Cut through the noise.
Centerline Research & Strategy specializes in quantitative and qualitative opinion research and strategic counsel.
About Centerline
Centerline Research & Strategy is a public opinion research and strategic advisory firm founded and led by Natalie Jackson, Ph.D., a nationally recognized expert with two decades of research experience.
Centerline specializes in quantitative and qualitative opinion research and strategic counsel. In a crowded attention economy, knowing what your audience thinks isn't enough; you need to know how they think and how to reach them on what matters to you. Natalie helps clients identify the best strategies for their audiences using tailored approaches rather than one-size-fits-all solutions.
Centerline uses the highest-quality public opinion research methods available, while recognizing that the optimal approach varies with each client's goals. Natalie monitors the constantly changing field — sifting through the good, the bad, and the ugly — to craft fit-for-purpose research plans that meet your needs without unnecessarily breaking the bank.
Centerline takes on only a select number of clients, so every project gets the attention it deserves. Clients get big-firm research quality with a true research partner, and without the big-firm overhead.
About Natalie
Natalie Jackson, Ph.D., has two decades of experience conducting quantitative and qualitative opinion research, writing, and teaching — a versatile professional whose work spans politics, business, and public health. She has led hundreds of research projects for nonprofits, advocacy groups, and corporations, always ensuring the research fits the bigger strategic picture.
Beyond deep expertise in opinion research, she brings serious technical chops in data management and statistical modeling, and genuinely loves qualitative work as a RIVA-certified focus group moderator. Whatever the method, she translates complicated findings into actionable conclusions — in the boardroom, the team meeting, or the newsroom.
Natalie writes a bimonthly data politics column for National Journal and has authored more than 500 articles for national publications. A frequently cited media expert, she has also published a dozen-plus peer-reviewed articles and book chapters and an edited volume on non-academic careers for social scientists. Originally from Texas, she holds a Ph.D. from the University of Oklahoma and completed postdoctoral work at Duke University.
Experience
- Columnist, National Journal2022–present
- Vice President, GQR2023–2026
- Director of Research, PRRI2019–2023
- Managing Director of Polling, JUST Capital2017–2019
- Senior Polling Editor, HuffPost2014–2017
- Senior Analyst, Marist Institute for Public Opinion2012–2014
- Postdoctoral Associate, Duke University2011–2012
Education & Credentials
- Ph.D., University of Oklahoma
- Postdoctoral work, Duke University
- B.A., West Texas A&M University
Teaching Experience
- George Washington University — Public Opinion
- American University — Research Methods (Graduate)
- Marist University — Statistics
- University of Oklahoma — Research Methods
The Centerline
Approach.
Assume nothing. Listen first. See past the bubbles.
Natalie’s approach to her work comes from her life experience: She grew up on a dirt road in East Texas, living the typical small-town football-and-church life, and attended a small, conservative public university before attending graduate school and eventually living in New York City and Washington, D.C. That journey across radically different worlds gave her an intuitive read on how many different types of people think about success, life, business, and politics. Her professional training and experience pair with these instincts to dig past assumptions, find out where people really stand, and catch what others miss.
Strategy Consulting
As your thought partner, Centerline will:
- Genuinely understand your organization and decisions, and sort through the noise to identify what you already know and what you still need to learn.
- Bridge the gap between research findings and real-world strategy to make clear, impactful decisions.
- Build and execute communications plans that explain research and strategy to all types of stakeholders from the boardroom to the newsroom.
Quantitative Research
Centerline specializes in end-to-end survey projects, which means:
- Designing and running high-quality surveys across a variety of modes, including online, text, and phone, and translating the results into strategy.
- Implementing a variety of polls, including measuring one-time sentiment, trends, tracking, messaging, and experiments.
- Using a “fit-for-purpose” philosophy: choose the best methods to achieve your goals and deliver high-quality data within your budget.
Qualitative Research
Listen to your audience in their own words to:
- Dive deeper into why people think the way they do using focus groups, in-depth interviews, community studies, diary studies, and more.
- Sharpen your messaging and strategy by learning why an idea does or doesn’t work and generating ideas about what might.
- Add depth and rich context to your plans and communications. Nothing is as powerful for your stakeholders as hearing your audience in their own words.
Data Analysis & Visualization
When you need to go beyond the toplines, Centerline can provide:
- Statistical modeling to sort out correlation vs. causation
- Dimensional analysis to identify underlying concepts and values
- Visualizations to aid analysis and understanding
- Visualizations to tell a clear story to your stakeholders
Professional & Continuing Education
Bring the expertise in-house with:
- Hands-on, engaging workshops that build your internal research capacity for the long run and serve as continuing education.
- Topics can include data literacy, all aspects of public opinion research, statistical analysis using Excel, R, or other tools, and using AI in research.
- Programs can be offered in-person or online.
Speaking Engagements
Looking for an expert on data, politics, and society, without a partisan agenda?
- Natalie offers custom keynotes for conferences, events, and seminars, as well as media appearances.
- She welcomes all types of engagements, with a special interest in speaking with professional women about our role in the data and political industries.
- Her unique view of the intersection of politics, policy, and technology will spur conversation long after the event.
Stay on the centerline — where research becomes decisions.
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