The IPPA Work and Organizations (W&O) Division is a forum for academics, researchers, practitioners, and anyone interested in studying and applying positive psychological concepts in work or organizational settings including those relatively new to positive psychology.
- Scholars and Practitioners engaged in industrial or organizational psychology, organizational behavior, organizational design and development, leadership development, culture, and change
- Managers and Corporate Leaders
- Human Resources (HR) professionals
- Executive Coaches
- Business Advisors and Consultants
- Trainers (and corporate trainers)
- And more
Leadership Team
Biography
She previously served as the Division’s President-Elect and Head of Communications.
She helps leaders, teams and organisations build cultures where people and performance thrive, drawing on positive psychology, behavioural science, leadership science, and movement and nutrition science. With nearly two decades as a marketing and innovation executive at major multinational consumer-goods companies, she brings a uniquely practical lens to flourishing at work.
She holds the Certificate in Applied Positive Psychology (CAPP) from the University of Pennsylvania, a Master’s in Psychology (MSc) and a Master’s in Political Science (MA), and is a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach. Through her practice, she designs and delivers leadership and wellbeing programmes and supports individuals as a coach and therapist, focusing on resilience, emotion regulation and flourishing at work.
A former track and field athlete, Nathalie loves being outdoors, travelling and meeting new people. Walking the talk is a value she lives by.
Biography
Lisa has been working in Organizational Development, Leadership Development and Change Management since 2000. She is a certified coach at the PCC level (with the International Coaching Federation) and has written several articles and chapters.
Lisa completed her MAPP (Master of Applied Positive Psychology) from the University of Pennsylvania in 2010, one of the first five Canadians to do so. She is also certified in Prosci Change Management, ShiftPositive 360, Designing Your Life (Stanford), Gallup Strengths Certified Coach, Process Management (Excellence Canada) and Change Cycle™. Lisa is currently enrolled in the DBA (Doctor of Business Administration) program at Royal Roads University researching the workplace impacts of positive feedback.
Biography
Sunil is a catalyst in supporting organizations globally to reinvent their organization culture, build high performance teams, re-design their Learning & Development strategies and cultivating Strengths Driven, Solution Focused Culture. In the last decade, he has developed more then 250 customized intervention, positively impacting more than 250,000 people in Asia Pacific, Africa, Europe and Middle East. All the interventions designed by Sunil are based on the Solution Focused approaches, Positive Psychology and Appreciative Inquiry.
Sunil is the Group CEO of HC Consultants Group and currently serves as a Council Member on Malaysia Institute of Human Resources Management (MIHRM). He is the Founder & President of Malaysia Positive Psychology Association (MPPA) and Co-Founder & Immediate Past President of Malaysia Association of Professional Trainers & Coaches (MAPTAC). In line with his vision to enrich people’s life and building happier corporate cultures, he founded the ASEAN Corporate Happiness Culture Community amongst the HR Community to drive corporate Happiness Culture in the region. Sunil currently serving as the Ambassador for Malaysia in the European Coaching & Mentoring Council (EMCC) Asia Pacific Region an contributed as a Subject Matter Expert in the development of the ISO standards for Learning & Development, ISO 30422.
Biography
An author of two books, Luis pioneered Meaningful Purpose Psychology (Logoteleology) and Second Wave Organization Development (OD 2.0). He studies, publishes, and trains practitioners worldwide on meaning’s role in human thriving. His theory explains why, despite an abundance of solutions, individuals and organizations struggle to govern with a people-first mindset, and offers a logoteleological solution to overcome such challenges.
Luis co-facilitates a W&OD Community of Practice.
Luis is currently working on his next two publishing projects, THRIVE (2026) and Meaningantics (2027). He holds a BA in History from Siena Heights University and an MA in Human Resource Management and Transactional Analysis Psychology from the University of Puerto Rico, School of Public Administration. He lives in Westfield, MA, and Deltona, Florida.
