Biography

Book Maya Shankar through The Keynote Curators.

Maya Shankar is a cognitive scientist and the creator, executive producer, and host of the podcast, A Slight Change of Plans, which Apple awarded as the Best Show of the Year 2021 and which received an Ambie award from the Podcast Academy in 2022. Maya was a Senior Advisor in the Obama White House, where she founded and served as Chair of the White House Behavioral Science Team. She also served as the first Behavioral Science Advisor to the United Nations under Ban Ki-moon, and as a core member of Pete Buttigieg’s debate preparation team during his 2020 presidential run.

Maya has a postdoctoral fellowship in cognitive neuroscience from Stanford, a Ph.D. in cognitive psychology from Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship, and a B.A. from Yale. She’s been profiled by The New Yorker and been the featured guest on NPR’s “All Things Considered,” “Freakonomics,” and “Hidden Brain.” She’s a graduate of the Juilliard School of Music’s pre-college program, where she was a private violin student of Itzhak Perlman.

Contact The Keynote Curators for Maya Shankar’s fees and availability.

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Videos

Why Change Is So Scary — and How to Unlock Its Potential | Maya Shankar | TED

How to Shape Your Identity & Goals | Dr. Maya Shankar

Malala, On Losing Herself | A Slight Change of Plans podcast

What If Finding Community Wasn't So Hard? ft. Dr. Vivek Murthy | A Slight Change of Plans podcast

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Blog Posts

Seven Archetypes of Success Every High Achiever Must Know

Learn the seven archetypes of success from triple Emmy-winning speaker Gaby Natale and how her Virtuous Circle framework can help you get there.

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Fear Is Your GPS, and Michelle Poler Shows You How to Follow It

Keynote speaker Michelle Poler shares how to navigate fear, take brave action, and build authentic brands in this episode of The Keynote Curators Podcast

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Women’s History Month Keynote Speakers Who Change What Happens Next in 2026

Women's History Month demands more than applause; discover keynote speakers who create recognition that drives real change.

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Keynote Speakers Who Tell Great Stories Get Booked More in 2026

Keynote speakers need more than craft to get booked. Learn the mindset shift that builds sustainable speaking careers.

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Happiness at Work Is the Performance Strategy You Need, with Jessica Weiss

Happiness at work is a performance strategy, not a perk. Learn how Jessica Weiss helps teams build real, sustainable happiness.

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Emotional Intelligence Skills That Hold Up Under Pressure

Emotional intelligence is more than a buzzword. Here's what real EQ looks like under pressure, and the keynote speaking voices building it on stages in 2026.

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