Karissa Zigarovich serves as Senior Manager, Marketing and Programming Insights, at MTV, a division of Viacom based in New York. An accomplished television research professional, Karissa is responsible for bringing audience input into MTV’s marketing and show development processes.
In her role, she keeps the company constantly informed about campaign and series performance through audience data and insights. Recent tasks include supporting MTV’s major franchises and hits such as Jersey Shore, The Real World, Awkward, and Teen Wolf. She is the go-to expert for the horror genre and has immersed herself in understanding Reality TV as well as Millennial comedy. Lastly, she oversees social media reporting for her team and manages brand and campaign tracking.
Prior to joining MTV, Karissa worked in the research department at Optimedia, a part of Publicis Groupe. During her tenure at Optimedia, her job responsibilities included developing and executing custom research studies for a number of clients such as L’Oreal, British Airways, T-Mobile, Garnier, and Denny’s. While there, she was responsible for developing a custom research product, called OutLookers, which was a nationwide trendspotting program.
Karissa graduated from West Virginia University with a MA in Communication Theory and Research. She also holds BA’s in Psychology and Communication Studies from West Virginia University.
