Alumni Bios

Following are bios of graduates from the Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) program at the University of Pennsylvania.

Louis J. Alloro, ’08
Louis Alloro is a Change-Agent helping individuals and communities thrive.  His background is at the intersection of Education (teaching/learning) and the cutting-edge science of Positive Psychology (the scientific study of optimal functioning). As a life and success coach, Louis brings a unique blend of motivation, suggestion (by way of evidenced-based tools), and accountability to his clients. As a consultant to learning organizations (like but not limited to schools) Louis uses a unique, proprietary approach to building social, emotional, psychological, and communal capital within groups of people for positive sustainable change.

Jenny Anderson, ’09
Prior to completing her MAPP degree Jenny Anderson worked at the University of Delaware as a Research Specialist in the Human Emotions Lab under Dr. Carroll E. Izard. She was in charge of an intervention project evaluating the efficacy and effectiveness of the Emotions Course (EC), an emotion based intervention program designed for preschool aged children.
Since the completion of her MAPP degree she has been hired by the University of Delaware to teach undergraduate level courses in Positive Psychology. Jenny is also preparing to apply to Ph.D. programs so that she may implement her own research projects to further the field of Positive Psychology.

Dana Arakawa, ’06
After spending a year working for the John Templeton Foundation, Dana has just left Philadelphia to start a two month learning adventure in Peru. She is on scholarship at the InterExchange Foundation and is studying Spanish for one month and then will be volunteering with children for a month. Prior to the MAPP program, Dana received her B.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University, where she majored in International Economics.

Scott Asalone, ’08
Scott is a business consultant, entrepreneur, author, speaker, and unofficial beach bum.  Scott is a passionate student of greatness and is currently working on a project to create a global movement toward achieving greatness.

Nikki Bardoulas, ’08 
Nikki is a social studies teacher in Chicago. As a former AmeriCorps volunteer and youth leadership facilitator, she is passionate about education, social justice, and character development. She is looking forward to implementing positive psychology into her classes this coming school year and teaching it as a course sometime in the future.

Shawn Bennett, ’08 
Shawn is a senior counselor for Powell Chemical Dependency Center in Des Moines, Iowa where he is honored to help men and women rebuild their lives after suffering from addiction.

Iris Bloom, ’07
Iris is a writer, massage therapist, self-defense instructor, stress reduction educator, and promoter of somatopsychic vitality -- the feeling of aliveness -- for all beings. She is exploring using mindfulness and other practices to enable abusers to overcome abusiveness and to empower high-conflict couples to de-escalate and rebuild love. She envisions positive psychology not as a building, but as a mandala; creating a future which is happier, fairer, and lower carbon, caring for All Our Relations.

Lee K. Bohlen, ’08
Lee K. is a life coach and an executive trainer for Exec/Comm (a communications training firm based in NYC).    She is excited to bring positive psychology to the workplace with her seminar titled, Positive Organizations Produce.

David Bonner, ’09
Dave is a professional educator who is focused on developing programming and opportunities that empower students and prepare them to flourish.   He is currently in his fifth year as the Director of College Counseling at King, a Pre-K through 12 Independent Day School in Stamford, Connecticut.  Before King, Dave was the Associate Director of College Counseling and Head Football Coach at the Taft School where he moved after nine years as a Teacher, Coach, Advisor, Dorm Parent, and College Counselor at Vermont Academy.  Dave is currently incorporating the lessons of his Master of Applied Positive Psychology experience into his work.  He is passionate about sharing his knowledge of Positive Psychology and Positive Education.  He lives in Fairfield, Connecticut, with his wife and two daughters.

Dan Bowling, ’09 
Dan Bowling teaches labor and employment law at Duke Law School, with an emphasis on positive psychology. He is also an assistant instructor to Martin Seligman in MAPP. Additionally, Dan is Managing Director of Positive Workplace Solutions, LLC, a management and legal consulting firm specializing on the application of positive psychology in employment issues and law, and a practicing labor lawyer. Until 2006, Dan was Senior Vice-President of Human Resources for Coca-Cola Enterprises, Inc. In that role, Dan was responsible for all employment matters for a global work force of over 80,000 persons, including labor relations, compensation and benefits, and training and development.  Dan is a 1980 graduate of Duke Law School, began his legal career in Atlanta, and eventually became partner in one its largest law firms. He speaks and publishes frequently on workplace and legal issues. Dan lives in Florida and Atlanta.

Kathryn Britton, '06
ACC, former software engineer, is a coach working with professionals to increase well-being, energy, and meaning (Theano Coaching LLC). She is a founding member of the Collaboration for Positive Psychology in Project Management (CAPP-PM) and teaches positive workplace concepts at the University of Maryland. She is a member of a consulting consortium, Minds That Work, and a contributor to online positive psychology education at Zone Positive.  She is also the associate editor and regular contributor to Positive Psychology News Daily.  Her blog, Positive Psychology Reflections, explores positive psychology applications to everyday life.

Valorie Burton, ’08
Valorie Burton is a speaker, coach and author who helps people thrive.  She has coached clients in 40 states and seven countries and uses a positive psychology coaching program she developed as her Capstone project at Penn.  She speaks on resilience and work-life balance for major corporations and government agencies.  She is the author of five books, including What's Really Holding You Back? and How Did I Get So Busy? The 28-Day Plan to Free Your Time, Reclaim Your Schedule and Reconnect with What Matters Most.  Her next book, rooted in positive psychology, will be released in early 2011.  Her BA is from Florida State University and her MS in journalism is from Florida A&M University.  Visit her online at www.valorieburton.com.

Sarah Campbell, ’07
Sarah Campbell is currently working as a training and organizational development consultant for a small firm in Washington DC. Prior to her completion of the MAPP program, Sarah earned her B.S. in Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh. Her professional interests include performance coaching, employee engagement, leadership, strengths-based focus and resilience. Email: sarah1320@gmail.com

Derrick Carpenter, ’07
Derrick graduated from MIT in 2004 (where he rowed as a varsity lightweight) with a BS in math and minors in psych and economics. After college he spent a short time working at Harvard's psych department and then as a construction laborer, which helped him to fund a 9-week, 2000-mile cycling tour of central Europe in the spring of 2005. Interested in the connection between sports and positive psychology, after graduation from the MAPP program Derrick embarked on another tri-country bicycle tour to raise funds for the MAPP alumni scholarship program.

David Carter, ’09
David Carter is currently working on a part-time basis as a financial controller.  Outside of this role, David's primary focus is employing the findings of positive psychology to inspire greater environmental stewardship and sustainability.  His capstone manuscript, advised by Barbara Fredrickson and entitled, Cultivated Positive Emotions Inspire Environmentally Responsible Behaviors, is currently in review for publication.  His follow up "post-capstone" is addressing specific behaviors toward greater well-being and sustainable living.  This work will eventually find it way into a book and complementary coaching practice, which will guide individuals beyond consumerism and materialism toward more satisfying post-modern lifestyles.  David also conducts Agent of Change workshops with the Center for Earth Leadership, integrating positive psychology findings and concepts whenever possible.

Joanne Cavanaugh, ’07
Joanne is a New Jersey native and works for GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). She holds two degrees from the University of Penn: a BA in Biology and the MAPP degree. Her future plans include becoming a certified coach, bringing positive psychology to children, and combining her knowledge of positive psychology and sales together to make GSK the most positive place to work.

