Latino Decisions, the leader in Latino public opinion research, today announced a promotion and two new additions to their team. Sylvia Manzano has been promoted to Principal, David R. Ayón has been appointed Senior Strategist and Advisor, and Thomas F. Schaller has joined as Political Director.
“We could not be more pleased to bring together this talented group as we continue to grow,” said Gary Segura, co-founder and Principal. “Sylvia, David, and Tom bring a wealth of knowledge and experience working with diverse client bases that will serve our clients well.”
Sylvia Manzano joins Matt Barreto and Gary Segura as the third principal in the firm. She has been with Latino Decisions since 2011. In her new role, she will manage internal operations, research strategy, and client services. She holds a PhD in political science, and taught at Texas A&M University prior to joining Latino Decisions. Her recent work includes “Desperately Seeking Sonia?: Latino Heterogeneity and Geographic Variation in Web Searches for Judge Sonia Sotomayor” co-authored with Joe Ura, which demonstrates the growing role of pan-ethnic Latino identity, published in the journal Political Communication. She has given public lectures at the University of Texas, Bucknell University, and the University of Ottawa.
David Ayón has been appointed Senior Strategist and Advisor and will work in an advisory role with an emphasis on project development and increasing the scope of projects we are able to deliver to our existing clients. Currently, he is a Senior Fellow at the Center for the Study of Los Angeles at Loyola Marymount University, and serves on the board of the U.S.-Mexico Foundation. David is a widely published expert on foreign affairs and Latin America, and is particularly interested in bilateral US-Mexico relations. David joins Adrian Pantoja in our Los Angeles-based operations.
Tom Schaller has joined Latino Decisions as our new Political Director. Tom will focus on expanding our business partner relationships in the Washington, DC area. He is professor of political science at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and political columnist for Baltimore Sun. Tom has considerable expertise on minority representation in state legislatures, which was the subject of his first book. His second book, Whistling Past Dixie, explored the importance of the mountain west in the future of the Democratic coalition, and he appeared on the Colbert Report to talk about the book. His newest book, Between the Bushes: The Struggle to Define Reaganism in the Conservative Age, 1989-2009 is forthcoming from Yale University Press. Tom joins Blanca Guillen-Woods in our DC operations. Tom Schaller holds a PhD in political science from the University of North Carolina.
About Latino Decisions
Latino Decisions is the leader in Latino political opinion research. Our team is comprised exclusively of credentialed research scientists with established publication records, rigorous methodological training, and sharp cultural competencies. Our consistently reliable polls, predictions, and analysis of the Latino electorate are regularly cited by respected outlets including: Univision, the New York Times, ABC News, National Public Radio, impreMedia, NBC News, the Wall Street Journal, CNN and many, many others. Election Day and beyond we work with a diverse client base interested in accurate and independent information on the increasingly influential Latino community.
