Meet The Team
Seph Fontane Pennock
Founder
Top 3 Strengths
bravery, hope, love of learning
Seph is a seasoned entrepreneur and the business mind behind PositivePsychology.com.
With his background in online marketing and a passion for helping therapists and coaches, he co-founded the new mental health application Quenza that helps practitioners better help their clients with digital support.
Hugo Alberts, Ph.D.
Founder, CPO
Top 3 Strengths
creativity, love of learning, curiosity
Dr. Hugo Alberts (Ph.D.) – psychologist, researcher, and entrepreneur. Upon completion of the master’s psychology in 2002, he obtained his doctorate in 2007 on the theme of self-control.
In 2008, mindfulness was a major focus of his research and teaching. Through controlled lab- and field studies his research seeks to provide insight into the effectiveness of this method and the processes that underlie mindfulness.
Lucinda Allen
CEO
Top 3 Strengths
appreciation of beauty & excellence, honesty, fairness
Lucinda brings a wealth of experience in building processes and driving operational excellence to PostivePsychology.com, helping the team run more effectively behind-the-scenes. She strongly believes in the power of shifting one’s mindset and is motivated by helping others discover many of the tools that helped her on her own journey toward positive mental health.
Valentina Macias Vasileff, B.Sc.
Social Community Manager
Top 3 Strengths
humor, teamwork, kindness
As a soon to be Clinical Psychologist, Valentina believes traditional Psychology focuses mainly on the ‘negative’ side of the human condition. She thinks it selectively ignores that everyone, even those with severe psychiatric conditions, have strengths and good things going for them. Valentina is of the opinion that well-rounded therapeutic interventions must also work with human strengths in order to improve life satisfaction, decrease clinical symptoms, and foster an overall change on the mentality of clients.
Alex Ciric
Customer Satisfaction Manager
Top 3 Strengths
kindness, humor, appreciation of beauty & excellence
Aleksandra Negojevic
Customer Satisfaction Manager
Top 3 Strengths
fairness, kindness, honesty
Aleksandra holds an MA in Linguistics and her travels across five continents (and counting) helped her realize that being positive takes you to many places. She finds joy in seeing others happy and will always be there to answer a question, provide support and overcome any kind of obstacle for you. This genie never runs out of wishes!
Annelé Venter
Publisher
Top 3 Strengths
creativity, gratitude, spirituality
With her zest for life and a love for the written word, PositivePsychology.com is blessed to have Annelé as its publisher. Annelé beautifully formats the blog contents and lays a final set of eyes on all content before it airs.
Nicole Celestine, Ph.D.
Writer, Community Manager
Top 3 Strengths
gratitude, perseverance, and hope
Nicole holds a Ph.D. from the University of Western Australia. Her research interests lie at the intersection between well-being, personal energy, and positive psychology. Her work appears in several top business journals, including the Journal of Organizational Behavior.
When she’s not busy working on her thesis, Nicole can be found writing for psychology and wellness services, helping them to prepare science-backed communications for their customers.
Mahlatse Ntshwane
Publishing Assistant
Top 3 Strengths
spirituality, fairness, and honesty
With her interest in literature and curiosity in unearthing what leads people to more meaningful lives, Mahlatse enjoys her role in helping to prepare all articles for publishing and maintaining visual consistency across the blog.
Katie McCandless
Editor
Top 3 Strengths
love of learning, honesty, and perseverance
Katie is an editor and proofreader originally from Kentucky, now based in the Netherlands. She is a self-proclaimed word-nerd and passionate about helping writers clearly communicate their message to readers. Outside of work, she loves to read, cook, and travel.
Lucinda Poole, Psy.D.
Tool Developer
Top 3 Strengths
social intelligence, love, and curiosity
Dr. Lucinda Poole is a psychologist, researcher and mindfulness teacher from Melbourne, Australia. Lucinda is trained and experienced in a number of therapeutic approaches, including Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Mindfulness, and interventions drawn from Positive Psychology research (e.g., strength-based change, self-compassion, gratitude, resilience).
