Ellen Underwood
Director of Polling and Research
... enjoys wandering around museums until they close, listening to podcasts, convincing herself every year that Butler Basketball will win the NCAA championship, and understanding how people think.
Ellen Underwood joined Grassroots Targeting in 2015. During her time at GT, Ellen has conducted more than 200 quantitative research projects, and she brings her qualitative research skills to GT as a RIVA-trained focus group moderator.
Ellen’s special mix of empathy and high energy in qualitative settings opens up unique insights into voters’ opinions and attitudes, allowing for deeper dives into tough and sensitive subjects. Additionally, Ellen is in charge of the firm’s survey instruments, data visualizations, and test analysis for best practices.
In 2018, Ellen was a part of the successful independent expenditure effort that helped elect Senator Rick Scott in Florida. She helped manage a $35 million budget and conducted focus groups to discover the most effective messages to persuade targeted voters in the race against incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson.
Ellen hails from Newtown, Connecticut, and graduated from Butler University in 2014 with a B.A. in Political Science and Sociology. While at Butler, she was active in the Student Sociology Association and the Sociology Honors Society, with a senior thesis involving qualitative research.
Ellen spent six months in Edinburgh, Scotland, studying Politics at the University of Edinburgh and interning for a Member of Scottish Parliament. After graduation, she spent time in Baltimore where she immersed herself in local non-profit work.