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Wendy Suzuki — keynote speaker on Happiness & Positive Psychology

Photo: Public domain — Bill Branson, NIH, via Wikimedia Commons

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Happiness & Positive Psychology keynote speakers

Wendy Suzuki

Neuroscientist, NYU Professor & Bestselling Author of Good Anxiety

Speaking feeTypically $30k–$50kIndicative only, confirmed on request
  • Keynote · Fireside chat · Moderation
  • English
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Headliner can arrange a booking with Wendy Suzuki or their representative. This profile is compiled from public sources; availability and fees are confirmed on request. A listing here does not imply endorsement, affiliation, partnership, or exclusivity.

Signature keynotes

What your audience walks away with

  • Outcome

    The Brain-Changing Benefits of Exercise (signature)

    The science behind her 65-million-view TED talk. Dr. Suzuki reveals how aerobic exercise physically reshapes the brain — improving memory, attention, and mood in the short term, and building long-term protection against cognitive decline. Practical, motivating, and grounded in her own lab's research, this talk sends every audience home with simple habits that change the brain.

  • Good Anxiety — Harnessing the Power of the Most Misunderstood Emotion

    Drawn from her bestselling book, this keynote flips the script on anxiety. Rather than something to eliminate, anxiety — properly understood — is an adaptive signal that can be channeled into resilience, focus, productivity, and creativity. Dr. Suzuki gives audiences a neuroscientist's toolkit for turning a "bad" emotion into a genuine advantage.

  • Healthy Brain, Happy Life

    A personal program to activate your brain and do everything better. Blending memoir and science, Dr. Suzuki walks audiences through the exercise–learning–memory connection and the daily practices — movement, sleep, meditation, mindset — that build a healthier, happier brain over a lifetime.

  • Neuroplasticity & Peak Performance

    The brain's greatest superpower is its ability to change. This talk shows how leaders and teams can harness neuroplasticity for faster learning, sharper focus, and sustained performance — turning brain science into a competitive edge at work.

  • Brain Health & Wellbeing

    An evidence-based session on the habits that most affect mood, attention, and long-term cognitive health — movement, sleep, stress management, and mindset. Ideal for wellbeing programs and healthcare audiences looking for science they can trust and act on.

  • The Neuroscience of Focus, Memory & Mindset

    What current brain science actually tells us about attention, how memories form, and how to build a resilient mind — with concrete, research-backed practices for staying sharp in a distraction-saturated world.

The story

Who Wendy actually is

Dr. Wendy Suzuki is a neuroscientist, a Professor of Neural Science and Psychology at New York University, and the Seryl Kushner Dean of NYU's College of Arts & Science — the first Asian-American to hold the role. A celebrated international authority on brain plasticity, she has spent three decades studying how the brain changes and adapts, and how everyday choices — above all, physical exercise — can improve learning, memory, mood, and long-term cognitive health.

She earned her bachelor's degree in physiology and human anatomy from the University of California, Berkeley, and her Ph.D. in neuroscience from the University of California, San Diego, before a fellowship at the National Institutes of Health and joining the NYU faculty in 1998. Her lab was among the first to document how patterns of activity in the hippocampus change as the brain forms new memories, work recognized with honors including the Troland Research Award from the National Academy of Sciences. Her TED talk, "The Brain-Changing Benefits of Exercise," has been viewed more than 65 million times and ranks among the most-watched TED talks ever.

Dr. Suzuki is the author of two internationally bestselling books: Healthy Brain, Happy Life (2015), a blend of memoir and science on activating the brain through movement and habit, and Good Anxiety (2021), a paradigm-shifting look at how to harness anxiety rather than fear it. A sought-after speaker and media voice, she has appeared on programs from The Diary of a CEO to the Huberman Lab, and she teaches audiences worldwide how to put brain science to work — with a warmth and energy that make the science stick.

The receipts

Books & publications

  • Good Anxiety: Harnessing the Power of the Most Misunderstood Emotion

    2021

    a science-backed case that anxiety, properly channeled, is essential — and can be turned into resilience, focus, and creativity.

  • Healthy Brain, Happy Life: A Personal Program to Activate Your Brain and Do Everything Better

    2015

    a memoir-plus-science guide to the exercise–learning–memory connection, with practical "Brain Hacks" to sharpen the mind.

Gravity

Career highlights & recognition

  • Milestone

    Dean of NYU's College of Arts & Science

    first Asian-American to hold the role

  • Credential

    Professor of Neural Science & Psychology, New York University

    25+ years of brain research

  • Milestone

    65M+ views

    on her TED talk The Brain-Changing Benefits of Exercise — among the most-watched TED talks of all time

  • Credential2015

    Author of two internationally bestselling books

    Healthy Brain, Happy Life (2015) and Good Anxiety (2021)

  • Award

    Troland Research Award

    National Academy of Sciences — for her memory research

  • Award

    NYU Golden Dozen Teaching Award

    McKnight Foundation Scholar Award; Donald B. Lindsley Prize

  • Milestone

    Leading international authority on neuroplasticity

    and the effect of exercise on the brain

  • Milestone

    brain health, focus, and anxiety

Booking with confidence

What to expect when you book Wendy

  • 01

    Compiled from public sources

    This profile is built from public, verifiable material and stamped with the date it was last reviewed. Nothing here is a claim we cannot trace to a source.

  • 02

    Availability and fees, confirmed

    Tell us your date and brief, and we confirm Wendy's availability and current fee on request. We never publish a fabricated figure or imply an exclusivity we do not hold.

  • 03

    Managed end to end

    From first inquiry to the day itself, Headliner handles briefing, contracting, and logistics, so your team can focus on the event.

Answers

Booking questions, answered

What is Wendy Suzuki's speaking fee?

Typically $30k–$50k (indicative; confirmed on request). Wendy's fee varies by event, date, format, and location, so we confirm the exact figure for your booking. Share your brief for current pricing and live availability.

Is Wendy Suzuki available for my event date?

Availability changes with Wendy's schedule and the season. Tell us your date and we'll confirm whether Wendy is open, and hold the slot while you decide.

How do I book Wendy Suzuki for my event?

Wendy Suzuki is booked through Headliner. Tell us your event date, audience, and goals, and we'll confirm availability and the next steps — typically within four business hours.

How much does Wendy Suzuki charge to speak?

Typically $30k–$50k (indicative; confirmed on request). It depends on event, date, format, location, and whether the session is in person or virtual. Share your brief and we'll confirm the exact figure and availability.

Can I hire Wendy Suzuki for a corporate event?

Yes. Wendy is represented for speaking engagements through Headliner on a non-exclusive basis and regularly takes corporate keynotes, conferences, and leadership events. Share your brief to check availability.

Can I book Wendy Suzuki for a virtual keynote?

Yes. Wendy presents virtual keynotes as well as in-person sessions. Virtual fees are typically quoted below a live keynote, so tell us your format for a precise quote.

What formats does Wendy offer?

Wendy is available for Keynote, Fireside chat, Moderation and Virtual engagements. We'll match the format to your audience and run-of-show.

What does Wendy speak about?

Wendy's keynote themes include Positive Psychology, Performance and Mental Health. Each talk is tailored to your audience and outcomes.

What languages does Wendy present in?

Wendy presents in English.

Where does Wendy travel from?

Wendy is based in New York, NY and travels internationally for engagements; virtual sessions are also available.

Profile updated . Compiled from public sources — confirm current fees and availability with Headliner.

Book Wendy Suzuki through Headliner

Tell us about your event and we’ll confirm Wendy’s availability and fee — typically within four business hours.

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