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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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

Designing Events That Spark Lasting Connections

Discover Wendy Porter’s proven WPE Planning Process for crafting live, virtual, and hybrid events that foster genuine connections, boost engagement, and drive ROI.

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The Best Diversity and Inclusion Speakers

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Expand your mind on how AI, neuroscience, and emotional intelligence converge to rewire resilience and drive growth with TED speaker Sarah Baldeo.

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The Best Mental Health Speakers

Why are mental health speakers consistently among the most impactful voices on stage? Because mental health is no longer a side conversation; it’s the conversation. From boardrooms to classrooms, C-suites to sports arenas, people are grappling with...

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Inspirational & Motivational Keynote Voices for Your Next Event

Discover keynote speakers—like Brené Brown, Mel Robbins, Seth Godin, and others—whose stories spark change, connection, and courage.

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Strategy First, Tactics Second: Lessons from Seth Godin

Explore why strategy—the “hard work before the hard work”—matters more than tactics and how to choose the right moves with marketing provocateur Seth Godin.

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Blog Posts

 

Designing Events That Spark Lasting Connections

Imagine stepping into an event where every detail is designed to foster genuine human connection—from...

Read More

The Best Diversity and Inclusion Speakers

Why are diversity and inclusion speakers some of the most transformative voices on stage? Because...

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AI, Brain Science, and Resilience with Sarah Baldeo

Imagine harnessing the power of AI (artificial intelligence) together with cutting-edge insights from technology and...

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The Best Mental Health Speakers

Why are mental health speakers consistently among the most impactful voices on stage? Because mental...

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Inspirational & Motivational Keynote Voices for Your Next Event

Ever read a quote and feel like someone just hit a tuning fork in your...

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Strategy First, Tactics Second: Lessons from Seth Godin

Ready to rethink strategy and tactics? Best-selling author and keynote speaker Seth Godin breaks down...

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