Isaac is an expert on the promotion of well-being in individuals, organizations, and communities. He has presented keynote addresses in 27 countries in four languages. His talks combine humor with science and practice.
Endorsements
“The perfect kick-off to the 2019 World Happiness Summit was an uproariously funny and deeply meaningful keynote address by Dr. Isaac Prilleltensky called “Mattering is no laughing matter, or is it? This distinguished and dedicated scholar, professor and coach, delivered a compelling story with hilariously colorful examples from his own life about how feeling valued creates a sense of belonging, which contributes to one of the most essential factors for well-being and a happy life, which is the feeling that one matters. Dr. Prilleltensky delivered an incredibly engaging live speech, where science and humor were woven together in an impactful and relatable way. He was talking directly to us, the members of the global happiness movement in his audience, to which we all belong. What we do, individually to add value to our own lives and that of others’, matters greatly to the expansion of the happiness movement. Together we are Happiness and we are having a joyously fun time on this journey with Dr. Prilleltensky..”
— Pamela Davies, CPC, ELI-MP, CHC
Founder and Chief Happiness Officer
Phӯlo Coaching & Consulting
Creating Thriving Professionals
“Isaac has been a visiting faculty member in the Master of Applied Positive Psychology Program at the University of Pennsylvania since the inception of the program. His scholarship related to community psychology, and the relationship between context and well-being have been incredible learnings for our students - and far from merely studying these topics, Isaac applies them in the Miami community and at his own university. Great scholar, great presenter. We have a pretty high bar for excellent presenters and Isaac is consistently rated at the top of our faculty - he's the perfect blend of authenticity, humility, and hilarity (he's beyond funny), and that trifecta enables him to expand students' minds and have them love the experience. Thank you, Isaac, for all you do for us - we love you at MAPP and are so grateful you are willing to join our community each year!”
— Leona Brandwene
Associate Director, Master of Applied Positive Psychology
University of Pennsylvania
Endorsements
““Isaac provided the keynote address at the Council of Directors of School Psychology Programs (CDSPP) Midwinter Meeting. His talk was the perfect kickoff for our event, providing a frame for conversations and dialogue throughout the remainder of our multi-day program. Feedback from our attendees was universally positive. Individual respondents described Isaac as approachable and engaging, and his talk (on the application of mattering in School Psychology research and practice) was described as applicable, inspirational, and compelling.”
— Andrew Roach, PhD
Professor, Department of Counseling & Psychological Services
Coordinator, School Psychology PhD Program
Georgia State University
"I have spent my life travelling the world and meeting people from many walks of life. Isaac is one of the most entertaining speakers I have come across on the subject of happiness and well- being. He is knowledgeable, eloquent and humorous. Listening to his talk about Mattering at our recent online global happy cafe meeting made me realise something I had never really considered before; mattering matters! It was both inspirational and motivating. I would certainly recommend everyone listen to what he has to say. No doubt, the world would be a happier place!"
- Gerry Clarke
Chairman, World Happiness Project
“Isaac was a fantastic speaker who artfully wove together humor, personal stories, and academic research to really inspire all of us. He is incredibly knowledgeable about the connections between resilience, social justice, and prevention. His keynote presentation at a conference I was part of pushed our thinking about our own academic research and teaching but also helped everyone in the audience apply his insights to their own personal and professional lives.”
— Victoria Banyard, Ph.D.
Professor, Psychology
University of New Hampshire
“Isaac is a dynamic and eloquent speaker who uses humor to educate and connect with his audience. His contribution was significant to the success of the inaugural World Happiness Summit. By combining humor with research findings, Isaac expertly delivered a closing keynote that engaged and energized participants at the end of a day full of talks and activities.”
— Karen Guggenheim
Found and COO, WOHASU, organizers of the World Happiness Summit
Isaac’s presentation "The Role of Mattering in Society" at the Nordic Conference on Relational Welfare inspired participants to reflect on how everyone in society needs to balance feeling valued with adding value, to themselves, others, and society. His ideas and research are helping public sector actors to co-create social justice and well-being for all. His talk helped us realize we can achieve wellness at individual, relational and community levels! Thank you so much for the inspiration and for brining our conversations and work to new levels. Your contributions bring us closer to realizing the dream of mattering for all”
— Ottar Ness, Ph.D.
Professor, Head of Research Group on Relational Welfare and Well-Being
NTNU, Norway
“Dr. Prilleltensky provides a uniquely refreshing dose of academic humor. His global traces create for engaging and memorable presentations highlighted with hilarious experiences. It’s rare to find someone that can explain the science of psychology in such a funny way. I’ve worked with Dr. Prilleltensky on numerous occassions and there is usually a line of people waiting to speak with him afterwards - the telltale sign of a successful speaker. Or should I say comedian?”
— Benjamin Leis
“Isaac presented a talk titled Understanding and Promoting Well-Being: Fun, Fit, Fitness and Fairness at the University of Colorado, Boulder Law School during a conference I co-hosted, titled Mindfulness and Thriving Legal Practices. Isaac is a dynamic, engaging, and humorous presenter with highly impactful and valuable information. Isaac summarizes complex information in a powerful, yet very accessible and listener-friendly way. Isaac covers relevant research that supports his practical and actionable recommendations. Most importantly, Isaac provided concrete examples about how to apply his recommendations to everyday life. Isaac’s presentation was one of the best sessions at the conference. Several audience members immediately purchased from Amazon after Isaac’s talk his book, The Laughing Guide to Well-Being: Using Humor and Science to Become Happier and Healthier. Isaac is a charming, unique, and wonderful public speaker. Isaac’s presentations are memorable because of his funny anecdotes and real life stories.”
