An enlightening psychologist, international speaker, and New York Times bestselling author, Dr. Marisa G Franco is known for digesting and communicating science in ways that resonate deeply enough with people to change their lives. Dr. Marisa G. Franco received her B.S. in Applied Psychology from New York University and her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology at The University of Maryland.

She works as a professor at The University of Maryland and authored the New York Times bestseller Platonic: How The Science of Attachment Can Help You Make—and Keep—Friends. She writes about friendship for Psychology Today and has been a featured connection expert for major publications like The New York Times, The Telegraph, and Vice. 

She speaks on belonging at corporations, government agencies, non-profits, and universities across the country, including Harper Collins Publishers, Cisco, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and The Department of State. In a study of 1000 employees, her talk increased employee’s knowledge of and desire to belong at work.

Topics:

  • A sense of workplace belonging is connected to higher job satisfaction as well as positive mental health and well-being. In this interactive and data-driven talk, Dr. Marisa Franco will guide audiences through the science of connection and how the same tools for building friendships can help initiate and maintain workplace relationships. Tailored to meet the needs of companies of different sizes from varying industries, Dr. Franco can address:

    • The relationship between authenticity and belonging for workplace success.

    • How to cultivate employee engagement and belonging at work when teams are sitting in home offices across the world.

    • How to strengthen connection between employees from different generations (e.g. Gen X, Gen Z, Millennials, etc.).

    • How to build trust in virtual work settings

  • The need for connection is fundamentally human and underlies everything—our health, our motivation, our work, and our sense of who we are. And yet, we are in the middle of a loneliness epidemic and our communities are disconnected. In this keynote or in-conversation format, Dr. Marisa G. Franco will share insights into the science of connection and why belonging makes individuals and communities more resilient. She will share skills and hands-on tips for initiating and maintaining collaboration, community, and friendship.

  • In a talk geared for students and the communities that support them, Dr. Marisa Franco dives into the importance of connection and friendship for mental and physical health. A professor at the University of Maryland, Dr. Franco is adept at communicating with younger audiences and can customize this talk to speak about how to network authentically, how minoritized students can find belonging, and how students can use technology to foster connection. She covers in detail why students may feel lonely and offers takeaways that help them learn how to make robust and meaningful friendships that will support their mental health.