As a positive psychology researcher and former national news anchor, Michelle Gielan is as comfortable on camera as she is in the data — turning the latest research into timely, practical insights your audience can use right away.
Potential Topics
- Resilient optimism: how to stay positive, focused, and effective when life feels uncertain — and the behaviors that sustain it
- Staying informed without burning out: how to follow a demanding news cycle and stay engaged, hopeful, and effective
- Navigating AI anxiety: what rapid technological change is doing to our well-being, and how to lead through it with confidence
- Beating burnout: how to rethink stress so it fuels you instead of draining you
- The science of happiness at work: how a positive brain drives performance, engagement, and leadership
- Financial benefits of optimism: why optimists are 7× more likely to have high financial well-being
Michelle’s Background
- Positive psychology researcher and founder of the Institute for Applied Positive Research
- Former national CBS News anchor
- Bestselling author of Broadcasting Happiness and Resilient Optimism (Harvard Business Review Press)
- Master of Applied Positive Psychology, University of Pennsylvania
- Research collaborations with Harvard and Penn
- Keynote speaker to leading organizations, from Google and Meta to Bank of America
- Featured across national media
See the research come to life
The Today Show
Shawn Achor and Michelle Gielan on simple, science-backed habits for more resilience day to day.
The Today Show
Why social connection is one of the strongest predictors of well-being — and how to strengthen it.
Ideas That Help Leaders Work Better
Bring the Research to Your Audience
Whether through a keynote, interview, podcast, or panel discussion, Michelle helps audiences put the science of resilient optimism into practice