Biography
She is a lecturer, researcher, practitioner and author specialising in Positive Psychology and Economic Psychology. Recently, she launched a pioneering interdisciplinary field – Positive Economic Psychology, which integrates these two domains. Rona is also a Co-Editor of the International Journal of Wellbeing, and served as guest editor for several special issues on Positive Economic Psychology, Flourishing at Work and Prosocial Organisational Behaviour. Rona Has published several textbooks on Positive Psychology and on Positive Economic Psychology, and has written and published numerous journal papers.
Biography
She holds an MSc in Applied Positive Psychology and brings extensive international experience across leadership development, workplace wellbeing, positive education and organisational development.
Through her consultancy, Snow Daisy, Therese works with leaders, teams and organisations to translate research into practical approaches that strengthen leadership, relationships, psychological safety and collaboration. Her work spans government, corporate, education and community settings, with a particular interest in helping people work better together.
Therese was the inaugural Associate Director of the Centre for Positive Psychology at the University of Melbourne and has designed and delivered leadership and wellbeing initiatives in more than 17 countries.
She is Co-Director of IPPA’s Work & Organizations Division Communities of Practice and co-leads its Asia-Pacific community.
Outside work, Therese performs Afro-Brazilian percussion with Maracatu Estrela do Mar and trains in physical theatre.
Biography
He has held executive roles including Senior Vice President at LHH, leading the Leadership Development business across International Markets, and Global Product Development Lead and EMEA Solutions Lead at Accenture Strategy. Earlier in his career, he held full-time academic appointments at IE Business School, Wharton School, and NEOMA Business School. He still continues to teach as adjunct/affiliate faculty at London Business School, IE Business School and UCL School of Management.
In addition to his advisory, teaching, and coaching work, he regularly speaks and writes about leadership, transformation, and high-performing teams and cultures. His work has been published in leading academic and practitioner journals including Human Resource Management, Harvard Business Review, and MIT Sloan Management Review, and has also been featured in international media such as BusinessWeek, Financial Times, The Economist, and The Wall Street Journal.
He holds a PhD in Management (major in Organizational Behavior and HR) from IE Business School. He is also a certified executive coach and a Master-Practitioner in Neuro-Linguistic Programming.
Biography
For the past 14 years he has also been active in the Positive Psychology community. Persistently seeking better ways to approach the future and how to live there, he is a strong advocate for rethinking our ideas on leadership and innovation.
A regular contributor to several blogs, websites and e-zines, he is a also a certified facilitator developing and delivering workshops to business, education, and public sector organizations. He has taught applied psychology to university undergraduates and maintains theintentioncoach.com blog. His goal is to help others better understand our changing workplace and culture while contributing to positive and applied psychology, through publication of science based books and articles.
Biography
She brings experience in organisational change, communications, leadership support, and go-to-market transformation, and works as a Change Management Consultant with various companies. Her approach draws on positive psychology, behavioural science, coaching, and the Prosci ADKAR methodology.
Luiza is a certified life and lifestyle coach and an active member of the International Positive Psychology Association. She contributes to IPPA’s Work and Organizations Division through communications, member engagement, newsletters, and events. She presented at the IPPA World Congress in Vancouver in 2023 and has participated in the World Happiness Summit community as a coach facilitator since 2022.
She is also a co-author of a collaborative book featuring 16 coaches and is especially interested in positive psychology, identity, self-trust, and meaningful change.
Outside of work, Luiza enjoys travel, tango dancing, creativity, and exploring what helps people live with greater authenticity, joy, and connection.
Biography
She is currently pursuing a Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) at the University of Pennsylvania, where she is developing what she calls Conscious Productivity, a framework that explores what productivity could look like if it were designed to support human flourishing. She explores that question every day as Operations & Project Manager at Scarlet Oak Consulting, a strategic planning firm that helps associations and nonprofits move from vision to implementation.
Daniela is also the founder of Una Idealista, a Spanish-language community of more than 35,000 people, where she creates content, workshops, retreats, and community-driven projects. As a Venezuelan immigrant, she cares deeply about making positive psychology accessible across cultures. At heart, Daniela is a thinker and a maker who loves finding creative ways to bring the science of flourishing into everyday life.