Elaine Houston, B.Sc. (Hons)
Community Manager, Tool Developer
Top 3 Strengths
prudence, love of learning, judgment
Originally from Ireland, Elaine Houston is an independent business owner and Behavioral Science graduate with an honors degree from the University of Abertay, Scotland. After graduating, Elaine developed her passion for psychology through a range of avenues, focusing on consumer and small business psychology before going on to work within her local community as a learning and development officer. When she isn’t working, Elaine enjoys exploring creative outlets such as painting, drawing, and photography.
Joshua Schultz, Psy.D.
Researcher, Writer, Tool Developer
Top 3 Strengths
love, appreciation of beauty and excellence, judgment
Joshua is a therapist and writer based in Philadelphia. He holds a doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Widener University, where his dissertation focused on compassion in leadership. He believes in systemic justice and is interested in reforming organizations and institutions through the introduction of love and empathy. His work is aimed at helping others act with compassion while living a life they find meaningful.
Ernst Jansen
Senior Programmer
Top 3 Strengths
humor, perseverance, self-regulation
The Caesar of CSS, head honcho of HTML, the prince of PHP, whatever you want to call him, none of this would be possible without our main man Ernst. We get an idea, Ernst makes it a reality.
Jeremy Sutton, Ph.D.
Researcher, Writer
Top 3 Strengths
love, curiosity, love of learning
Jeremy Sutton, Ph.D., is a writer and researcher studying the human capacity to push physical and mental limits. His work always remains true to the science beneath, his real-world background in technology, his role as a husband and parent, and his passion as an ultra-marathoner.
View Jeremy’s author profile >
Tchiki Davis, Ph.D.
Researcher, Writer
Top 3 Strengths
creativity, fairness, and honesty
Tchiki is a content writer, technology consultant, and co-creator of online programs that have helped more than a million people worldwide find a bit more happiness. Tchiki obtained her qualifications from The University of California, Berkeley in social and personality psychology with a certificate in management of technology innovation.
Oliver Page, MD
Researcher, Writer
Top 3 Strengths
honesty, curiosity, and humility
Oliver is a doctor and writer based in London, holding an integrated medical and psychology degree from University College London.
He believes in the intentional cultivation of values and strengths-based approaches to promoting wellbeing. Oliver aims to motivate and inspire people to recognize their potential and act on goals congruent with their authentic self.
View Oliver’s author profile >
Melissa Madeson, Ph.D.
Researcher, Writer
Top 3 Strengths
compassion, forgiveness, curiosity
Melissa believes in a holistic approach to mental health and wellness and uses a person-centered approach when working with clients. Currently in a full-time private practice, she uses her experience with performance psychology, teaching, and designing collegiate wellness courses and yoga therapy to address a range of specific client needs.
View Melissa’s author profile >
Helen Brown, Ph.D.
Researcher, Writer
Top 3 Strengths
creativity, fairness, social intelligence
Helen is a freelance writer with a Ph.D. in Psychology and MSc in Organizational Psychology.
She has a varied background working in mental health and wellbeing research and is passionate about all things psychological. As well as writing about many psychology and health topics, Helen loves to scribble away at fictional stories and screenplays too. You can usually find her in the countryside just south of Bristol, UK.
Saima Latif, Ph.D.
Researcher, Writer
Top 3 Strengths
appreciation of beauty & excellence, gratitude, love of learning
Saima is a writer, researcher, psychologist, therapist, hypnotherapist, behavioral change and performance coach, and expert consultant. Based in the UK, she has worked with clients from all over the world. Her interests are diverse in all aspects of the human psyche, and her passion is about developing individuals to their full potential.
Christina R. Wilson, Ph.D.
Researcher, Writer
Top 3 Strengths
spirituality, love of learning, gratitude
Chris is a social justice advocate who enjoys diverse career interests. With over twenty years of experience in the criminal justice system, including several years teaching inmates social-emotional skills, she now enjoys organizational training, teaching college students, and writing.
View Christina’s author profile >
Tiffany Millacci, Ph.D.
Researcher, Writer
Top 3 Strengths
gratitude, fairness, kindness
Tiffany is an educator for both university students and elementary-aged students. She is a continuous learner who seeks facts through research and is beginning her professional career in writing.