Eleanor Chin, ’08
Eleanor, an executive and life coach, and business consultant, is the founder and principal of Clarity Partners Coaching and Consulting. She helps individuals and institutions navigate change, lead from strengths and create positive, dynamic and inclusive systems for strategic growth, learning and competitive advantage.  A regular columnist on Positive Psychology News Daily and Zone Positive, two online blogs, she is also a contributing author on a chapter about women’s networks and mentoring across difference in the book The Glass Ceiling in the 21st Century published by the American Psychological Association.

Sulynn Choong, ’06
Sulynn applies positive psychology in youth counseling and character development classes, as well as in consulting (organizational change initiatives, M&A communications, conflict resolution, team building, morale-lifting workshops, etc.) Sulynn aims to raise awareness of positive psychology applications, and to impart practical knowledge for everyday flourishing, by eventually setting up a network for all MAPP alumni and positive psychology practitioners which will be presented across Asia through actual or virtual exposure. Sulynn also has a B.Econ (Monash, ICSA (Aust.), and a B.S. in Psychology.

Denise Clegg, ’08 
Denise works with the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania on new initiatives in positive neuroscience, positive health, and positive education. She is also a consultant and coach to non-profit organizations and has over 15 years experience in program and funding development, communications and executive management at local, national and international organizations. Denise is a contributing writer and daily editor for PositivePsychologyNews.com and a dedicated student of meditation and poetry. She can be reached at denise@mirrorboxcunsulting.com

Aren Cohen, ’07
Aren's coaching practice, ARC Coaching, works with individuals to help them harness and utilize their strengths. Formerly Vice President of Business Development at FundingPost, Aren has also worked at Scripps Ventures, the Guggenheim Museum, CBS, Inc. and two entrepreneurial companies: Skoodles, Inc. and Concrete Media Construction. She has also been a consultant to numerous start-up businesses. Along with her MAPP, Aren has a BA magna cum laude from Harvard University and an MBA from New York University.

Deborah Cohen, ’07
Deborah Cohen, Ed.M. taught HS English for eight years and Hatha yoga for eleven. She was trained in Karma Kids Yoga and Yoga Ed programs, the Penn Resiliency Project, and a positive psychology program for HS Students. She has run a Hatha yoga teacher training school for 4 years and worked as a section leader for Tal Ben-Shahar’s Positive Psychology course at Harvard. She is currently working with the Harvard Medical School as project leader of a research study measuring the impact of a public school Yoga Ed program, and collaborating on a project to bring mind-body curricula into schools in Massachusetts.

Kirsten Cronlund, ’08 
Kirsten has a vision for contributing to Positive Education through her experience as a classroom teacher and academic tutor, her study of positive psychology, and her further exploration of positive organizational design in her next masters program at CaseWestern Reserve University(the MS in Positive Organization Development -- begun October, 2008).

Trecia Davis, ’08 
Trecia, is a parenting educator and family life coach.  Her area of expertise and passion is in working with parents of children 2-12 years of age; her specialty is in teaching positive behavioural management skills parents can use to create a flourishing and dynamic family environment.  She keeps a full speaking and teaching calendar offering a variety of workshops and courses.  She is currently in the process to become a Certified Co-Active Coach and is working on a parenting curriculum that brings the concepts of positive psychology into an application format parents can use on a daily basis. Along with her MAPP degree she has a BS in Home Economics and a Master of Arts degree in Communication from the University of Southern California.

Gabriel de Corral, ’08
Gabe graduated from Harvard University in 2006. He is currently in the process of applying to law school for admission in the fall of 2009. While in law school he will pursue a joint degree in law and public policy. After law school he wishes to make important contributions to the policy making process in the U.S. and Puerto Rico that are based on the concepts and principles of positive psychology.

Anthony DeLuca, ’07
Anthony owns one of the most successful consumer bankruptcy firms in the State of Nevada and is a legal consultant for Fox 5 television in Las Vegas where he appears weekly on their news program. He is also the host of his own radio talk show on KDWN AM 720. Anthony received his BA from the University of Scranton, JD from Temple Law School, and Masters of Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. He resides in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Bright Dickson, ’08
Bright grew up in the pine forests of Fayetteville, North Carolina, and moved north in 2001 to pursue an undergraduate degree from Columbia University. She has spent the past nine summers leading teenage girls on summer-long canoe trips in Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec, Canada. In the summer of 2008, she led eight girls on a seven-week expedition from the interior of northern Quebec to Hudson Bay. Having returned from Canada and worked for several political campaigns in fall 2008, she is currently looking for jobs that combine her love for nature and the outdoors with the lessons of positive psychology.

Amy Donovan, ’07
Amy earned a BA in Spanish and Art History from Vanderbilt University in 2004. After graduating she started a consulting business catering to college freshmen employing positive psychology principles to combat the anxiety associated with "rushing" and joining a sorority. In her spare time she volunteers as a yoga teacher to middle school children and is an agency-signed commercial fashion model.

John A. “Sean” Doyle, Jr., ’07
Sean is a poet, lawyer and consultant. In his law practice, Sean specializes in high conflict negotiations and has assisted clients in navigating thousands of disputes. He also has secured asylum for torture victims, defended individual’s privacy rights and lobbied for stronger child protection laws. Sean works with law firms on leadership development and with individual lawyers on how they want to live their lives, and in finding meaning in life and work.

Margaret Dukes, ’06
Margaret has an MBA and has held management positions in financial services, wholesale distribution, and consumer products industries. She maintains certification as a Project Management Professional (PMP) and strives to create collaborative work environments fostering teamwork through recognition of strengths. She is a member of the National Career Development Association (NCDA) and is currently taking a hybrid distance learning course at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to be a Career Development Facilitator.

Adoree Durayappah, ’09
Adoree Durayappah is a Research Assistant at Professor Daniel Gilbert’s Hedonic Lab at Harvard University. Prior to that, Adoree was a new media specialist. She has spent her career in media as a Television Producer; Interactive Producer; President of an Internet Startup; and Director of Business Development at Animax Entertainment. Adoree received her MBA from Pepperdine University and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Boston University with a dual degree in Philosophy and Television. She co-founded StartupLA, a conference devoted to building the entrepreneurial community of Los Angeles and is a member of the New Media Council of the Producers Guild of America. Adoree’s passion for entrepreneurship and channeling creativity led her to obtain a Master of Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.

Christine Duvivier, ’07
Christine has a background leading large-scale change in Fortune 50 companies and non-profits. She is the founder of Impact Partners, a strategic consulting firm established seven years ago to coach individual executives and management teams in leading positive change. She is a motivating speaker and gave the keynote for Microsoft East Women’s Conference. At Penn, she studied strengths in low-performing teens and uncovered exciting opportunities—and damaging myths—in educating all children. She holds an MBA with Distinction from Cornell and a MAPP from Penn.

Helene Finizio, ’07
Helene is a Project Manager for the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania. Her extensive research background includes interests in psychology, neuroscience and cardiology. Currently she is pursuing the integration of positive psychology with a variety of physical counterparts, such as neurological functions. She is heading the development of an empirical study of Psychological Energy, and is interested in the various routes to energetic expression available to the individual, groups and organizations. Additionally, Helene works as a meditation coach.

