Meet Our Team

Eric

ERIC STITES, CFE
CEO & Managing Director

Eric leads FBR’s research and consultants with clients in the area of franchise performance. He is an active member of the International Franchise Association (IFA), serves on the IFA’s VetFran and Franchise Relations Committees, and speaks frequently on topics related to franchise relations and best practices in franchising. Eric lives on the coast of Maine with his wife and two daughters, and enjoys spending as much time as possible on the ocean.

Michelle

MICHELLE ROWAN, CFE
President & COO

In addition to her role at FBR, Michelle is also chair of the International Franchise Association Women’s Franchise Committee, and a Certified Franchise Executive. She has facilitated CEO Performance Groups and Executive Networking Groups and is a frequent speaker at industry events (in person & virtual). When not at FBR, she is hanging out with her daughter and husband at their tasting room & brewery they own in Kittery, Maine.

Mariah Morgan Franchise Business Review

MARIAH MORGAN
VP of Marketing

Mariah leads FBR’s overall marketing and communications strategy and execution, aligning activity with the broader direction of the company. Prior to joining FBR, Mariah led brand and marketing strategy and client service departments in advertising agencies both large and small. She is an active member of the New Hampshire Seacoast community, a runner, a foodie, and a lover of live music.

John Coughlin, Director of Growth, Franchise Business Review

JOHN COUGHLIN
Director of Growth

John leads new business development at Franchise Business Review and manages ongoing client relationships with a practical, straight-talking approach. He focuses on long-term partnerships, making sure clients feel supported, informed, and confident at every stage of the relationship. Outside of work, John spends most of his time with family and friends, usually keeping up with his young daughter and rooting for Boston sports teams. His competitive streak shows up both at work and on game day.

Nicole

NICOLE DUDLEY
Director of Insights & Special Projects

Nicole works closely with our sales team and FBR clients to ensure research needs are met – customizing client research efforts, answering questions, and helping franchisors analyze and understand their results. Outside of work, Nicole enjoys spending time with her husband and son, being on the lake in the summer and snowmobiling in the winter.

Anneliese Brosch

ANNELIESE BROSCH
Director of Customer Success

Anneliese spearheads Customer Success for FBR, building on the excellent customer support that FRB clients have come to expect. She brings over a decade of experience in marketing and account management roles. Outside of work, Anneliese is a mom, a surfer, and a nature-lover.

Ali

ALI FORMAN
Director of Editorial Content

Ali leads FBR’s content strategy and creates high-quality, engaging resources to educate and inspire both franchise companies and future franchise owners . Ali’s previous experience includes senior marketing communications and content development roles in the employee benefits, data privacy, and publishing sectors. She lives in Maine with her husband and two sons.

Ashley

ASHLEY BALDWIN
Product Leader

Ashley has extensive experience guiding startup product development serving nonprofits and small businesses. Outside of work, you can find her hiking with her partner and their three dogs all over Midcoast Maine, relaxing in her sauna, or tending to her oyster garden.

CJ

CJ FLECK
Senior Web Developer

CJ keeps FBR technology running smoothly, helps clients extract actionable insights from their data, and look at their company in a completely new way.

Allison Dudas Franchise Business Review

ALLISON DUDAS

Senior Manager, B2C Marketing

Allison’s aim is to demystify franchising for consumers. She understands the value of the entrepreneurial spirit as she used to be a business owner. Simultaneously, she sees the value in franchising because of the structure and support it provides. She lives on the Seacoast with her family and 2 cats. You can catch her practicing yoga or singing Taylor Swift at any moment.

Maria Harmon, Franchise Business Review

MARIA HARMON
Client Success Manager

As a Client Success Manager, Maria manages survey project preparation, build, and run time. She meets client needs across a variety of disciplines including custom reporting, validation, and coordinating client exposure. She enjoys spending her free time with her partner Rowan, her dog Maisie, and a good book.

Yahina

YAHINA SANTANA
Marketing & Events Manager

Yahina collaborates with the FBR team to drive sales efforts and meet client needs – managing client survey projects from creation to reporting, as well as maintaining and organizing office operations and event planning. Outside of work, she enjoys juicing, spending time with family & friends, and staying active with her overzealous rescue pup named Ziya on the trails.

Owen Novak, Franchise Business Review

OWEN NOVAK

Client Consultant

Owen’s focus is new business development along with assisting current clients. Owen likes to spend time with family and friends and stay active outside of work.

Zak

“ZAK” BENALI ZAKARIA
Web Developer

Zak is a rockstar developer who keeps FBR’s platforms running smoothly and helps our clients get greater insights from all their people data.
Katie Ingalls, Franchise Business Review

KATIE INGALLS
Customer Success/Office Admin

As a Client Success Manager, Katie oversees survey projects from planning to execution, ensuring smooth management and client coordination. She manages client visibility and supports FBR office operations. Outside of work, Katie enjoys time with her partner Ashalyn, her dog James, and exploring new places.

Izzy

IZZY BARDEN
Client Consultant

Izzy comes from a sales background that spans both tech and recruiting—she’s worked on cookie-less audience solutions in digital media and helped place data privacy consultants in roles across the country. She enjoys work that’s people-focused and always evolving.

MACKENZIE GALLANT
Digital Marketing Specialist

Mackenzie supports the FBR marketing team by helping in the email, social media, awards list, and website departments. Her behind-the-scenes work helps FBR to shine. In her free time, Mackenzie enjoys hanging out with her fiancé, their new rescue dog Bingo, and taking long naps.

ELLA RICCI
Customer Success & Office Admin

Ella is on FBR’s Client Success Team and acts as our Office Admin. She helps build and execute client surveys, ensuring franchisees and franchisors get the most from them. In her spare time, Ella likes hanging with her adorable pup ,Teddy, seeing friends, and spending quality time with family.

“We’re not in the business of just crunching data, we’re in the business of helping people succeed.”

Eric Stites, FBR Founder

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WHATEVER CHALLENGE YOUR FRANCHISE IS FACING, WE’RE HERE TO HELP YOU.

FBR Summit 2026 Logo

Austin, TX | October 28-30, 2026

FBR Summit is the only conference designed specifically for franchise operations and HR leaders who want to strengthen their systems from the inside out. This one-of-a-kind event brings together franchise pros from across the industry for real talk on what’s working, what’s not, and how to better support franchisees and teams. With a focus on candid conversations, peer-led sessions, and practical takeaways, Summit delivers insights you can actually use. Spots are limited so register today to save yours.

FBR Summit lecture