View Tiffany’s author profile >
William Smith, Ph.D. Candidate
Researcher, Writer
Top 3 Strengths
spirituality, love of learning, gratitude
William is currently completing his Ph.D. at the University of Nottingham, and also works as a scientific advisor to The Beckley Foundation. He specializes in the neuropsychology of personality and emotion and has presented his work to an international audience. He has a diverse background in research and writing, and recently completed work on a book on the neuropsychology of performance. His passion is communication and applying science to fuel positive lifestyle changes.
View William’s author profile >
Amanda O'Bryan, Ph.D.
Researcher, Writer
Top 3 Strengths
love of learning, honesty, appreciation of beauty & excellence
Amanda is a certified wellness coach and specializes in using evidence-based practices to empower her clients to shift the ways that stress and anxiety impact their lives. She also works as a freelance writer, creating psychoeducational content. Her goal with writing is to help people understand themselves better by presenting cognitive science in a fun and interesting way. Prior to becoming a full-time writer and coach, Amanda worked as a Psychology professor. She is also trained in several meditation modalities and volunteers as a meditation teacher to individuals in addiction recovery.
Heather S. Lonczak, Ph.D.
Researcher, Writer
Top 3 Strengths
humor, creativity, bravery
Heather S. Lonczak, Ph.D., is a researcher and author with a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Washington. Heather is the Author and Academic Editor for Magination Press (American Psychological Association), PositivePsychology.com, and American Journal Experts. She is the author of six published children’s books; one of which is an iParenting Award winner.
Alicia Nortje, Ph.D.
Researcher, Writer
Top 3 Strengths
leadership, curiosity, creativity
Alicia is a research fellow at the University of Cape Town, where she is involved in multiple projects investigating eyewitness memory and face recognition. She’s highly skilled in research design, data analysis, and critical thinking. When she’s not working, she indulges in running on the road or the trails, and enjoys cooking.
Jeffrey J. Gaines, Ph.D., ABPP-CN
Researcher, Writer
Top 3 Strengths
appreciation of beauty and excellence, humor, spirituality
Jeffrey Gaines earned a Ph.D. in Philosophy from SUNY/Stony Brook in 1992, and a further Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Pennsylvania State University in 2001. He sees clinical psychology as a practical extension of philosophy and specializes in neuropsychology – having been board-certified in 2011. Jeffrey is currently Clinical Director at Metrowest Neuropsychology in Westborough, MA.
Katherine Compitus, LCSW, DSW
Researcher, Writer
Top 3 Strengths
love of learning, appreciation of beauty & excellence, fairness
Dr. Katherine is a licensed clinical social worker, doctor of social welfare, and animal behavior scientist. She is trained in multiple modalities including CBT and DBT and is a Certified Hypnotherapist and Certified Family Trauma Therapist. Katherine is the founder and chairman of Surrey Hills Sanctuary, a non-profit organization providing veterinary social work services in New York State.
View Katherine’s author profile >
Jessica Swainston, Ph.D.
Researcher, Writer
Top 3 Strengths
honesty, creativity, curiosity
Jessica is a psychologist, researcher, and industry professional. After completion of her MSc in Cognitive Neuroscience, Jessica’s doctorate focused on cognitive and emotional health in women affected by breast cancer. Jessica is now working in industry, helping to develop digital mental health applications for the modern world.
Claire Vowell, Ph.D.
Researcher, Writer
Top 3 Strengths
humor, creativity, honesty
Claire is a Counseling Psychologist, currently working with adults and young people in private practice and the NHS (UK). She is trained in several modalities, including CBT and psychodynamic therapy, and is passionate about reducing mental health stigma. When not working, Claire is passionate about food and spends much of her free time cooking with her young children.
Maike Neuhaus, Ph.D.
Researcher, Writer
Top 3 Strengths
appreciation of beauty and excellence, hope, zest
Maike is an energetic and future-oriented Self-leadership Psychologist and behavior change expert, passionate about empowering others by sharing her knowledge, skills, and enthusiasm for self-leadership. Having spent most of her career to date in behavior change science and science translation into real-world programs and services, she is now embarking on her own entrepreneurial journey as Co-Founder of Ducidium.
Anna K. Schaffner, Ph.D.