Biography
Vicki Cabrera, PhD, is a researcher, evaluator, and social impact consultant. She is a Research Fellow at the Claremont Evaluation Center, Teaching Faculty at the Claremont Flourishing Center, and leads Vicki Cabrera Consulting, where she helps mission-driven organizations use evidence to create greater social impact.
With over 20 years of experience across the nonprofit, education, public, and business sectors in the United States and the Philippines, her work focuses on advancing well-being, workforce development, and social justice, especially for underrepresented and marginalized communities. As a scholar-practitioner, her research spans well-being, positive organizational psychology, evaluation and measurement, and social justice. Her research has been published in peer-reviewed journals and academic books, including The Journal of Positive Psychology and the International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology.
Vicki holds a PhD in Positive Organizational Psychology and Evaluation & Applied Research Methods from Claremont Graduate University and an MPA from New York University. She received IPPA’s 2025 Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi Top Dissertation Award and the Work and Organizations Division’s 2021 Exemplary Research to Practice Award. She is based in Los Angeles, California.
Biography
She has had the priviledge of presenting at the 2023 and 2021 Congresses. Liz received the prestigious James O. Pawelski Positive Catalyst Award at the 2021 IPPA World Congress for her contributions to IPPA and the WOD Division.
Liz, SVP Design of Impact Performance, has 23 years of experience leading an organization that specializes in research, program design, development, and facilitation of custom leadership, sales, and service solutions infused with positive psychology that enable organizations to deepen client relationships and ignite employee engagement. Liz has worked extensively with Fortune 500 companies to enhance sales productivity, enhance employee well-being, increase service effectiveness, and enable leadership and coaching skills in financial markets, manufacturing, healthcare, and retail industries.
Liz is a Certified Practitioner in Appreciative Inquiry, Strengthscope Coach, Daniel Goleman Emotional Intelligence Coach, International Coaching Federation ACC, and ATD member. Liz is Past President of IPPA Work & Org Division. She holds a BS in Marketing from Boston College, MBA from New York University, and Masters in Applied Positive Psychology from University of Pennsylvania. She resides in Wellesley, Massachusetts with her husband, Joe, and her three children.
Biography
She has enjoyed helping to get IPPA’s first professional Division off the ground and is committed to maximizing the Division’s value for its members.
After studying under Martin Seligman in his first Masters class (’05), Giselle has navigated a unique career path, starting as a management and strategy consultant applying positive psychology to strategy, leadership, and organizations. In 2012, she started her own company, Positive Work, where she designs and manages projects that help organizations build positive leaders, engaged and resilient teams, and exceptional work cultures. Giselle has worked with social, public, and private sector organizations, and with a range of global leaders, from community champions to Fortune 100 executives.
Giselle holds a Master’s degree in Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) with a concentration in Organizational Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania and a BA in Psychology, Sociology, and Public Policy from New York University. She is an American currently living in Barcelona, Spain with her French husband and young daughter.
What Does the Division Do
The division provides researchers and practitioners a forum to discuss and collaborate in the development and application of positive psychology principles aimed to improve individual, team and organizational well-being and performance across various contexts and cultures. Current offerings include:
- Regular virtual “meet-ups” where members discuss a specific topic of interest
- Quarterly “Digests and Dialogues” Series featuring brief research digests, expert interviews, and recorded discussions between both a researcher and practitioner
- A Positive Organizational Intervention Challenge (POIC) – a design program challenge where Division members pitch and develop a research-based intervention for the workplace for judging
- A curated publication featuring research and practice briefs
- Access to a member directory and discussions in the online members’ community, IPPA Engage
- Access to an online library with hundreds of video recordings, research, slides decks, and presentations
- Exemplary Research to Practice Award provided at the World Congress
- Connecting members through the Communities of Practice Venture
Division Advisors
Arnold Bakker, Ph.D.
Professor of Work and Organizational Psychology, Erasmus University Rotterdam
Kim Cameron, Ph.D.
William Russell Kelly Professor Emeritus of Management & Organizations, Ross School of Business and Professor Emeritus of Higher Education, School of Education, University of Michigan
Robert Easton, MAPP, MBA, MDefSt
CEO, Probe CX
Jim Harter, Ph.D.
