OUR COLLECTIVE
Driven by Curiosity,
Empowered by Truth
We are social scientists, analysts, creative and strategic thinkers.
Founded by John Della Volpe and Jonathan Chavez in 2007, our collective experience spans decades and traverses dozens of political and public affairs campaigns, social and government initiatives, brand positionings, and product launches. We partner with our “smart tribe” of subject-matter experts to bring our clients the most efficient and effective research methodologies, statistical tools, and strategies. We remain at the forefront of technological advancements in the field, to render results in a clear, compelling, and actionable manner.
John Della Volpe, Founder and CEO
John Della Volpe is Founder and CEO of SocialSphere. One of the world’s leading authorities on youth in politics, John has advised heads of state, Fortune 100 CEOs, military generals, athletes, and entertainers—currently serving as pollster and advisor to President Biden.
For two decades, John has directed the Harvard Youth Poll, the most comprehensive study of youth attitudes related to politics and public affairs for Harvard Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics. John’s best-selling book, Fight: How Gen Z Is Channeling Their Passion and Fear to Save America, has been called "the definitive account of America's next great generation," and "a great read with a tremendous amount of learning for anyone engaging with the most exciting generation in decades."
In 2008, John received an Eisenhower Fellowship for which he traveled extensively throughout Asia (including a supervised day in North Korea). Additionally, John served on the U.S.-Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission on Media (2011); was named a “Future Legend of Marketing” by the Ad Club of Boston (2013); received the Arthur E. Hughes Award for Career Achievement from the University of San Diego (2018); and was appointed an SNF Ithaca Fellow at the Biden School of Public Policy & Administration at the University of Delaware (2022).
John appears regularly on Morning Joe and is an NBC and MSNBC Contributor; his essays are published in the New York Times and Washington Post.
Team Leadership
Richard Berkowitz, Senior Researcher and Strategist
Richard Berkowitz, who is also a journalist by training, earned his degrees from Boston College and the Columbia Journalism School. He has spent the better part of the last two decades in public opinion research and policy consulting and is a member of the SocialSphere team responsible for delivering insights to the United States Marine Corps Recruiting Command, Joyce Foundation, Murmuration, and the Biden-Harris campaign.
Jonathan Chavez, Co-Founder and Chief Analytics Officer
Jonathan is SocialSphere's Co-Founder and Chief Analytics Officer. Jonathan’s expertise and methodological focus range from various forms of analytics to public opinion research methodologies. In bringing these disciplines together, Jonathan has produced numerous innovative research techniques and products to give clients an analytics edge. He is experienced in qualitative and quantitative research and has led SocialSphere’s work on behalf of the United States Marine Corps Recruiting Command for the past decade. Additionally, he works closely with numerous private and public sector enterprises in the lottery and gaming industries. Jonathan is a graduate of Harvard College, with a degree in Social Studies. His work focused on statistical methods, survey research methods, and econometrics.
Julia Kennedy, Vice President
Julia is a political and communications strategist who has advised some of the country’s most respected leaders and has led campaigns at the national, state and local level for over a decade. She is the former Director of Opinion Research and Strategy for the Biden-Harris campaign and Deputy Campaign Manager for Amy Klobuchar’s 2020 presidential campaign. With experience in two dozen states, Julia has advised top-tier Senate campaigns at the DSCC and served as the Deputy Campaign Manager for Senator Tammy Baldwin’s 2018 re-election win. She is also an alum of the DCCC and U.S. Senate. She graduated from The Ohio State University and received her MPA from American University.
Qualitative Research Expertise
Keith Gibson, Ph.D.
Keith C. Gibson has over twenty years of experience conducting focus groups on topics that disproportionately affect the African American community. He is an experienced, and published, researcher with expertise in quantitative and qualitative research methodology. Keith’s work has benefited Apple on cyber security issues, the NFL on race relations, and the Biden-Harris campaign. He holds a doctorate from the University of Michigan and a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University. Currently, Keith is a professor of political science and urban studies at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee.
Rosita Thomas, Ph.D.
Rosita Thomas has collaborated with our team for more than two decades, working across all facets of public opinion research. Her nuanced understanding of health care issues, the female, Hispanic, and Latino populations are especially valued by our team and clients. Rosita has worked as a Senior Researcher at AARP, the Gallup Organization, and as Research Director at the Congressional Research Service of the Library of Congress. Rosita received her Ph.D. in political science, with an emphasis on public opinion and political psychology, from Yale University.
“The SocialSphere team have been excellent thought partners, not only designing and executing the research, but also helping us to apply the findings to our future plans. With each round of research, they bring new perspectives that help our work to resonate with key partners and political leaders, and sophisticated tools that make the data accessible to a range of allies in this work. We still have a lot of work to do, and we look forward to having SocialSphere along for the ride.”
— BRIAN REICH, VP COMMUNICATIONS, MURMURATION