Sherri Fisher, ’06
Sherri combines 20+ years experience in PK-12 education with positive psychology to uncover engaged learning and working solutions for both individuals and organizations. She is a principal of three education-related businesses: Student Flourishing, provides strength-based education management coaching for students and families; Flourishing Schools, in collaboration with MAPP colleagues Dave Shearon and John Yeager, offers workshops, consulting and coaching integrating best practices in education with cutting edge positive psychology research; and Right Fit Career Design, provides executive coaching to individual educational leaders and school-based work teams. She recently became a PRP teacher facilitator and started the MAPP Education Special Interest Group.

Alan Foster, ’08 
Alan works in strategy consultancy at Bain.  He is now running a multi-year global initiative to embed a culture of coaching within the company at all levels.  He also spends his time trialling new ways to use culture as a strategic weapon to change behavior.  He can explain what that means over a beer.

Arthur Fullerton, ’08
Arthur is a writer, a public speaker, and a strengths-based organizational consultant. He specializes in helping organizations identify their strengths and spend more of their resources doing the things they do well.

Karen A. Garman, ’07
Karen Garman, Ed.D is a medical educator and certified human performance improvement expert with 20 years of experience in the delivery of a variety of professional development programs for public and private healthcare organizations. As Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of the Center of Applied Research in Education at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, she also coaches physicians in becoming better teachers. Her research is in the development of positive emotions and strengths in medical students using positive feedback, as well as training health care providers in the positive interventions that benefit cancer survivors post cancer treatment.

Deb Giffen, ’07
Deb Giffen is Director of Executive Programs at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania where she designs and oversees a broad portfolio of business leadership, strategy and marketing programs for senior executives in global organizations. She is a Master Certified Coach through the International Coach Federation (ICF), a graduate of Martin Seligman’s Authentic Happiness Coaching Program, and maintains a small private coaching practice. Deb has served on the board of Coaches Certification Institute, designed and led coach training programs and enjoys bringing a positive, strengths-based focus to all her endeavors.

Margaret Greenberg, ’06
After spending the first 15 years of her career in corporate Human Resources, Margaret founded The Greenberg Group, an organizational effectiveness consulting practice, in 1997. She specializes in coaching executives and teams using a strengths-based approach. Margaret is recognized by the International Coaching Federation as a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) trained in the co-active coaching methodology. Most recently Margaret has been sharing the results of her research study, “Optimistic Managers and Their Impact on Productivity and Employee Engagement in a Technology Organization” with corporate audiences.

Kristin Gregory, ’08 
Kristin is working as a selection analyst and strengths performance coach at the Gallup Organization. Kristin hopes to launch her own youth development coaching business with fellow MAPP classmate Alicia Luciano.

Ivor Groves, ’08 
Ivor is a consultant through his firm Human Systems and Outcomes, Inc. HSO provides practice development, program evaluation and training services to human services programs such as, child welfare, children's mental health, and special education. Dr Groves will focus this next year on introducing these communities to the potential benefits and uses of the theory and research findings in positive psychology.

Nicholas Hall, ’06
Nicholas Hall, MAPP is the manager of the Stanford University Graduate School of Business Behavioral Lab. His research interests focus on positive emotion, worker satisfaction, and character strengths and is published in the Journal of Organizational Behavior. He does HR consulting on worker satisfaction and engagement, and sits on the strategic advisory board of Omnis Risk Management Tools.

Justin Harris, ’08 
Justin is in his first year at Temple University's developmental psychology Ph.D. program.  There he is working in the Temple Infant Lab and studying play.  He looks forward to eventually combining his background in computer science, positive psychology, and developmental psychology to study the benefit of all types of play across the life-span; whether on the playground, with board games, or in the wilds of cyberspace.

Jen Hausmann, ’06
Jen currently works as a project and communications manager for David’s Bridal, a nationwide retail chain of bridal and special occasion apparel located outside of Philadelphia. She is in the process of creating a new role at her company concentrating on associate development using a strengths-based approach. Introducing practical applications of positive psychology into a corporate retail environment is also one of her primary interests. Previously, she has held positions in retail management, buying, product development and public relations. Jen has also received undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Communications from the University of Pennsylvania.

Yasmin Headley, ’07
Yasmin is a trained and accredited psychotherapist and coach living and working in London. She holds a number of degrees and certifications including an MA, Dip HG, Ad Dip, MAPP and UKCP. She has a particular interest in positive psychology and its use in Psychotherapy and coaching. She is currently working on an IRB approved online survey at www.positivepsychology.info which explores the concept of a complete life. Contact: yheadley@integrative.com.

Sasha Heinz, ’06
Sasha is currently a student at Teachers College, Columbia University’s Doctoral Program in Developmental Psychology. She is working under Dr. Jeanne Brooks-Gunn at the National Center for Children and Families. Previously, she worked as a project coordinator for the Families and Work Institute’s national early child development campaign. Sasha received her B.A. in anthropology from Harvard.

Ted Hubbard, ’07
Ted is the Director of Behavioral Services at Support, Inc., where he has worked with developmentally disabled adults for 17 years. He writes intervention plans and trains people in positive behavior supports. He is establishing a new department that will disseminate facets of applied positive psychology such as appreciative inquiry and life coaching. He lives in Superior, Colorado.

Susan Hwang, ’09
For thirteen years, Susan had a successful career in the financial information research industry.  In her most recent roles at SNL Financial, a global market data & research company, Susan established the company's European & Asia-Pacific headquarters in London and then served as a member of SNL’s senior management team, running one of SNL's business units.
Susan also has extensive training in hypnosis, holding the titles of master hypnotist and certified hypnotherapist.  By marrying the empirical research on hypnosis and positive psychology, Susan seeks to help organizations and individuals effect change and flourishing by working on the subconscious, intuitive level.  She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Virginia where she was an Echols Scholar.

Cheree Ingram, ’08
Cheree is building her goal coaching and consulting business.  She is busy writing the technical specifications for her capstone website-Coyogo, the accompanying planner and podcast show.  In addition, she is preparing to teach positive psychology at her local community college as a non-credit course. She is pursuing a career that marries her past experience, health insurance operations & web development with her future endeavors.

Tanya Jacobsen, ’08
Tanya is interested in the application of positive psychology methods to the assessment and treatment of psychological disorders. She is currently doing research and survey work on the psychology workforce at the American Psychological Association. Previously she worked at the National Academy of Sciences providing administrative and technical support for two innovative, applied scientific research grant programs that encouraged Arab-Israeli cooperation and capacity strengthening in developing countries. Tanya has a BA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in German literature. Since completing the MAPP Program, Tanya's goal is to get a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology so that she can apply positive psychology to both research and practice.

Lisa Jacobson, ’08 
Lisa is a consultant specializing in human resources, and career planning. She has over 20 years experience in human resources and started Workplace Solutions in 1998. Recently, the practice has broadened, providing career advice, planning and coaching to college students, early career professionals, and second “encore” career professionals considering second careers. Lisa is now offering training programs titled: Applied Positive Psychology in the Workplace and Enhancing Employee Engagement to businesses and organizations. 

