Independent empirical research
Our research team
The specialized researchers and analysts behind every Groundwork guide. Each fellow investigates topics within their domain of qualification, anchored by primary datasets and secondary peer fact-checking.
Editorial Leadership & Public Anchor
Elena Vasquez
Editorial Director · Cross-Pillar Research & Audio Voice
Editorial director and brand ambassador for Groundwork. Elena distills hours of cross-source research into one clear, evidence-backed takeaway — then points you at the tool that does the real work.
Domains covered:moneybodyhomelifetech
Verification Protocol
Groundwork Three-Tier Research Standard
Every guide on Groundwork is produced under a strict zero-guesswork mandate, independently fact-checked with primary government, academic, and financial datasets.
Tier 1 · Evidence
Primary Source Data
FDA, BLS, SEC filings, statutory codes, and clinical trials. Zero secondary blog hearsay.
Tier 2 · Synthesis
Domain Specialist Fellows
Authored by subject fellows with direct domain expertise in financial, legal, medical, or engineering systems.
Tier 3 · Fact-Check
Named Peer Verification
Every calculation and citation is cross-validated by an independent secondary reviewer before publication.
Domain Research Fellows
Explore specialized researchers across Groundwork's five empirical pillars
Maya Okafor
Health & Tech Writer
Verified SpecialistMaya Okafor writes about health, wellness, and technology for Groundwork. She focuses on evidence-based guidance readers can act on.
bodytech
Priya Nair
Legal & Career Advisor
Verified SpecialistLife & career advisor focused on consumer legal rights, relocation costs, and auto ownership. Priya builds decision frameworks from public data and case law.
life
Sarah Lin
Health Data Analyst
Verified SpecialistHealth data analyst who dissects supplement labels, clinical trial sample sizes, and wellness trends. Sarah only signs off on guidance that the evidence supports.
body
Marcus Vance
Property & Systems Evaluator
Verified SpecialistProperty and systems evaluator focused on structural integrity, lifespan, and long-term savings. Marcus reviews home guidance against real-world maintenance overhead.
home
Chloe Chen
Smart Home & Digital Privacy Analyst
Verified SpecialistSmart home and digital privacy analyst focused on data ownership, device security, and power efficiency of AI utilities and gadgets.
tech
Sofia Reyes
Tech & Privacy Analyst
Verified SpecialistTech & privacy analyst covering smart-home security, data ownership, and AI tools. Sofia benchmarks products against real threat models and total cost.
tech
David Sterling
Finance Analyst
Verified SpecialistDavid Sterling is a personal finance writer covering mortgages, banking, insurance, and investing for Groundwork. He turns complex financial research into practical decisions.
moneyhomelife
James Thorne
Lifestyle & Legal Systems Optimizer
Verified SpecialistLifestyle and legal systems optimizer who hunts down consumer rights, loopholes, and total-cost-of-ownership math across travel, career, and auto decisions.
life
Marcus Chen
Home & Energy Analyst
Verified SpecialistHome & energy researcher covering solar economics, HVAC replacement cost, and smart-home efficiency. Marcus translates building-science data into practical payback math.
home