Researcher

Rima Imburgia is a staff psychotherapist with the Claret Center, a non-profit psychotherapy agency, as well as maintaining her own private counseling practice. Rima has an M.A. in Clinical Psychology, with a special interest in diversity and women's issues, but it is her mix of psychological training and business background that makes her so well suited for Emotional Inquiry. Prior to her current career, she earned her B.S. in Business/Marketing and worked for 15 years in the corporate arena on the client and agency sides. Most notably, she worked for McDonald's Corporation in both capacities.

"I've built my whole career around trying to understand what makes people tick," Rima explains. "The work I do with Brandtrust is incredibly satisfying because we uncover deep and meaningful reasons underlying why people behave in the ways they do. It's like solving the ultimate puzzle." During her tenure with Brandtrust, Rima has conducted research with a diverse group of clients, including Eli Lilly, American Family, Kraft, BEHR Paint and Discover.

Rima is a member of the Women's Leadership Collaborative in California and has begun to create a sister program in Chicago, where she also coaches women in building leadership competencies. She has lived and traveled abroad extensively, having spent time on four continents, and is an excellent, internationally influenced cook. It must be said, however, that when it comes to her sense of direction—well, there are problems. Rima says, "If it weren't for the little woman in the small box of my car telling me where to go, I wouldn't make it to the grocery store."