Louisa Jewell, ’09
Louisa is a facilitator, trainer, organizational consultant and motivational speaker who applies positive psychology to leadership development and team building.  She has over 14 years of experience working with organizations to create positive work environments and is the co-founder of www.whydidyougo.com, an organization dedicated to researching and improving happiness at work.  Louisa has created and delivered a series of workshops on the topic of Positive Management and a key note speech on the Science of Happiness which she delivers to organizations in all sectors. Louisa hosts a monthly radio show on CIUT.FM (89.5FM Toronto) where she interviews prominent positive psychologists about applying positive psychology to energize organizations.  She also writes a weekly column for www.woman.ca, sharing her knowledge of positive psychology to women across Canada.  Email: louisa@whydidyougo.com

Elizabeth Johnston, ’08
Elizabeth graduated cum laude from Middlebury College in 2006 with a BA in Psychology. She also minored in U.S. History and Spanish. Since graduating, Elizabeth has worked at a law firm, been a teaching fellow at Harvard for an undergraduate psychology class, and completed her Master's in Applied Positive Psychology. Elizabeth is currently attending law school.

Emma Judge, ’06
Emma is the founder of Positive Organizations and is applying the principles of Positive psychology to the world of work through coaching, leadership development, and links with academia. Previously, she was an HR professional and consultant. Emma is also a Visiting Senior Lecturer at the University of East London on the first MAPP program in Europe and is involved in a project in the UK to bring the skills of Resilience to teachers and pupils through the Penn Resilience Program.

Yukie Kamiya, ’06
Yukie lives in Tokyo and works for Triumph Company in recruiting total produce business and HR consulting. Yukie received her BA from Soka University of America in Orange Country and majored in Liberal Arts with a concentration in Social Behavioral Science.

Adrienne Keane, '09
Adrienne is a program manager at Cisco Systems, leading global initiatives focused on increasing employee engagement. She is striving to combine 20 years of technology, operations and employee development project management experience with positive psychology methods to design and deliver workshops that cultivate positive project leaders and teams. She has a passion for helping high achieving individuals find happiness and career fulfillment by aligning their work with their vision, purpose, passions and strengths.

Rosemarie Kobau, ’09
Rosemarie Kobau is a public health advisor in the Division of Adult and Community Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. She leads prevention research on epilepsy self-management (see: http://www.sph.emory.edu/ManagingEpilepsyWell), and conducts research on stigma associated with epilepsy and with mental illness. She also works with the CDC Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) Program on epidemiologic studies of HRQOL and well-being in the U.S. population. She plans on applying methods from positive psychology for mental health promotion interventions, and for measuring population well-being.

Ebbe Lavendt, ’09
Ebbe Lavendt is an authorized psychologist doing his PhD on positive psychology coaching at the University of Southern Denmark.  The last five years Ebbe has been working as a self-employed organizational psychologist focusing on positive psychology, evidence-based coaching, personal development, work-life balance and stress.  See his website www.positivepsychology.dk for a positive psychology portal with links to videos, radio programs, recordings of lectures, audiobooks, etc.  You can contact Ebbe on el@positivepsychology.dk or +4540444366.

Richard Le, ’07
Richard is working on becoming a certified coach and facilitator for employees who are transitioning into new careers. His interest in Positive Psychology started with his reading of Martin Seligman's "Learned Optimism." He is looking to apply what he has learned to the business environment, specifically with development of a resilience and strength program

Angie LeVan, ’09
Angie LeVan is a professional coach (www.inthriving.com) specializing in helping clients to thrive through adversity and toward goal accomplishment. Additionally, Angie works full-time at the Clinical Research Unit at the the University of Pennsylvania Abramson Cancer Center, is a blogger on the topic of resilience for psychologytoday.com, and is also beginning a consulting practice to help organizations apply the science of positive psychology to the workplace. In her spare time, Angie has been working on a proposal for a book titled Thrive! Turning Challenge, Fear and Risk into the Good Life, and is currently in the process of searching for a literary agent and publisher.

Sandra Lewis, ’07
Utilizing 20 years of leadership and organizational development, Sandy is passionate about educating businesses and individuals in the tenets of positive psychology; employing the power of positive emotion and strengths to change organizations and individuals through appreciative methods. Sandy is currently piloting a positive psychotherapy program with at-risk and incarcerated females, advising corporate and non-profit businesses and boards, teaching career efficacy to prison inmates, and serving the MAPP Alumni Association as President. Contact: sandra_c_lewis@yahoo.com.

Alicia Luciano, ’08 
Alicia is a former professional dancer, fitness model and health counselor in NYC, is currently developing a coaching program for adolescents in partnership with fellow MAPP classmate, Kristin Gregory. She is eager to apply her knowledge of movement, energy, somatic awareness and holistic health to their program.

Betsy Ludlow, ’08
Betsy is an entrepreneur and marketer. After graduating from Wharton, she spent 18 years with American Express, left to launch her own fitness business, sold the business to Nutrisystem and went back to school to get her MAPP degree. She is currently developing a new internet business using positive psychology as a foundation. 

Rob Mack, ’07
Rob is a former Big 5 Consultant for Deloitte Consulting and a professional model and actor with Wilhelmina Models and LA Models & Talent. He's currently building his speaking and coaching business and shopping his happiness-themed television show and book.

Chris Maxwell, ’09
Chris Maxwell teaches the foundation undergraduate Management course at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.  He is especially interested in aligning his course with principles of positive psychology including resilience, character strengths, and Appreciative Inquiry.  He also directs Wharton Leadership Ventures for the undergraduate division, and has created a wide variety of experiential leadership development programs including expeditions to the Rockies, Mexico, Chilean Patagonia, and Iceland.
Before coming to Wharton in 1999, Chris spent 20 years in the health care industry, serving as executive vice president of a community teaching hospital, vice president of a health care research firm, and as a consultant to mental health organizations.  He holds a PhD from Penn State.

Senia Maymin, ’06
Senia is the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Positive Psychology News Daily, a 25+ author daily news site about the latest research and applications of positive psychology. Senia is an Assistant Instructor to Martin Seligman for his positive psychology course in the MAPP program. Furthermore, Senia works with individuals and companies to bring positive psychology tools to businesses. Senia has a background in entrepreneurship (past President of two high-tech start-ups) and finance (Morgan Stanley, hedge fund). She completed her AB in Mathematics and Economics at Harvard University, her MBA at Stanford University, and her MAPP at U Penn.

Jeremy McCarthy, ’09
Jeremy McCarthy is the Director of Global Spa Operations and Development at Starwood Hotels where he is responsible for spa development for all of Starwood’s hotel brands including the rollout of the uplifting Heavenly Spa brand, which just opened its 14th spa.  Prior to being at Starwood he was Spa Director at the famous La Costa Resort where he opened a new 43,000 square foot Spa.  McCarthy also worked 14 years for Four Seasons Hotels, opening and operating spas at luxury resort locations worldwide.
Jeremy McCarthy is on the Board of Directors for the International Spa Association, and is a regular contributing author for several spa industry books and magazines.  He recently completed the Master of Applied Positive Psychology program at University of Pennsylvania.