Chief Scientist of Workplace and Wellbeing, Gallup
Fred Luthans, Ph.D.
University and George Holmes Distinguished Professor of Management Emeritus, University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Chris Murchison, M.Ed.
Creative Thought Partner, Consultant, and Positive Organization Coach, Murchison Consultant Group
Visiting Business Leader, Center for Positive Organizations at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business
Marisa Salanova, Ph.D.
Full Professor in Work & Organizational Psychology, Jaume I University
Mission & Charter
The IPPA Work and Organizations Division’s mission is to serve as a bridge between research and practice and facilitate collaboration to increase the incorporation of positive psychology in academic research related to organizations and the practice of positive psychology in the organizational context, thereby positively transforming the way the world works.
Following a meeting at the Third World Congress on Positive Psychology (WCPP), held in Los Angeles, CA (USA), during June of 2013, a group of dedicated volunteers formed a launch committee and worked with IPPA Leadership to draft an initial vision and charter for the IPPA Work & Organizations Division. In May 2014, Division members elected their inaugural President, President-Elect, and Secretary to the Division leadership team.
Purpose
The Division acts as a member-driven international forum for academics, researchers, practitioners, and organizations from around the world to discuss research and applications to transform organizations and the experience of work. This forum allows practitioners and researchers to discuss and collaborate in the development and application of positive psychology principles aimed to improve individual, team and organizational well-being and performance across various contexts and cultures. The overarching purpose of the Division is to empower individuals and organizations across the globe to create and shape environments that enable them to thrive and flourish.
Vision Statement
The Work and Organizations Division of IPPA will be one of the most important visionary international go-to forums for debate, exchange, collaboration, and best practices on the integration of positive psychology in the world of work. We will accomplish this by focusing on the following five objectives:
- Identify existing or needed research to address and engage real world organizational issues and opportunities (e.g., increasing employee engagement because disengagement costs the US economy $300B). Critical to this is actively engaging researchers across various disciplines (e.g. business, management, economics, public policy and administration, organizational and social sciences) interested in using a positive lens to study constructs, processes or outcomes (e.g. positive leadership, positive work relationships, flow at work, identity in the workplace) relevant to the organizational context. Equally crucial is gaining the support and cooperation of prominent leaders of organizations and institutions interested in applying positive psychology principles and methods in their contexts.)
- Translate research into practical, evidence-based solutions
- Test the impact of positive psychology interventions on organizations, including the impact on individual, team and organizational goals and metrics.
- Act as a “learning lab” for sharing resources on how best to implement evidence-based practices from the growing body of positive psychology theory and research.
- Via collaborative studies and evaluation, help influence the research and application of positive psychology in organizations.
- Collaborate and communicate to publish results and promote best practices for positive organizational psychology with an international focus.
- Represent organizational interests to IPPA. Positively influence future policy development, initiatives, and development of IPPA.
Like other Divisions within IPPA, this Division’s objectives are aligned under the three strands of IPPA’s overall strategy:
- To promote the science of positive psychology and its research-based applications
- To facilitate collaboration among researchers, teachers, students, and practitioners of positive psychology around the world and across academic disciplines
- To share the findings of positive psychology with the broadest possible audience
Membership
The Division was initially formed by a volunteer-led launch committee4. Our desire is to grow a strong membership base with a productive mix of academics, researchers, and practitioners. Moving forward, there will be two levels of division participation with the following responsibilities and benefits:
- Division Membership (Open to all Members, Associates, and Students of IPPA; must participate in at least one committee or topic group during their membership, thus sharing and building knowledge in a particular practice area; Eligible to vote in division elections and contribute to ongoing dialogue about division activities; Division members who wish to join committees must commit to participating in at least 50% of committee meetings
- Division Mailing List (IPPA Affiliates – along with Members, Associates, and Students who do not wish to participate as division members – can sign up for a mailing list to receive regular updates and access publicly available Division resources)
Leadership Positions
Three 2-year elected officer positions will head the responsibilities for the Division, in addition to a non-voting Immediate Past President:
- President
- President-Elect • Secretary
Elected officers are expected to add additional positions.
