Mary Rose Walker

About Mary Rose Walker

I\'m Mary Rose Walker, MBA: a motivated and energetic marketing professional with a demonstrated history of 12+ years building sales in the craft beer industry. My goal is to lead your marketing project from inception to implementation: I pivoted from sales into marketing from sales to help tell brand stories that make an impact!Favorite professional skills-Bringing brand stories to life through creative storytelling -Creating long-lasting solutions for businesses that don\'t have the bandwidth to do it on their own-Attacking large projects, breaking them down into their components, and getting things DONE-Leading and managing teams-Forming rock-solid relationships with clients and coworkers-Earning Advanced Cicerone®. Basically, I became a certified beer geekWhen I\'m not busy juggling a full to-do list, multiple accounts, or high-pressure projects, you can find me donating my time to build marketing infrastructure for nonprofits. Or, on the pickleball court with the league I co-founded: NOLA Underground Pickleball League. Connect with me! Let\'s see what we can create together.

Experience

1. Qualitative Researcher Sr Brand Strategist Marketing Manager

   Mdrg, Inc

   Jul 2025 — Present · New Orleans, LA, US

   I lead and execute qualitative research and strategy for MDRG, a custom market research firm specializing in Healthcare, CPG/Beverage, and Media/Communications. My role bridges insight generation and brand strategy — uncovering the “why” behind consumer behavior to guide confident marketing and business decisions.I design, execute, and analyze qualitative research using a range of methodologies including in-depth interviews (IDIs), focus groups, ethnography, and AI-integrated qualitative techniques. My work includes moderating sessions, developing discussion guides, synthesizing findings into actionable insights, creating digestible reports, and connecting those insights to brand strategy and marketing outcomes.In addition to leading qualitative projects, I manage MDRG’s marketing and content strategy — translating research learnings into thought leadership and driving awareness of our capabilities in consumer insight, emotional drivers, and brand performance.

Education

• Portland State University

  Master of Business Administration (MBA)

• Cornell University

  Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Biopsychology

  2004 — 2008