, LGBTQ communities, influencers, parents, and Gen X — using immersive experiences, creative exercises, and culturally relevant imagery to deepen insights.

Portrait of Natasha Johnston, Managing Partner

Natasha Johnston

Managing Partner

Natasha brings over two decades of experience transforming how organizations understand and connect with diverse consumer groups through data-driven insights. She has held senior management roles building research divisions at GfK and Kantar, pioneering social media analysis and advanced advertising targeting models. With a background in organizational psychology and recognition through the AMA's 4 Under 40 Emerging Leaders Award, Natasha guides Social Lens Research's strategic vision across its custom and subscription-based solutions.

Portrait of Rachel Lerman, Partner

Rachel Lerman

Partner

For more than 15 years, Rachel helped large companies and global investors use research insights and networking to improve their operations. At the Corporate Executive Board in Europe and the U.S., she expanded research and best-practice networks of C-level executives across IT, R&D, Supply Chain, Sales, Marketing and Communications, with strategic relationships at Ford, Exxon-Mobil, Merck, IKEA, P&G, Bank of America, L'Oreal, Nokia, and Lego. Rachel is an active supporter of education reform and serves several education-related nonprofits in the Washington, DC area.