Who we are

Debbie Barnewolt, Ph.D, is principal and lead moderator for Real World Research. For the past 25 years, Debbie has been designing and conducting qualitative research projects for clients big and small and with respondents ranging from 7 years old to 70. Whether conducting ethnographic studies about cleaning the bathroom or interviewing kids about their favorite school lunch, she combines a knowledge of technique and resarch design with an analytic approach that delivers actionable answers to marketing questions.

Debbie earned a B.S. in consumer economics from the University of Illinois in Champaign and a Ph.D. in sociology from Loyola University of Chicago. Her post-graduate work focused on the sociology of the family and included co-authoring of a comprehensive study of the work lives of women in the Chicago area, City Women: Work, Jobs, Occupations, and Careers.