Election Process
With the support of the IPPA Leadership, the launch committee invites nominees from the IPPA Membership base. Members must opt to join the Work & Organizations Division as a Division member prior to submitting their nomination. We believe this will ensure not only an engaged election process, but will build a strong membership base with which to begin our Division’s work. Candidates will be asked to indicate whether they work primarily in scholarship or practice, and they must submit a one-paragraph biography and statement of purpose5 by the identified deadline in order to be considered. These submissions will be shared with all Division members for a period of time before voting, wherein members may submit questions via a general forum for candidates to respond. Once the Division’s officers have been elected, these leaders will have the opportunity to finalize this charter and put it to a vote by members to ratify or provide any final commentary.
Meetings
Thus far, the launch committee has held two (monthly) meetings to discuss and outline the group’s proposed mission and goals. Moving forward, we propose that meetings are convened as follows:
- Monthly meetings to share and discuss progress made towards the Division’s vision, coordinated and sanctioned by elected officers
- Quarterly report to IPPA Leadership and Board of Directors by the President (see Appendix A for details)
- A meeting of the Division to be held at the bi-annual IPPA conference
- Committee-specific meetings may be held outside of the general Division meetings Communication Our primary means of communication between members has been via direct email. A group list-serve or Division-specific webpage are future potential possibilities.
Resources and Support Available:
The main area of support IPPA will provide the Division is with access to membership and the Board. Depending on available resources and as appropriate, IPPA Leadership will help to promote the opportunities and activities of the Division to members and contact lists, encouraging greater participation. IPPA will also help make appropriate introductions to relevant researchers and scholars on the Board or within its network. Where possible, IPPA will share access to existing communication systems. IPPA will also work with the Division to determine the best way to house information online, whether on the IPPA website or via a new cross-linked website.
For more information, please download the Division charter for review by clicking here.
Intervention Design Challenge
The Positive Organizational Intervention Challenge (POIC) gives students, practitioners, and researchers an opportunity to innovate positive psychology interventions for the workplace.
The Work and Organizations Division holds the competition in the year leading up to the bi-annual World Congress, where finalists present their interventions.
Competition Process
Call for submissions
Round 1: Initial vetting of submissions by Division Leadership
Round 2: Online discussion and voting – open to members
Finalists announced
Finalists present at WCPP
Proposal Guidelines
Submissions for the Challenge are invited from all IPPA Work & Organizations Division members. Individuals or small teams of up to three (3) people are invited to submit a POIC proposal. Submit your proposal as a reply to the Discussion entry at the top of the Work & Organization Division’s Engage landing page.
Please read the following guidelines carefully. Submission not meeting these guidelines will not be considered.
Format
Cover page + no more than three (3) pages
1-inch margins
Double-spaced
12 point, Times New Roman font
APA format
Authorship
Up to three authors
All authors must be members of IPPA’s WOD
Eligible Interventions
The POIC is intended to spur conversation and innovation through the integration of recent research findings and innovative field application into the intervention design process, so submissions are restricted to:
- Untested interventions currently under design
- Interventions that have or will have (by the WCPP) undergone uncompensated testing, either internal trials (“alpha” tests) or trials with “friendly” externals (“beta” tests)
Ineligible Interventions
The POIC is not a venue for getting feedback on interventions that have or will have (by the WCPP) undergone commercial field applications or compensated trials.
Proposal Elements
Identify and describe a common organizational issue that positive psychology could have a role in addressing
Identify established research findings that indicate a course of action for alleviating the issue
Describe an organizational intervention that applies the research findings to an organizational setting
Evaluation of Proposals
Submissions will be evaluated by Work & Organizations Division members and advisors based on the following criteria.
Case for Intervention
Call for Positive Approach: how does a positive approach add value that traditional approaches do not?
Breadth of Issue: how wide-ranging is the presenting problem?
Importance, Impact and Outcomes: What outcomes are at stake for the organization?
