Our Team

Managing Director

Derek Johnson is the Managing Director of Research Collaborative. He has over 15 years of experience bridging full-spectrum advocacy initiatives, brand and narrative strategy, social movement infrastructure, and people-centric organizational design. Alongside his work at RC, Derek is a member of the Munich Young Leaders group of next-generation experts working on new approaches to foreign and security policy, as well as the European Young Leaders group, which aims to bridge the gap between citizens and political elites and rebuild trust in democratic institutions. Prior to joining RC, Derek served as Managing Partner of Global Zero, a Nobel-nominated initiative for nuclear disarmament backed by hundreds of world leaders, luminaries, and experts. He also co-founded Beyond the Bomb, a US-based grassroots operation focused on centering justice for impacted communities in the nuclear advocacy field. In 2021, the National Iranian American Council named Derek one of 40 under 40 Iranian Americans who have “inspired, trail-blazed, and made a lasting impact in the world.”

Research Director

Dr. Tara P. Buss is the Research Director of RC. She has over a decade of experience conducting public opinion research in the US and Mexico. While at RC, she has overseen 190+ focus groups, 60+ surveys, many RCTs, and other special projects. Before joining RC, Tara worked as the Research Director for the Mexico office of an international consulting firm, directing polling for presidential, gubernatorial, and senatorial campaigns. She earned her Ph.D. in Political Science at UC Berkeley, focusing on the effects of perceptions of violence on public opinion and voting behavior in Mexico.

Outside of her work at RC, Tara founded Progressive Women in Opinion Research (PWOR), a professional community for women and people of underrepresented genders working in public opinion research, and volunteers as an alumni mentor at her alma mater, UC San Diego. She enjoys traveling, eating dim sum, and collecting antique maps.

Program Manager

Sea started their career as a Field Organizer for President Obama's reelection campaign in their home state of Florida. After they graduated from Mount Holyoke College, Iowa became a second home for them as they went on to work there on several more campaigns, including for Hillary Clinton, Elizabeth Warren, and President Joe Biden. Before joining the team, Sea most recently worked to combat disinformation in Wisconsin during the 2022 and 2023 elections. They love taking dance classes, being outdoors, and spending time with their beloved dog.

Senior Research Associate

Thomas Mande is a Research Associate at RC. He is experienced creating effective progressive communications in diverse political spaces. Before RC, Thomas spent time with environmental justice group Dogwood Alliance, as an intern in Congress, and doing grassroots electoral organizing in North Carolina. He holds a B.A. in Public Policy Analysis from Duke University. Thomas spends his free time playing soccer, enjoying the outdoors, and counting down the days until he gets a dog.

Associate Data Engineer

Born, raised, and educated in New York City, Tan Mahmud is an Associate Data Engineer at RC. Their interest in civic tech bloomed in 2020, when they volunteered their web development and data visualization skills to mobilize community activists in a newly remote world. Tan recently graduated from CUNY Hunter College, where they received a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science with a focus in mathematics, statistics, and data science. When they’re not wrangling data, they can be found reading—either code or fiction. 

Research Assistant

Matt Easton is a Research Assistant at RC. He is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in Political Science at UC Berkeley, where he studies political behavior, US polarization, and public opinion. Matt has previously worked in democratic campaigning, public opinion polling, and social policy research. He holds a BA in Political Science from Brigham Young University, where he interned at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. He is passionate about advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community and enjoys skiing, playing piano, and adding stamps to his passport.

Research Assistant

Isabella Garo is a Research Assistant at RC and the Climate and Development Lab and the Environmental Justice Coordinator for the Campus Climate Network. She recently received her bachelor's degree from Brown University, where she studied Political Science and Environmental Studies. In college, Isabella spent much of her time organizing, particularly around issues of environmental and climate justice. She likes to spend her spare time weightlifting, playing video games, and listening to music outside.