DigitalMYnd connects behavior, belief, and emotion
to help businesses act with clarity.
Our team brings decades of experience helping brands understand and grow with their audiences.
What we believe
Our clients come first
We take the time to understand what you’re dealing with, stay in it with you, and focus on work that holds up in the real world.
Respect the humans behind the work
The people we study are not data points and the people who do this work are not resources. Better outcomes come from treating both with care and respect.
People are more complex than the story they tell
They say one thing, do another, and feel something else entirely. You only understand people when you hold all of it at once.
AI is a tool, not a point of view
It helps us see more and move faster, but judgment, context, and meaning still come from people.
We’ve helped shape the industry, now rethinking how it works.
Al DeCotiis, Ph.D.
CEO & Chairperson
Dr. Al DeCotiis is one of the most experienced leaders in the market research and insights industry, with decades of experience helping organizations better understand people and make smarter business decisions.
Throughout his career, he has founded and led several respected firms, including Phoenix Marketing International, NFO Research, and PSI Global. His work has spanned custom research, syndicated solutions, analytics, and strategic consulting across a wide range of industries and with work and offices around the world.
As CEO and Chairperson of DigitalMYnd, Dr. DeCotiis brings extensive expertise in working directly with clients to make research result in marketing performance.
He began his career in academia as a professor at Emory University, grounding his work in a strong foundation of behavioral and analytical rigor.
Dr. DeCotiis has 6 children and is active in a number of sports.
Sanford Schwartz, Ph.D., LMSW
Sanford Schwartz is a seasoned research and analytics executive with more than 25 years of experience helping organizations apply behavioral and psychological insight to drive smarter business decisions. He currently serves as CEO of PredictiveLenz, where he leads work focused on psychological targeting and predictive analytics to improve advertising effectiveness and customer engagement.
Over the course of his career, Sanford has held senior leadership roles at leading research and analytics firms including Phoenix Marketing International, Harris Interactive, Synovate, and Elrick & Lavidge. He also advises the CEO and Board of Phoenix Marketing International on strategic growth and innovation.
Sanford brings deep expertise in behavioral science, predictive modeling, and insight-driven strategy, with a track record of helping companies translate human understanding into measurable business impact.
Martha Rea
Martha Rea has more than 30 years of experience helping organizations understand markets, strengthen brands, and drive growth through data-driven strategy.
She co-founded Phoenix Marketing International in 1999 and served as President and Chief Research Officer, helping build the firm into a leading market research and analytics organization.
Over the course of her career, Martha has partnered with Fortune 500 companies around the world to support brand development, communications strategy, product innovation, and market expansion. She brings deep expertise in brand measurement, communications research, and advanced market analysis.
Earlier, Martha served as EVP at Payment Systems Inc., where she led the North American business and co-founded the Smart Card Forum.
John Schiela
Chief Client and Commercial Officer
John Schiela is a growth and product commercialization leader in the market research and insights industry, helping clients make faster, more confident decisions.
Throughout his career, he has built and scaled syndicated and custom research businesses across telecom, technology, media, and beyond, creating solutions that connect data, insight, and action. At Phoenix Marketing International, he built and led the Telecom, Technology & Media practice and later, as Chief Client Officer, helped bring together fragmented capabilities into more integrated offerings that strengthened client partnerships and expanded value.
Earlier in his career, John was part of the founding team behind AT&T’s Universal Card and went on to build syndicated practices at PNR & Associates, later acquired by TNS. At TNS, he expanded research portfolios, developed strategic data partnerships, and supported acquisitions and integration efforts.
John works closely with clients to turn complex data and human insight into clear, actionable direction for growth.
He holds an MBA in Quantitative Analysis and Marketing from Seton Hall University and a Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical Engineering from Manhattan College.
Insight is only useful
if something
predictable comes next
You already know what research usually produces. We're built for what comes after.
Let's put it to work