Integration of Positive Psychology
Theory: What theory or theories offer the initial indication that a positive approach will add unique value?
Research Findings: What evidence from research findings indicates that the intervention will have a significant effect?
Creativity: Does the proposed intervention apply positive psychology in a novel way?
Intervention Design
Does the intervention design provide:
A description of specific and relevant actions …
… in a specific order …
… over a specified time frame?
Achievable and measurable outcomes?
Where flexibility in the intervention along any of the above criteria is called for, the range of possible design choices is appropriate. Such ranges and a discussion of how a specific design element is determined should be included in the proposal.
Positive Psychology Communities of Practice
The International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA) is excited to announce the continued development of our Positive Psychology Communities of Practice (CoP). Following a successful one-year pilot in 2022-23, and another successful year in 2023-24, this initiative has now entered its third year, providing a robust platform for professionals, researchers, and practitioners to engage in meaningful exchanges and collaborative learning within the field of Positive Psychology.
What Are Communities of Practice?
A Community of Practice (CoP) is a group of people who share a common interest, profession, or passion and come together to deepen their understanding, share knowledge, and improve their skills related to that area. The community collaboratively engages in regular interactions, discussions, and activities, fostering both individual and collective learning.
Communities of Practice (CoPs) are groups of individuals who share a common passion or profession and come together to deepen their knowledge, share expertise, and advance their practice. These communities are characterised by three core elements:
- Domain: The shared interest or field in which the members of the community seek to advance their understanding.
- Community: A group of individuals who engage in regular interactions, fostering relationships, and creating opportunities for collective learning.
- Practice: The shared experiences, tools, and techniques that members use to improve their professional expertise and impact within the domain.
In CoPs, learning happens through active participation, where members draw from their collective knowledge and experience to support one another’s growth and development.
Positive Psychology Communities of Practice: A Unique Venture
The Positive Psychology Communities of Practice within IPPA are distinctive in their focus on enhancing the knowledge and practice of Positive Psychology. These communities provide a space for members to discuss emerging research and practical applications, and the latest trends in Positive Psychology. Participants collaborate to tackle challenges, create innovative strategies, and share successes in applying Positive Psychology principles and interventions in diverse settings. The insights gained from these communities contribute to the broader Positive Psychology movement, helping to shape its future direction while fostering a sense of belonging and shared purpose.
Goals of Positive Psychology Communities of Practice
The overarching aim of our Positive Psychology CoPs is to:
- Advance knowledge and expertise: Facilitate the exchange of cutting-edge research and practical insights in Positive Psychology.
- Foster collaboration: Create a supportive environment where members can form professional networks, share ideas, and co-create new initiatives.
- Enhance application: Provide practical strategies and techniques that members can apply in various fields.
- Promote global and regional perspectives: Encourage discussions that reflect both the global reach of Positive Psychology and the unique needs of different cultural and regional contexts.
Looking Ahead: Expanding Our Communities
Building on the success of the past two years and the learning gained, we are pleased to announce that in 2025, we are expecting to continue our current Positive Psychology Communities of Practice – East Coast US/CA, West Coast US/CA, Europe, Middle East & Africa, and Asia-Pacific. These regional CoPs are designed to accommodate time zones and cultural differences while fostering international collaboration. We aim to establish more communities as the demand grows and our network of Positive Psychology professionals continues to expand.
The forthcoming cohort of Communities of Practice will open in January 2025 and will run until November 2025 (9 monthly sessions altogether). All meetings are carried out virtually. We invite you to join us in this exciting journey of collaborative learning and growth. Whether you are a researcher, practitioner, or student of Positive Psychology, our Communities of Practice offer a unique opportunity to deepen your engagement with this vibrant field.
We are immensely grateful to our Directors of Communities who have led and managed the project since it was launched and to our Community of Practice leaders who have put many hours of voluntary work into making this project a success: Dr Rona Hart, Liz Corcoran, Duncan Ferguson and Luis Marrero.
For more information please contact the current Director of Communities: Dr Rona Hart at rona.hart@Sussex.ac.uk.