I’m a scientist on a mission to help people live their happiest life. I’m a published researcher; two-time TEDx speaker; the founder of The International Happiness Institute of Health Science Research; and you can often find me in the media on shows such as The Social, Marilyn Denis, Breakfast Television, and The Morning Show.
- There is no secret to happiness, but there is a science to it.
- Happiness is not a destination, it’s a practice.
- Happiness is not something that we earn, it’s something that we learn.
- The pursuit of happiness doesn’t mean the goal is to be happy all the time.
- When we know better, we can do better. The right information and taking action are two essential ingredients in a happy life.
More than anything else, we all want to be happy. The problem is that we are endlessly searching instead of thoughtfully practicing…which is where I come in. In all of my work, I bring academic research to life by combining the latest research, real-world wisdom, and an engaging style to provide practical, evidence-based solutions that empower people to live happier, healthier lives.
I’m the founder of The International Happiness Institute of Health Science Research, a research, education, and consulting firm that is devoted to bettering mental health through research, learning, workshops, and other resources that build happiness in individuals, businesses, and organizations, and I am a Research Associate at The World Database of Happiness, (based in the Erasmus Happiness Economics Research Organization EHERO of Erasmus University Rotterdam in the Netherlands). Dr. Rummet Billan and I are co-leading “The Canadian Happiness at Work Study” in partnership with The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) investigating how organizations promote joy, contentment and positive well-being at work in order to foster productive, engaged, and happy employees. I’m a consultant at SickKids on the Meant2Prevent initiative, a first-of-its-kind collaboration between all 13 of Canada’s children’s hospitals that aims to empower families, youth, and healthcare professionals across Canada with evidence-based resources and tools to promote healthy living habits.
I spent over a decade at Western University where I earned my PhD in Health Science, with a specialization in Health Promotion. My PhD research investigated happiness and health. I also taught Personal Determinants of Health (class size = 500) and Health and Social Media in the Faculty of Health Sciences where I was awarded The Faculty of Health Sciences Recognition of Achievement for my exemplary contribution to teaching in the Faculty of Health Science. I was also a Student Innovation Scholar at The Pierre L. Morrissette Institute for Entrepreneurship, Richard Ivey School of Business and WORLDiscoveries®.
• I appear regularly in the media on shows such as The Social, Marilyn Denis, Breakfast Television, The Morning Show, and CP24 Toronto’s Breaking News Channel.
• I’m an enthusiastic, dynamic speaker (represented by ProSpeakers and a member of The Canadian Association of Professional Speakers), and I’ve given two TEDx talks: “The Two Things You Need To Know To Be Happier Today” at TEDx Windsor, and “The Surprising Truth About Happiness” in Toronto at TEDx Yorkville.
• I recently partnered with Pantene on their #PowerToTransform campaign where I shared the key findings from our research (on both media and social media) to help encourage Canadians to recognize the power they have to transform a loved one’s day, mood, or self-confidence by connecting with them through the simple act of sharing a compliment.
• Business London Magazine named me one of their Top 20 Under 40.
• I’m on the Advisory Board at Examine.com (an independent organization that investigates the science behind nutrition and supplementation).
• OptiMYz Magazine has included me on their list of top 100 Canadian health and fitness influencers for the past four years.
• CanFitPro named me their 2020 Canadian Presenter of the Year, an award that is based on feedback and attendance from my sessions at The 2019 CanFitPro World Fitness Expo in addition to the impact my work has had on the Canadian Fitness Industry.
I believe that life is a journey, and I’m committed to being a lifelong student. Although I’m constantly evolving, learning, and growing, there are certain aspects of my personality that seem to be innate… according to my childhood report cards.
I’m a very curious person, and I bring my love for life into everything I do. My goal is to honestly share, teach, and have fun. I am committed to bringing you the absolute best of what I live and learn. I would also love to meet you! Please come introduce yourself on social media (Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook), and join my e-mail community to stay up-to-date on my latest adventures.
Dr. Gillian Mandich has a PhD from Western University in Health Science, specializing in Health Promotion. Her primary areas of research are happiness and health, and her work combines the latest research, practical wisdom, and an engaging style to help people live happier, healthier lives.
Dr. Mandich is passionate about research. She is the founder of The International Happiness Institute of Health Science Research and is a part of the Meant2Prevent research team at SickKids. She appears regularly in the media on shows such as The Social, Marilyn Denis, Breakfast Television, The Morning Show, and CBC; is a graduate Student Innovation Scholar Program at the Richard Ivey School of Business Pierre L. Morrissette Institute for Entrepreneurship and WORLDiscoveries®; the co-lead investigator of The Canadian Happiness At Work Study.
Dr. Mandich is a top-rated speaker (both in-person and online) and is represented by ProSpeakers, she was recently named the CanFitPro 2020 Canadian Presenter of the Year, and has given two TEDx talks: “The Surprising Truth About Happiness” at TEDx Yorkville and “The Two Things You Need To Know To Be Happier Today” at TEDx Windsor.