Researcher, Writer
Top 3 Strengths
love of learning, honesty, judgement
Dr. Anna K. Schaffner is a Reader in Comparative Literature and Medical Humanities at the University of Kent. Her latest non-fiction book explores the long history of the idea of self-improvement. It traces formulas for self-improvement in philosophical, religious, psychological and self-help texts from ancient China to the present day. She is also a qualified coach and has a deep interest in positive psychology and the art of self-improvement.
Gabriella Lancia, Ph.D.
Researcher, Writer
Top 3 Strengths
honesty, kindness, humor
Gabriella obtained a Ph.D. from the University of Toronto (OISE) in Developmental Psychology and Education where her research is centered around emotions, instruction, and online learning. She currently works as a psychological consultant with children, adolescents, and adults in Toronto, Canada. In her spare time, she enjoys building her writing portfolio, spending time with her family, and walking her dog.
Joshua Bourne, PsychD
Researcher, Writer
Top 3 Strengths
love, perspective, honesty
Joshua Bourne, PsychD, works as a Counselling Psychologist, Life Coach, and consultant. He loves to help individuals and businesses thrive and understand themselves better to create everlasting positive change. Joshua is also an avid fan of everything space-related and loves sports. A world traveler based in London, UK, although originally from San Francisco, USA, Joshua help others adjust to life in different countries.
Daniela Ramirez-Duran, Ph.D. Candidate, MAPP
Researcher, Writer
Top 3 strengths
honesty, creativity, gratitude
Originally from Chile, Daniela’s passion for positive psychology led her to pursue further studies in Melbourne, Australia. With vast experience as a Clinical and Educational Psychologist, her current work is focused on research and applications of contemplative practices such as yoga and meditation to contribute to people’s health and well-being.
View Daniela’s author profile >
Catherine Moore, MBA, B.Sc.
Researcher, Writer
Top 3 Strengths
creativity, social intelligence, humor
Catherine Moore has a B.Sc. in Psychology from the University of Melbourne. She enjoys researching and using her HR knowledge to write about Positive and Organizational psychology. When she isn’t getting super ‘psyched’ about her favorite topics of creativity, motivation, engagement, learning, and happiness, she loves to travel.
Angelica Attard, ClinPsyD
Researcher, Writer
Top 3 Strengths
honesty, kindness, courage
Angelica has over 10 years of clinical experience supporting individuals worldwide with the challenges they face in their life. Currently specializing in working with professionals from legal, financial, consultancy, technology, and academic sectors, Angelica also paints and works with polymer clay. She is passionate about using both her art and writing to communicate psychological concepts to support others to navigate life with greater ease, effectiveness, and compassion.
Elli Kolovos
Content Developer
Top 3 Strengths
love of learning, appreciation of beauty and excellence, and kindness
Elli is helping to create compelling content on the PositivePsychology.com blog and social channels using her flair for transforming complex ideas into digestible information.
Passionate about positive psychology, Elli sees it as crucial in inspiring a more holistic understanding of mental health and well-being. She is currently on her way to completing her undergraduate studies in psychology.
Rachael Harrison, B.Sc.
Content Developer
Top 3 Strengths
social intelligence, love of learning, and bravery
Rachael believes that continued learning and skill development is one of the primary drivers of life. She holds a First Class Honours in Psychology and is on her way towards completing her Masters of Social Work. She holds close the philosophy that everybody deserves to feel successful and confident in themselves, and seizes every opportunity to help others develop their self-confidence and strengthen their positive self-image.
Kalliopi Demetriou, B.Sc.
Content Developer
Top 3 Strengths
kindness, hope, forgiveness
Kalliopi is currently completing her Master’s degree in Psychopathology at Maastricht University in the Netherlands. As an intern at the Mood Disorders Centre at the University of Exeter, UK, she is conducting research and assisting in the delivery of novel interventions for depression that focus on well-being, mindfulness, and self-compassion. She is delighted to leverage her creativity to develop content for PositivePsychology.com.
Caroline Rou, B.Sc.
