Management Team

A key element of SPR’s capacity is a highly experienced research team led by Dr. Ted Harvey, President and Senior Consultant; Ms. Marian Ficycz, Survey and Operations Director; and Ms. Sylvie Baillargeon, Research Director - Québec. All of these key team members have over 20 years of experience in the management of major, multi-disciplinary research projects and have worked together on key SPR projects during this time, ensuring a high level of continuity.

Dr. Ted Harvey (President and Senior Consultant) has a broad ranging understanding of information issues facing government, NGO’s, and the private sector, based on over 25 years providing research and evaluation services to federal and provincial agencies, First Nations and the private sector. He has established an outstanding record with Federal Departments and agencies such as Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Environment Canada, Human Resources Development Canada, National Research Council, Treasury Board Secretariat, Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Canadian Heritage, The House of Commons; and Provincial Ministries of: Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs; Finance; Community & Social Services; Labour; Housing; and Environment.
Ms. Marian Ficycz (Survey and Operations Director) has managed SPR’s survey operations for more than 25 years, compiling statistical and open-ended data from a wide range sample sizes and types. Typical large-scale SPR surveys have included: Evaluation of the New Opportunities Fund, surveys of over 3,000 university researchers and administrators (including Vice-Presidents-Research, Deans and Department Heads) (for the Canada Foundation for Innovation, 2006-07); Evaluation of the Homeowner Education Training Program (HETP) Pilot, web and related surveys assessed homebuyer's satisfaction with HETP seminars and CMHC publications on homebuying (for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, 2004-05); Study of Training Needs in the Canadian Plastics Industry (for the Canadian Plastics Sector Council, 2001-02), and surveys for the Study of Federal Labour Standards (for HRDC, 1996-97). Ms. Ficycz supervises the operational aspects of all SPR surveys (web/fax/mail), ensuring a high level of research integrity.
Ms. Sylvie Baillargeon (Research Director - Québec) provides experience in federal research studies, and participated in SPR's Evaluation of the Tourism Careers for Youth Program (for The Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council and HRDC, 2002); HRDC Information Products Study (for HRDC, 2001); and many others. She provides the bilingual component of SPR's management and operational team for all studies requiring a French research component (in the Province of Québec, on a Canada-wide basis, or internationally).

Support and Back-up Research Coordinators: Additional personnel providing supplementary research and operational back-up to SPR's senior team include: Ms. Lillian Stermac and Ms. Alwyne Graham (Senior Research Coordinators) who bring their extensive knowledge and expertise regarding a wide range of issues to SPR studies. Bilingual Research Coordinators include Ms. Lindsey Brunet and Ms. Isabelle Jeanson, as well as a number of other research coordinators across Canada.