ABOUT US

Why the name “PKE”? We wanted a name that not only reflects why we love research, but also what get’s us up in the morning. PKE stands for people, knowledge, empowerment. Our goals are to use our passion for knowledge to empower people, especially those who are helping others. At our core, we want to “help people help people”—we just happen to do so through research and evaluation.

We approach research and evaluation through a flexible lens and a deep desire to work directly and collaboratively with our customers. We especially love complex research challenges that require team-based strategies and a variety of methodologies. 

Reyda Taylor, PhD

Reyda is the founder and owner of PKE Insights. Reyda is passionate about solving problems and helping organizations understand the impact of their products and services. After graduating with a PhD in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Florida, Reyda got her professional start as the Research and Evaluation Specialist at the Girl Scouts of Citrus in Orlando, FL–a council with over 15,000 girls and 7,000 adult volunteers. At GSC, she learned the value of lean research strategies and front-line buy-in, as well as the need for clear communication and excellent customer service.

Upon moving to Austin, Reyda worked for Shore Research where, as a Senior Researcher, she managed the full life-cycle of research and evaluation projects for clients in the non-profit and education arenas. Her favorite part of the job was consulting directly with clients to understand their needs and communicate their results. In 2013, Reyda delved fully into user experience research--providing independent consulting services in both generative and evaluative research on multiple types of products and in a variety of industries, using both remote and in-context strategies.

Reyda loves staying engaged with her community. She serves on various committees and working groups in the Austin area and co-organizes the annual Texas Applied Anthropology Summit. In her down time, you'll probably find her outside, either playing soccer, hiking, camping, or working on home renovation projects with her husband Joe.