Content Developer
Top 3 Strengths
love, kindness, appreciation of beauty and excellence
Caroline holds a BSc in Psychology, with a focus on forensic and clinical domains, and is currently pursuing her MSc in Positive Psychology. She believes that the paradigm shift from traditionalist psychology opens a catalog of opportunities for people from all walks of life to flourish. She is passionate about making mental health care tools easily accessible and feels grateful to be part of the PositivePsychology.com movement.
Courtney Ackerman, M.A.
Researcher, Writer
Top 3 Strengths
judgment, humor, and perseverance
Courtney is currently working as a healthcare workforce researcher for the state of California and a regular contributor to the Positive Psychology Program blog. She is also the author of two books based on concepts rooted in positive psychology: My Pocket Positivity and 5-Minute Bliss (available in June 2019). She has a passion for taking research findings and translating them into concise, actionable packages of information that anyone can understand and implement.
View Courtney’s author profile >
Birgit Ohlin, M.A., BBA, Coach
Researcher, Writer
Top 3 Strengths
love of learning, zest, gratitude
Birgit Ohlin, M.A., BBA, is an organizational change expert and coach from Zürich, Switzerland.
She has worked in Marketing for over 20 years in different leadership roles, industries, and countries. In 2015, she decided it was time for a change. She asked herself: where in my life do I experience meaning? Being an empathetic person, she decided to use this strength to help others as a coach.
Elaine Mead, B.Sc. (Dual Hons)
Researcher, Writer
Top 3 Strengths
love of learning, curiosity, appreciation of beauty and excellence
Elaine Mead has almost a decade of experience working with and supporting individuals from a range of backgrounds to uncover and progress towards their career and work goals. For the last 4 years, she has worked with young people in a range of educational settings on careers education, information, and guidance, as well as coaching and supporting their skills development to better be able to handle the ups and downs of life.
Joaquín Selva, B.Sc., Psychologist
Researcher, Writer
Joaquín Selva first became involved in psychology as a behavioral neuroscience researcher as an undergraduate. At that time, he was both a teaching assistant and a research assistant and conducted research that led to the publication of three peer-reviewed papers. Since then, his work has included writing for PositivePsychology.com and working as an English editor for academic papers written by non-native English speakers.
Leslie Riopel, Prof. of Psychology
Researcher, Writer
Leslie Riopel is a professor of psychology at Northwood University and an authority in the Psychology of Mindfulness. She has over 25 years of experience in the Corporate World as a Real Estate Client Services Manager & over 10 years of experience in the Wellness Industry as a freelance writer & Health & Wellness Subject Matter Expert.
Brad Desmond, M.Sc., Psychologist
Researcher, Writer
Brad Desmond is an award-winning psychologist with additional post-graduate qualifications in education and training. He is a frequent presenter at national and international conferences and a twenty-year member of the Australian Psychological Society.
Beata Souders, Psy.D. candidate
Researcher, Writer
Top 3 Strengths
love of learning, appreciation of beauty and excellence, curiosity
Beata Souders is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Psychology at CalSouth and MA in Creative Writing at SNHU, she holds a master’s degree in Positive Psychology from Life University. An ICF certified coach and a Gottman Institute Certified Educator, Beata is on the Executive Committee for the Student Division of the International Positive Psychology Associations and has published and presented on subjects ranging the Flow Theory to learned helplessness.
Kori D. Miller, B.Sc.
Researcher, Writer
Top 3 Strengths
perseverance, honesty, forgiveness
Kori D. Miller is an enthusiastic life-long learner pursuing a master’s degree in Educational Psychology from Ball State University. Her specializations are in neuropsychology and positive psychology. Kori has authored eight books. Her writing has appeared in Fine Lines Literary Journal, Better Humans, The Writing Cooperative, Publishous, The Start-Up, and The Ascent.
Kelly Miller, BA, CAPP
Researcher, Writer
Top 3 Strengths
gratitude, honesty, and love
Kelly Miller, CAPP, is a coach, positive psychology blogger, and author of Jane’s Worry Elephant: A Self-Help Guide for Kids With Anxiety. Kelly Miller holds a degree in Psychology from Plattsburgh State University of New York. She is also a graduate of the Certificate in Applied Positive Psychology Program, as well as the Applied Positive Psychology Coaching Certification from The Flourishing Center.