Morgan McCarthy, ’07
Living and working in New York, Morgan is currently a Sales trainer at Google – and her work is as much fun as one can imagine. She loves all forms of communications, loves to be inspired and fill her life with people who share similar interests.

Justin Merritt, ’08 
Justin is co-founder and Dean of Faculty at Carlbrook School in southern Virginia, a private coeducational boarding school for struggling adolescents. Justin also has served as a principal of Education Management Services, LLC for the past decade, working with families from almost every state, assisting over 300 students in gaining acceptance to competitive colleges and universities. Prior to MAPP, he pursued advanced study in a number of fields, including general jurisprudence, educational theory, business management, and negotiation and dispute resolution. Along with his recent MAPP degree, Justin holds a Master of Arts in Education from Columbia University and a Juris Doctorate from Harvard Law School, and he has completed further graduate studies at Oxford University and the Université Paris I-Sorbonne.

Breon Michel, ’08 
Breon brings her knowledge of positive psychology and integrative wellness to Dubai, UAE. As an organizational consultant and coach, she designs and delivers workshops geared toward developing leaders, strengthening teams, and adopting healthy living strategies.  Also specializing in creating positive shifts within families, Breon draws on her coaching expertise to guide both parents and children to identify and develop their strengths in work, life, and play. She teaches families how to structure their attention and communication around psychological assets so that children can become more aware of who they are at their best. Finally, as a Penn Resilience Program facilitator, Breon collaboratively conducts international training programs for teachers on resilience and well-being.

Virginia Millar, ’08 
Virginia, a lifelong learner and educator, is a special education teacher in Atlantic City, NJ. Inspired by her many students who thrive in the midst of seemingly overwhelming challenges, Virginia embraces the science of positive psychology as the means to elevate and empower human strengths. She strongly believes in the potential for positive psychology to improve the lives of her students. She will continue to seek and create pathways to increase its presence in the school curriculum, policy, and atmosphere.

Carmella Miller, ’07
Carmella’s career includes fifteen years of experience in human resources and business management. She currently oversees all aspects of human resources as the Human Resources Director for a global clinical service organization providing medical image management services for clinical trials. In addition to MAPP, she holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Arcadia University and a professional certification in Human Resources. Carmella’s key interest lies in applying the methods of Appreciative Inquiry to facilitate positive and productive change in organizations.

Caroline Miller, ’06
Caroline is a performance coach, author and motivational speaker who works with clients and organizations all over the world on the connection between happiness and goal accomplishment. Creating Your Best Life: The Ultimate Life List Guide(Sterling 2009) is an outgrowth of Caroline's capstone project from the MAPP program, and it is the first mass market, self-help book to connect the science of happiness with the science of goal accomplishment. Caroline is regularly featured in the media and has appeared on over 100 radio and television shows in the last twenty years, as well as on the covers of newspapers and magazines. She is the author of six books, and her "Positive Tip of the Day" has been featured on XM Radio since 2007. Caroline also mentors coaches on how to add positive psychology to their practice, and teaches at the New York University School of Continuing and Professional Studies on "Positive Psychology and Coaching.”

Peter Minich, ’06
Peter, MD, Ph.D., MAPP, is a surgeon, author, educator, and physician coach. In addition to his medical training, he was awarded a doctorate with distinction in organizational leadership from Vanderbilt University. He has co-published, Sick Patients Sicker System, How Clinician Leaders Become System Healers with Terrence Deal. In addition to his surgical practice he lectures extensively on leadership and positive psychology. He is currently working on his second book, which provides a positive practical approach to influencing organizations. His life’s mission is to improve the quality of care delivered in hospitals. Visit www.clinicianleader.com.

Shawna Mitchell, ’06
Shawna serves as the Director of Academics at College Track, a San Francisco non-profit that targets low-income high school students who have the desire but lack the resources and support to attain higher education. Her objectives at College Track are to systematically and holistically grow the academic department with an emphasis on individual excellence, scholastic achievement, and intrinsic motivation. Shawna holds a MAPP from U Penn, a MA in Counseling Psychology from Santa Clara University and a BBA in Marketing from The College of William and Mary.

Alma-Jean (A J) Trave Monteverde, ’06
AJ is a consultant and educator. She earned an MS and PhD from the University of Illinois and a BS from Drexel University in Philadelphia. Her focus is on programs that improve the quality of life for individuals, families, consumers, and organizations. AJ is also on the board of directors of the National Organization of Italian-American Women (NOIAW). Her background includes working in financial planning, teaching, government, and community service.

Adam Mussell, ’08 
Adam is living Costa Rica for at least a year, and hopes to implement positive psychology in education, tutor, and coach futbol at a beautiful school in Cartago. In his free time he plans to visit every Central and South American country possible.  He hopes to expand positive emotion research in an effort to highlight possible mental and physical health benefits.

Giselle Nicholson, ’06
Giselle works at Blue Garnet Associates as a strategic consulting analyst to help organizations increase their social impact. Currently, Giselle is conducting research to develop an impact assessment model on how microfinance loans impact the well-being of micro-entrepreneurs in developing countries. Recently she has also started business planning for a small social enterprise. Giselle received her BA from New York University in psychology and sociology, studied international financial management and Chinese law in Shanghai, and Renaissance art history in Florence. Her areas of interest include economics and happiness, social innovation, sustainable development, work engagement, leadership, and coaching.

Elaine O’Brien, ’08 
Elaine is a founding member of CAPP (Centre for Applied Positive Psychology) and has been working as a dance-fitness and wellness educator, trainer, presenter and coach for over 20 years.  Gold certified by the American Council on Exercise in Group Fitness Training, Lifestyle and Weight Management, and by the Aquatics Exercise Association, she promotes positive aging, lifespan movement education and building positive, meaningful organizations through her program “Loving Moving Being.” She has produced charitable events for the American Lung Association raising over $6 million for patient programs and completed the Dublin Marathon with the "Joints in Motion" team for Arthritis Research.  Elaine has presented to athletes, coaches, and judges, and led training workshops in Korea, UK, Costa Rica, Sweden, Mexico, Canada, and throughout the U.S.

Lindy O’Brien, ’08 
Lindy is a serial entrepreneur and owns an executive search firm, O’Brien and Roof, and she is now sole owner of a poultry retail business that she had originally started with her husband in 1996. Her two businesses now operate in her 9500 sq. Ft. building and she is planning to add a Farmer’s Market to the lower level in the spring/summer. She is in the process of turning her capstone into a business of career network training classes in 1Q/09, because she wants to bring positive psychology to people in a job search, when they need it most

Gloria Park Perin, ’06
Gloria is a doctoral candidate in Kinesiology with a specialization in Exercise and Sport Psychology at Temple University (expected May, 2010). She received her bachelor's degree in Psychology and Philosophy from Villanova University, and was a competitive figure skater for over 14 years. Currently, she is a graduate research assistant in the Social and Behavioral Health Interventions Lab in the School of Public Health at Temple, where she is working on studies examining the role of expressive writing interventions on health.  She is also the founder of The Good Body project at www.bensoma.com. Her interests include broader applications of positive psychology in the pursuit of promoting mind/body health and wellness with individuals and communities, bridging positive psychology and sport performance consulting, neck-down positive interventions, and youth development through sport and physical activity. Email: gloriamapp@gmail.com

Gordon Parry, ’06
Gordon’s career in Human Resources spans twenty years with roles in all functional disciplines of HR at the business unit and corporate level. His educational background includes a Bachelor’s degree in Personnel Administration, Master in Business Administration, and MAPP from U Penn. Additionally, he holds professional certifications in Human Resources, Compensation, and Benefits. Gordon currently serves as Senior Vice President of Talent Development for a global Fortune 500 firm with 29,000 employees in 42 countries. His key area of interest is aligning unique individual and group strengths with the needs of the organization facilitating movement along the continuum of job, career and calling resulting in enhanced engagement and performance.

