Meet the team

We built Level 5 to be the kind of company we always wanted to work for — small enough to stay connected, bold enough to do work that matters, and grounded in empathy and curiosity.

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Women-owned, Founder-led and Purpose-driven
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Renu Dalal | Principal and Co-Founder

With over 25 years of experience in custom primary market research, Renu oversees Level 5 operations. She is a seasoned research professional who brings a creative and innovative perspective to traditional methodologies. Her expertise spans all aspects of the product life cycle, from new product assessment to post-launch brand development.

Renu is an expert in advanced qualitative research, known for her engaging work with healthcare professionals, patients, and caregivers. She blends immersive techniques—like Creative Connects, Ideation Workshops, Ethnography, and Online Communities—with traditional methods. Her category experience spans personal healthcare, women’s health, dermatology, oncology, CNS, and more. A committed member of Intellus Worldwide, Renu also serves on the PMR Charities Board, helping raise funds for organizations like Be the Match and St. Jude. She holds a bachelor’s in marketing and a master’s in international marketing from St. Joseph’s University.

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Heather Flaherty | Principal and Co-Founder

With a career focus on healthcare market research, Heather heads the Level 5 research team. She excels at transforming complex research questions into structured, meaningful engagements that balance strategic depth with creativity. Over the past decade, she has focused primarily on addressing the unique needs of rare disease communities.

A seasoned healthcare market research professional, Heather specializes in qualitative and advanced quantitative methodologies. Her work focuses on rare and orphan diseases, with a strong commitment to patient advocacy and health equity. Heather has co-authored whitepapers on gene therapies, clinical trial optimization, and mental health in rare disease communities. She completed a DEI program at Cornell, co-founded a local equity alliance, and has led numerous studies involving underserved and marginalized populations. Heather holds a BA in American History from Temple University and an MS in Library and Information Science from Drexel University.

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Danielle Porreca | Principal and Co-Founder

Leading client engagement, Danielle is a strategic planning professional with client-side, agency, and consultancy experience in the pharmaceutical, CPG, and business-to-business industries. She is a highly skilled qualitative researcher, and her exceptional interpersonal and communications skills result in strong relationships and engaging presentations.

Danielle earned a BA in Marketing from Manhattan University and began her career in advertising, supporting major CPG brands like Procter & Gamble, Pillsbury, and AT&T. In 2001, she transitioned to healthcare market research at Wyeth, applying her consumer insights expertise to measure the impact of communications for brands including Altace, Enbrel, Effexor, Premarin, and Protonix. Since 2003, Danielle has worked globally as a qualitative moderator and consultant, designing and delivering research across diverse healthcare audiences and objectives.

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Quelish Felipe
Vice President

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Alison Clabaugh, PhD
Insights Director

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Allison Braun
Analyst

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Stephanie Miller
Insights Director

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Giorgio Vitali
Operations Director

Join Our Team

We care about equity, about impact, and about creating space for smart, kind people to do their best thinking. If you’re someone who asks good questions, listens deeply, and wants to make healthcare more human, we’d love to meet you.

Contact us