At Positive Acorn, we are naturally creative, curious, and hungry for the newest ideas and new ways of doing things. We are absolutely fascinated by the latest research in psychology and eager to figure out how it might be applied to individuals and organizations, especially across cultures.
The Positive Acorn team is small, but powerful. We only hire people who offer a unique approach to delivering positive psychology and who aren’t afraid to take off their shoes while at the office. We also collaborate with a network of skilled professionals to extend our reach and offerings. Our core team includes:
Dr. Robert Biswas-Diener, CMC
Managing Director
Dr. Biswas-Diener is widely known as the “Indiana Jones of Positive Psychology” because his research on happiness has taken him to such far-flung places as Greenland, India, Kenya and Israel. Dr. Biswas-Diener is a leading authority on strengths, culture, courage, and happiness. He has published dozens of scholarly articles and multiple books on diverse psychological topics. He is best known for his pioneering work in the application of positive psychology. Dr. Biswas-Diener is the foremost authority on positive psychology coaching and has consulted with a wide range of international organizations on performance management and leadership development.
Jessica Austin
Director of Public Programs
Although her name sounds fabricated—like the name of a super-heroine—Jessica Austin is real. Jessica is a Positive Acorn certified Positive Psychology Coach and has an international coaching practice. She is trained in improvisational techniques and Solutions Focus coaching. She brings this fun and confidence to her coaching and workshops. Jessica is the Director of Positive Acorn’s Applied Positive Psychology Program as well as an instructor. She has a knack for delivering consultancy services for our organizational clients which includes facilitating workshops and happy hour talks on positive psychology in life and at work. In 2011, Jessica and Robert teamed up with Daily Om to create a course Use Positive Psychology for Better Relationships.