Cathy Parsons, ’08 
Cathy is a nursing practice consultant and corporate facilitator at a multi-site health care facility in London, Ontario, Canada.  Cathy is devoted to improving the practice and experience of nurses within the current health care environment and has deeply held convictions about the power of individuals to create more happiness, meaning, and engagement in work and in life.

Nadya Peeva, ’08
Nadya is an aspiring storyteller and evolutionary, but most of all she hopes that her time here will be spent in service of opening the heart. She recently received the gift of a transformative experience and has decided to bring her life in full alignment with the yearning of her soul. The outer expression of her inner longing is yet to take shape but she is setting out on the journey with a newly discovered capacity to see, love and affirm life in all its infinite multiplicity of manifestations. Her one wish is to continue to think, act and be "as though everything is a miracle."

Elizabeth Peterson, ’06
Elizabeth is a research assistant and consultant for Aspirant, a firm that uses positive psychology research to enhance executive leadership and foster culture change at Fortune 500 companies. She also works as an educational consultant for schools interested in introducing positive psychology into their curriculum. She is currently applying to psychology Ph.D. programs, where she hopes to conduct research on the mechanisms that foster adolescent well-being. Prior to MAPP, Elizabeth received her undergraduate degree from Harvard University.

Suzann Pileggi, ’08 
Suzie is a wellness writer and consultant. She is a columnist for the International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA) newsletter, Positive Psychology News Daily, Wisdom, happier.com and various magazines. A certified holistic health counselor, she works with people on helping them make better food and lifestyle choices. Prior to pursuing her passion for wellness, Suzann directed media relations campaigns for Fortune 500 clients as a VP at Weber Shandwick Worldwide. She is passionate about spreading the message of positive psychology by leveraging her 15 years of experience in public relations, media, and television production. Additionally, she is currently looking to bring positive psychology to poverty via the Evershine English School, a sponsorship school she helped start for disadvantaged children in the local villages of rural Hullahalli, in Bangalore, India.

Leslie Pitner, ’07
Leslie is an orthodontist in private practice in South Carolina. Wearing braces takes self-efficacy, hope and an optimistic view of the future; traits she hopes to teach patients with her MAPP degree. Currently, Leslie is working on a book and wants to bring the principles of positive psychology to the field of dentistry and health care through teaching and consulting.

David J. Pollay, ’06
David is a syndicated columnist with North Star Writers Group, creator and host of “The Happiness Answer™” television program, an internationally sought after speaker and seminar leader, and the author of Beware of Garbage Trucks!™ - The Law of the Garbage Truck™. He is the founder and president of TheMomentumProject.com, a strengths-based training and consulting organization with offices in Delray Beach, Florida and Washington, D.C. David is also the associate executive director of the International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA). He holds a Master’s degree in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, and an Economics degree from Yale University. Email him at david@themomentumproject.com.

Shannon Polly, ‘09
Shannon is a facilitator, trainer and coach who applies positive psychology to leadership development and team building.  Shannon has created and delivered a series of workshops on the topic of Positive Management and Change Management which she delivers to organizations in Canada and the United States.  Shannon has been trained to facilitate resilience training for the U.S. Army and is an assistant instructor in the MAPP program at the University of Pennsylvania.  In addition, Shannon translates her 11+ years as a professional actor and singer to the business of teaching presentation skills and executive presence.  She completed her B.A. with honors at Yale University, her graduate degree at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, and her MAPP at the University of Pennsylvania.  Email:  spolly@aya.yale.edu.

Radhika Punshi, ’07
As a Human Resources professional, Radhika has a penchant to establish workplaces of meaning and engagement. She is currently working with Hewitt Dubai and consults with clients in the Middle East on HR Best Practices. Radhika holds two Master’s degrees (MAPP, and an MA in Applied Psychology from India), as well as a BA in Psychology. She is passionate about disseminating positive psychology globally and supports the newly formed International Positive Psychology Association as part of the Board of Directors. radhikapunshi@hotmail.com.

Denise Quinlan, ’08
Denise is a facilitator who designs workshops for children and adults to help them discover what their strengths are, what's important to them and sometimes, what they want to do next. Her business, What To Do Next, has taken a back seat during the MAPP program and may be similarly challenged for a while longer as she is applying for a Ph.D. between Melbourne and NZ in the area of strengths discovery and development for children.

Gregory Quinting, ’07
With a doctorate in chemistry and specialty in magnetic resonance, Greg’s science and technology background are the foundation for his present interest and work in innovative organizational leadership. Diversions such as screenwriting taught Greg that his passion is in drawing upon recent advances in positive psychology to help build quality of life for scientists in the workplace and to broaden that which he learns through those endeavors to help improve quality of life overall.

Tom Rath, ’06
Tom is co-author of How Full is Your Bucket and StrengthsFinder 2.0. Tom works at Gallup as the Global Practice Leader for the Clifton StrengthsFinder. He earned his bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.

Candice Reed, ’09
Candice L. Reed, a lawyer by trade, currently serves as the Executive Director of the Nashville, Tennessee office of Counsel On Call, where she is creating an expanding market of opportunities for attorneys who wish to practice law in non-traditional ways in an attempt to spend more time with their families or try out a new hobby or merely get some control over their schedules.  Prior to her current position, Ms. Reed practiced commercial litigation at the law firm of Miller & Martin PLLC.  Ms. Reed incorporates positive psychology in her management responsibilities at Counsel On Call and frequently delivers seminars to lawyers and corporate groups on how to use positive psychology concepts to re-engage in work and experience “the good life.”

Nicholas Ritchey, ’08 
Nick originally hails from Minnesota with his B.S. in Mathematics from the University of Minnesota.  He has spent the last 3 years living in Korea, where he met his Korean wife, Eunju.  In 2007-08, he commuted around the world 10 times to complete the MAPP program at the University of Pennsylvania, and enjoyed every moment of it.  He's now working in London, UK, supporting his wife while she completes her higher master's degree in Applied Linguistics and English Language Teaching at King's College (U of London).

Elizabeth Roberds, ’08 
Elizabeth grew up in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, just outside of Philadelphia.  She graduated from Earlham College in 2007 with a triple major in psychology, English, and art, and a minor in art history.  While completing MAPP in 2008, Elizabeth was accepted into the PhD program in school psychology at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, where she currently resides. Elizabeth continues to be interested in the intersection of positive psychology and Quakerism.

Lola Rokni, ’07
Lola spent around 13 years in software companies as a software engineer and group leader in various departments and positions. She gradually became more interested in finding ways to help people fulfill their potential. To that end she also studied mediation and management. She is currently seeking employment that will take advantage of her varied experience in software companies, her positive psychology education and her enthusiasm to improve well-being of people in workplaces as well as business productivity.

