The recipients of the third annual Naomi Henderson Legacy Award for Teaching & Learning have been announced by the founding organizations: RIVA Training Institute, QRCA, and the Insights Association.
Mandie Fox, owner of Everything in Moderation, LLC, (pictured at left), is the recipient of the Teaching Award, recognizing achievement and having an impact in teaching qualitative skills to insights professionals and newcomers to advance the field.
Hannah Kaplan (right), Senior Research Associate at Southpaw Insights, is the recipient of the Learning Award, recognizing a love and pursuit of learning in general and qualitative research specifically.
The awards are presented in honor of Naomi Henderson, co-founder of the RIVA Training Institute, as well as a trainer and mentor to many in the qualitative field. One of the first African Americans in the qualitative research business, Naomi is widely considered among the most influential and respected pioneers in the field. In January 2022, she was to start her Ph.D. program, but she sadly passed away in 2021 at the age of 77.
Jo Ann Hairston, co-founder of the RIVA Training Institute with her sister Naomi Henderson, remarked, “With great pleasure, I congratulate this year’s winners, Mandie and Hannah. Naomi was an extraordinary teacher committed to passing along her values of inclusion and opportunities for advancement, as well as high standards for conducting qualitative research with integrity and passion. In addition, she had a lifelong love of learning and embraced opportunities to learn and grow whenever possible. This year’s honorees proudly carry forward these ideals.”
The recipients were chosen from a field of applicants in the teaching and learning categories by a committee composed of representatives from IA, QRCA, and RIVA.
About Mandie Fox:
Mandie is a Master Moderator™ certified by the RIVA Training Institute, with over 20 years of experience and more than 5,000 hours leading focus groups and interviews. Her expertise covers a wide range of methodologies, industries, and participant groups. Whether she is talking to consumers, healthcare professionals, or high-net-worth investors, she is known for her ability to quickly build rapport with respondents and capture authentic insights in their own words. Mandie has an approachable style, and she’s not afraid to go off script. In addition to being a member of the RIVA training alliance, Mandie offers custom moderation training courses tailored to clients’ industry and team needs.
“Receiving this award is a career highlight, right up there with being asked by Naomi to join the RIVA training alliance 10 years ago,” Mandie said. “I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have trained under the best in the business and to have considered Naomi a personal mentor. I channel Naomi in everything I do, from finding connection points with respondents to demonstrating moderating techniques with students. I try to hold every interaction in both my professional and personal life with her signature unconditional positive regard. I fully embrace Naomi’s spirit of lifelong learning, and I’m proud to contribute to her enduring legacy.”
About Hannah Kaplan:
An international speaker, author, and LGBTQ+ thought leader in the insights industry, Hannah centers the voices of communities too often left out of traditional research spaces. With more than a decade of experience in public health and reproductive justice, Hannah was chosen for her curiosity, empathy, creative storytelling, and extensive participation with industry organizations and events. She is a 2024 recipient of the Market Research Institute International’s Diversity Award.
Like Naomi, Hannah centers humility, accessibility, and care in her work – shifting research from extractive to collaborative, and treating participants as experts in their own lived experiences. As an LGBTQ+ and genderqueer researcher, Hannah is especially inspired by Naomi’s commitment to opening doors for new voices in the field.
“Being a small part of carrying forward Naomi’s legacy is a true honor,” Hannah commented. “I’m excited for the opportunity to learn alongside others in this community and to grow as a researcher grounded in the inclusivity and passion for knowledge-sharing that guided Naomi’s work.”
Teaching Award Winner Receives:
Mandie will be given program time at the 2026 IA Corporate Researchers Conference and the 2027 QRCA Annual Conference to share techniques and tips on teaching qualitative research. She will also receive free passes to attend these events.
Learning Award Recipient Receives:
Hannah will be provided with complimentary passes to the 2026 IA Corporate Researchers Conference and the 2027 QRCA Annual Conference. She will also receive a pass to attend a qualitative training course at RIVA Training Institute.
The Teaching and Learning Award recipients will engage in a year-long reciprocal mentorship program where they will collaborate and learn together. Learn more about the Naomi Henderson Legacy Award program here.
More About Naomi Henderson
Announced in 2022, the Naomi Henderson Legacy Awards celebrate two of Naomi’s loves: the art of teaching and helping upskill people on how to moderate qualitative research. Naomi began her career in 1964 as a door-to-door survey researcher. She went on to found RIVA Market Research in her basement with just an IBM typewriter and a two-line phone in 1981. A year later, on a train ride home with her sister, Jo Ann Hairston, RIVA Training Institute was conceived. Naomi had a hand in training 7,000 students via some 10,000 pages of curriculum written for 12 in-house RIVA courses. Her book, Secrets of a Master Moderator, is often cited by universities and researchers alike.
Applications for the 2027 Naomi Henderson Legacy Awards will open this fall.
The Insights Association empowers more than 30,000 data and insights professionals. Its collective voice fuels growth, strengthens advocacy, and advances careers. Guided by ethics and truth, IA brings understanding to an uncertain world. Join us. Know what’s next.
QRCA is a global network of qualitative research professionals, including market research, UX, CX, sociologists, ethnographers, linguists, social media, and other qualitative experts, and the resource for elevating qualitative research expertise at all levels, where members network and share best practices, trends, and technology, and take advantage of unique educational content.
RIVA is a qualitative market research and training company that solely focuses on understanding the POBAs of individuals. RIVA adheres to a strong philosophy: “We do what we teach, and we teach what we do.” We contribute to the industry of qualitative inquiry by supporting clients in using consumer insights to drive strategic planning. In addition, RIVA is committed to training the next generation of qualitative researchers. Through RIVA’s training courses, we provide crucial tools, tips, and techniques, in addition to hands-on experience, regardless of one’s current skill level, that are immediately actionable to our students’ careers in qualitative market research. RIVA offers a Master Moderator Certificate Program™ for those who demonstrate a level of excellence through their elevated moderating skills and commitment to expanding their knowledge.