Biography

Emma Seppälä, Ph.D., is a bestselling author, Yale lecturer, and international keynote speaker. She teaches executives at the Yale School of Management and is faculty director of the Yale School of Management’s Women’s Leadership Program.  A psychologist and research scientist by training, she has expertise in the science of happiness, emotional intelligence, and social connection. Her bestselling book The Happiness Track (HarperOne, 2016) has been translated into dozens of languages. Her new book is Sovereign (Hay House, 2024). Seppälä is also the Science Director of Stanford University’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education.

Seppälä’s research has been published in top academic journals and featured in major news outlets like The New York TimesThe Washington PostNPR, and CBSNews. She speaks and consults internationally for Fortune 500 companies like Google and Facebook and contributes to Harvard Business ReviewThe Washington PostPsychology Today, TIME, and others.

A repeat guest on Good Morning America, she also spoke at TedX Sacramento and TEDx Hayward. Her research on breathing for military veterans with trauma was highlighted in the documentary Free the Mind. She is also featured in documentaries like The Altruism Revolution, What You Do Mattersand Bullied.

Seppälä is the recipient of a number of research grants and service awards, including the James W. Lyons Award from Stanford University for founding Stanford’s first academic class on the psychology of happiness and initiating other well-being programs for Stanford students.

She graduated from Yale (BA), Columbia (MA), and Stanford (Ph.D.). Originally from Paris, France, she is a native speaker of French, English, and German and is conversant in Spanish and Mandarin Chinese.

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Videos

The Happiness Track | Emma Seppälä | Talks at Google

Happiness Job Hacks

The Power & Science of Social Connection: Emma Seppälä TEDx

How I Manage My Stress

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Speech TopicsExpand each topic to learn more

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

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THE SCIENCE OF HAPPINESS

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BUILDING HIGH-QUALITY CONNECTIONS

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BUILDING HIGH-QUALITY CONNECTIONS

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Booksby Emma Seppälä

Sovereign: A science-backed path to reclaiming your SOVEREIGNTY

The Happiness track: How to Apply the Science of Happiness to Accelerate Your Success

The Oxford Handbook of Compassion Science

Blog Posts

Why Pink October Events Fail (And the System That Can Help Saves Lives)

Transform Breast Cancer Awareness into action at your events with survivor stories, risk assessments, and keynote speakers who inspire change in Pink October.

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Why Top Professionals Know How to Optimize Their Time

Learn time management strategies that evolve with your career from Top 50 business thinker Dorie Clark, expert on strategic boundaries and professional growth.

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Transform The Worst Day of Your Life Into Your Greatest Strength

Keynote speaker Torsten Gross shares how transformed tragedy into triumph, proving your worst day of your life might become your greatest strength.

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How Purpose Transforms Adversity Into Achievement with Tez Steinberg

Get insights on how purpose transforms adversity into achievement with ultra-endurance athlete Tez Steinberg's powerful lessons from rowing solo across oceans.

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8 AI Speakers Who Turn “Cool Demo” Into Event Engagement (2026 Lineup)

The right AI speakers don't just wow audiences—they change what your team does on Monday. Book impact-driven keynotes for 2026.

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Events That Create WOW! Moments Through Audience Connection

Learn ways to best engage audience in your events with personalized experiences that create unforgettable lasting impressions.

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