Steve Safigan, ’09
Steve believes personal coaches achieve transformative results through authentic connections with their clients.  He graduated from MAPP in 2009 and earned his Certified Professional Coactive Coach (CPCC) designation in 2008.  In addition to his own coaching practice, Steve founded four not-for-profit organizations that conduct personal growth seminars in the U.S. and Canada.  He is currently a board member and large-group facilitator for Foundations Seminars (www.foundations1.com).  These seminars present dozens of positive and other interventions over two intensive 3-day weekends for emotionally healthy adults who wish to create more happiness, meaning, and connection in their own lives.
Steve was recently selected as an alumnus of the year by Mississippi College where he graduated in 1983.

Marie-Josée Salvas Shaar, ‘07
After a Bachelor in Comerce at McGill University, Marie-Josée started her career as a branch manager in one of Canada’s largest banks.   Having experienced corporate life first hand reinforced her sentiment that her role in life was to help individuals and organizations realize their full potential through greater health, productivity and happiness.  She then received her MAPP degree and served as Martin Seligman’s assistant instructor for a year.  She pursued to become a Certified Personal Trainer and Nutrition Consultant through the AFPA.  She is the Founder of Smarts and Stamina, where she now offers corporate wellness services.  Marie-Josee is a monthly author for the Positive Psychology News Daily and she is currently working on her first book.

Gail Schneider, ’07
Gail found the MAPP program after a brief stint as an attorney in a large New York City law firm and a 20 year career in banking. She left her job as an Executive Vice-President at JPMorgan Chase in search of a path that would use her strengths and experience to create greater meaning in her life and help others do the same. She is currently writing a book about her life in corporate America and the journey of self-discovery that followed her leaving. She is also designing workshops incorporating positive psychology principles for individuals in mid-life who are navigating career and other important transitions.

Brian Selander, ’08 
Brian serves as the Chief Strategy Officer for Governor Jack Markell and the State of Delaware. Before going back into public service, he was National Director of a practice at a multi-national corporation, Managing Director of a business consulting firm, spokesperson for a Governor, Communications Director for Senator, presidential campaign aide, environmental activist, print journalist, and, most recently, talk radio host.

David Shearon, ’06
In addition to his MAPP degree, David N. Shearon has a J.D. from the University of Virginia and a B.S. in Communications from the University of Tennessee. Dave administers the mandatory continuing legal education and other Supreme Court programs in Tennessee and has served on the Board of Education for Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools. He is focusing on applying positive psychology to attorney well-being and K-12 education. Dave also works with John Yeager and Sherri Fisher on conducting Broadening and Building Positive Emotions and Character workshops for school facilities.

Kurt Shuster, ’09  
Kurt Shuster (MAPP.4) is cofounder and CEO of noomii.com, a website that helps personal and business coaches attract new clients and track their goals, commitments, and coaching sessions. Kurt employs the tools and theories of positive psychology in his organization in a number of ways. Internally, he applies a strengths-based approach to coaching his employees and fostering a positive work environment. The noomii website also includes several coaching tools that incorporate various principles of positive psychology, including goal setting theory, positive affect, and more. Kurt is constantly thinking of new ways to include positive psychology theory and practice in the site’s features, and loves that he can spend his days combining his passion for of web technologies with his passion for the science of wellbeing.

Jordan Silberman, ’06
Jordan began his career as a pianist, and studied at the Eastman School of Music. Since changing paths in 2002, he has presented lecture-recitals on music cognition research; authored and co-authored articles on healthcare communication, psychology, and proteomics; presented research at conferences; patented a fundraising method; and completed two marathons. Currently, Jordan is in medical school at the University of Rochester and is exploring the stories of physiology and the modifiable causes of biopsychosocial wellness.

Angus Skinner, ’06
Angus is an Associate Consultant for the Centre for Confidence and Well-Being in Scotland (http://www.centreforconfidence.co.uk/). Angus is also a visiting Professor at the University of Strathclyde.

Yakov Smirnoff, ’06
Yakov is teaching a course at University of Missouri called “Happily Ever Laughter.” He is also writing a column for AARP Magazine, the magazine with the largest readership in the world – 38 million readers. The column is called “Happily Ever Laughter” as well. People write in and ask Yakov questions, which he answers and gives them advice. He is also writing a book entitled, The Age of Enlaughterment.

Julie Snyder, ’07
Julie is the Principal of Leadership Beyond Limits, LLC, a coaching and consulting company focused on building positive business cultures. She offers 23 years of human resources and cultural transformation experience from three industries: retail, manufacturing and healthcare. She has worked in small and large organizations facilitating change from project work to mergers, acquisitions and system-wide cultural transformation. Her focus is on bringing the most current research on maximizing human potential to leaders and organizations: Contact: julie@leadershipbeyondlimits.com.

Stig Soloy, ’07
Stig is currently director of Soløy Eiendomsselskap AS which is a property development / management company in Oslo, Norway. Stig has a broad base of experience from the construction business, finance, and property development business. He holds an MSc in engineering and business administration from NTH, an MSc in economy and business administration from NHH, a BA of Psychology from UIO, and a Master of Applied Positive Psychology from Penn. In the future he plans to divide his professional attention between property and financial investments, and on developing a center for leadership and human flourishing to serve the Scandinavian market. Contact: stig.soloy@gmail.com

Diana Stratigakis, ’06
Diana is a health coach for Whole Health Management. She is delivering wellness programs and coaching employees around changing health behavior. Diana is also working on starting her own coaching and training business. She has a psychology degree from George Washington University, and has worked as the Clinical Research Coordinator for the SELF Study at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, as well as the Resource Coordinator for the Division of Adolescent Medicine at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Bob Szybist, ’07
An elementary educator and the founding director of an environmental education summer camp, Bob has taught students from grades K-12 both in the US and the UK. Bob has been developing innovative educational and mentoring programs for K-8 students in both the private and public sector since 1999. Bob also regularly conducts teacher development trainings and educator workshops with schools and non-profit organizations. In his current capacity of Director of Program Development, Bob develops and oversees programming for the Community Education Alliance of West Philadelphia.

Yee-Ming Tan, ’07
Based in Hong Kong, Yee-Ming has her own executive coaching practice working with multinational clients throughout Asia. She is a happiness mentor to many of the executives she works with through her mindset and coaching workshops. Her book, Start Your Own Ripple Effect became a bestseller and she also publishes a series of inspirational coaching tools under the brand Ripple Cards. (www.ripplecards.com)

Joanna Thompson, ’07
British stockbroker Joanna Thompson enjoys the psychology of markets. She is a mentor and qualified Life Coach whose hunger for greater breadth and an academic underpinning led her to the MAPP program. Joanna, together with Julie Snyder, developed a Transformational Leadership Workshop as a Capstone project and she is committed to introducing positive psychology in the city.

Douglas B. Turner, ’06
Doug is the Vice President of Human Resources for the Washington, DC Metro Division of Balfour Beatty Construction. Doug oversees all aspects of human resources including: leadership, management, employee training and development, team development, employee recruitment and retention, employee relations, and compliance. In the past, Doug has been a Director of Human Resources at Fannie Mae and has worked with the American Red Cross at the National Headquarters in Washington, D.C.  Doug holds a MAPP from U Penn, a master’s degree in management from National-Louis University and a bachelor’s degree in organizational communications from Brigham Young University.

Miriam Ufberg, ’06
Miriam is the manager at Yoga Works in New York City, which is part of the first national family of studios. She is a registered yoga instructor with a focus on scoliosis and spinal fusions. Mimi completed her BS in Marketing from the University of Maryland and worked for 5 years as an Advertising Executive for clients such as Volvo, British Airways and the Financial Times. She completed her MAPP where she focused on positive organizational development, leadership authenticity and the role of meaning in life and character strengths for emerging adults.

Kaori Uno, ’07
Kaori Uno ’07 is currently a visiting scholar at the Positive Psychology Center and has been working with important information resources on positive psychology in an effort to make them widely available to a Japanese audience.  Some of her past achievements include the development and completion of the Japanese version of the Authentic Happiness website (which will be up and operating soon) and of the Japanese translation of Christopher Peterson’s A Primer in Positive Psychology (forthcoming Spring 2010).  Kaori also co-founded the association in Tokyo which she hopes to use as a platform in which to disseminate information about positive psychology especially to a non-academic audience.  From Winter 2009 she will be serving as a lecturer at Hitotsubashi University Graduate School of International Corporate Strategy.

Madhur Upadhyay, ’08
Madhur is a Human Resources Manager for a technology services company. He is married and based out of Hackensack, New Jersey. His mission in life is to inspire others to be the greatest they can be, for themselves and the larger context in life in which they find themselves. He intends to transition to India as a teacher, trainer and a trekker.

Dana Vellios, ’09
Dana Vellios is a Philadelphia area native with a bachelor degree in Communication Studies, as well as Psychology.  She also holds a Master degree in Counseling and Human Relations from Villanova University, as well as her MAPP degree.   During graduate school, Dana worked as a Therapeutic Staff Supporter (TSS), which worked on behavioral goals for children with autism, oppositional defiant disorder, and other diagnoses.  Dana then made the transition into counseling, and has been an Elementary Guidance Counselor for four years. Dana is now currently working on integrating positive psychology into her individual, small group, and school wide counseling strategies.  Dana’s future plans include integrating further developing her capstone of writing a developmentally appropriate guidance counselor curriculum in positive psychology and writing.

Cristian Vera, ’08 
Cristian is the sales director of a large multinational company in Mexico, with more than 10 years of business experience both in Latin America and the US. He is passionate about leading business teams to achieve outstanding results and helping individuals become their best possible selves. He is currently working on a book about job satisfaction and organizational well-being.

Maggie Wachter, ’08 
Maggie lived and worked in Europe for the last 25 years.  To attend MAPP, she commuted monthly from Geneva, Switzerland, while working for the United Nations. Following MAPP graduation, Maggie decided to pursue her dream to continue her studies at the doctoral level.  In the summer of 2008, she moved from Geneva to the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana to study quality of life for older adults.

Susan Wais, ‘09
Susan earned a Ph.D. in psychology from the Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City, Mexico. Prior to MAPP, Susan taught parenting workshops for the San Diego Public School District. Her capstone project incorporated relevant principles of positive psychology into a parenting workshop. This workshop now forms part of a series of services that her company, Partners in Parenting, offers to companies and schools throughout the San Diego metropolitan area. Susan’s goal is to teach as many English and Spanish speaking parents as possible, how to raise flourishing children.

Pete Worrell, ‘09
Pete is CEO of The Bigelow Company, a private merchant bank founded in 1935, best known for welding together talent with access to capital exclusively for entrepreneur owner-managed businesses.  For over twenty five years, he has employed strength based approaches to decision making in domains of risk.  After finding MAPP (and with the help of his Cohort), Pete has been bringing the dialogue between positive psychology and economics to the entrepreneurs that Bigelow works with.  He earned an MBA from Babson College, and a B.A. from Saint Michael’s College which has also awarded him a Doctor of Jurisprudence honoris causa.  Pete and his wife Kareen, a family physician, are avid sailors who cruise their sailing boat PATIENCE in many of the world’s oceans.

Bobby Yablunsky, ’09
Bobby Yablunsky is an  investor and business advisorHis signature business strengths include guiding and counseling entrepreneurs through economic and life issues.  He has a proven record over a fifteen-year time-period of successful investing, business development, brand creation, sales generation, and fund-raising at early and mid-stage companies.  His industry expertise includes enterprise software, business services, digital media and web-based retailing.  Bobby presently works as a Venture Partner at a multi-million dollar venture capital firm providing business advice as a board member or advisor to several profit and non-profit organizations.  Based in the Philadelphia area, he earned his MAPP degree 2009, capstone topic was Combating Fear & Stress: Utilizing Interventions, Activities, and the Starfish Tale.  E-mail: bobby@yablunsky.com

John M. Yeager, ’06
John, Ed.D, MAPP is Director of the Center for Character Excellence at The Culver Academies in Culver, Indiana. Prior to joining Culver, he was on faculty at Boston University and an associate scholar in BU’s Center for the Advancement of Ethics and Character. John consults with schools on the inclusion of character education in academic, leadership and athletic programs through his collaboration with Dave Shearon, and Sherri Fisher in Flourishing Schools, an organization that integrates best practices in education with cutting edge positive psychology research. John’s research focuses on the relationship between character strengths and well-being in adolescents and adults. He is the author/co-author of Character and Coaching – Building Virtue in Athletic Programs, and Our Game: The Character and Culture of Lacrosse.

Jason Zellner, ’07
After graduating from Berkeley in 2002 with a degree in History, Jason enrolled in post-baccalaureate psychology courses and quickly developed an interest in positive psychology, long before he knew that this field even had a name. In the last few years, Jason has worked at a five-star restaurant and a boutique management consulting firm, as well as a few part-time jobs. In August of ’07, Jason embarked on a tri-country bicycle tour to raise funds for the MAPP alumni scholarship program. In the future, he hopes to contribute to both the research and the application of positive psychology.

Emiliya Zhivotovskaya, ’07
Emiliya is preparing for a Ph.D. in Naturopathic Medicine from the University of Bridgeport. Working as a yoga instructor, life coach and speaker, Emiliya's goal is to empower others with natural resources and positive psychology to help them live richer, healthier and meaningful lives. Emiliya has eight years in the entertainment industry as a dancer, motivator and company co-owner and uses this background and energy to keep her presentations dynamic. She is also the creator of www.PositivePsychArticles.com, an online database for positive practitioners and searchers. Contact: emiliya@emiliya.com

Karen Zong, ’07
Karen holds an undergraduate degree in English Language and Literature, an MBA, and a Master of Organization Psychology. Karen has worked for Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, PDI in the US and China, and, more recently, Wal-Mart Global Procurement as Overseas People Director. In 2007 Karen started working for Microsoft leading talent management and leadership development in the Great China region. Karen is committed to promoting and spreading positive psychology within organizations in Asia.

Stefan Zonia, ’08 
Stefan is a 23 year-old aspiring professor. He was born and raised in Detroit. He is applying to both clinical and social psychology Ph.D. programs this fall and hopes to return to his beloved University of Michigan.