— Peter H. Huang
Professor and DeMuth Chair of Business Law
University of Colorado Law School
Explore some of Isaac’s talks:
TEDxMIA
Mattering and Community Change
Presentation on the Common Good at Chiba University, Japan, July 2022
What we risk when we don’t matter. Cane Talk at University of Miami
Week of Well-Being Talk
Commencement Address
Selected Keynote Addresses
Prilleltensky, I. (2021). Wellness, Fairness, and Worthiness: Psychosocial Foundations for the Common Good. Keynote address presented to European Conference on Community Psychology. June 3, 2021,
Prilleltensky, I. (2021). Transforming the paradigm in community mental health. Keynote address: Israeli Psychiatric Rehabilitation Society. January 5,
Prilleltensky, I. (2019). Mattering at the intersection of psychology, philosophy and politics. Seymour Sarason Award Lecture given at the Biennial Conference of the Society for Community Research and Action: Division of Community Psychology of the American Psychological Association. Chicago, June 26-29.
Prilleltensky, I. (2017). Wellness as fairness. Presented at the International Conference on the Relation between Well-Being and Fairness. Chiba University, Japan, November 23rd, 2017.
Prilleltensky, I. (2017). Promoting well-being: Fun, fit, fitness, and fairness. Presented at the Association of Positive Psychology and Health, Keio University, Japan, November 25th, 2017.
Prilleltensky, I. (2017). The role of mattering in resilience. Keynote address at ResilienceCon, Nashville, TN, April 17th, 2017.
Prilleltensky, I. (2017). The laughing guide to well-being. Keynote address given at the Chief Human Resources Officers meeting of the Council of Great City Schools, San Antonio, February 8th, 2017.
Prilleltensky, I. (2016). Mattering: The role of wellness and fairness in leading a meaningful life. Keynote address presented to the conference of the division of Social Psychology of the Italian Psychological Association. Napoli, September 24, 2016.
Prilleltensky, I. (2015). La promocion del bienestar individual y comunitario. Keynote address presented at the Puerto Rican Psychological Association Annual Conference. November 13th, 2015, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Prilleltensky, I. (2014). The promotion of justice and well-being among immigrants. Keynote address presented at the National Latino Psychological Association, Albuquerque, New Mexico. October 24th, 2014.
Prilleltensky, I. (2014). Wellness and Fairness: Interdependence and Interventions. Keynote Speaker at the Canadian Psychological Association, Vancouver, June 6th, 2014.
Prilleltensky, I. (2014). The role of justice in mental health. Keynote address presented at the INTAR conference for mental health. Liverpool, June 25th, 2014.
Prilleltensky, I. (2013). Wellness and Fairness in Education. Keynote address presented at the North of England Education Conference. Sheffield, January 16th, 2013.
Prilleltensky, I. (2013). Wellness in Your Hands: Online Games to Promote Health and Wellness. Keynote address presented at the International Conference on Orange Technologies. Tainan, Taiwan, March 13, 2013.
Prilleltensky, I. (2012). Wellness and fairness: Individual, interpersonal, institutional, and internet interventions. Keynote address presented at the Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association Annual Convention. Orlando, FL, August 2012.
Prilleltensky, I. (2012). Justice and well-being: Contextual psychosocial processes. Keynote address presented at the International Congress of Psychology, Cape Town, South Africa, July 2012.
Prilleltensky, I. (2009). Psychology, justice and well-being: From amelioration to transformation. Invited keynote address presented at the annual conference of the Psychological Society of South Africa, Cape Town, August 12th, 2009.
Prilleltensky, I. (2009). Justicia y bienestar social. Invited keynote address presented at the 32nd Congress of the Interamerican Psychological Society, Guatemala City, June 29th, 2009.
Prilleltensky, I. (2007). Power, justice, and well-being in the lives of migrants. Invited keynote address. European Community Psychology Association conference, Sevilla, Spain, September 19, 2007.
Prilleltensky, I. (2007). Happy but dead: From paradox to paradigm in the search for well-being. Invited keynote address. International Society for Theoretical Psychology. Toronto, June 21, 2007.
Prilleltensky, I. (2007). Promoting child and family wellness through community interventions. Invited keynote address. HIPPY international conference. Vancouver, April 30, 2007.
Prilleltensky, I. (2007). La promocion de la salud mental por medio de intervenciones comunitarias. Invited keynote Address. Asociacion de Consejeros Escolares, INTEC, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, April 14, 2007.
Prilleltensky, I. (2006). Psychopolitical validity: Working with power to promote justice and well-being. Invited keynote address. First international conference of community psychology: Puerto Rico, June 9, 2006.
Prilleltensky, I. (2006). Empowerment and social justice in psychology and education: Research, values, and action. Invited keynote address at the Winter Roundtable on Empowerment and Social Justice in Psychology and Education at Columbia University in New York, Feb 17, 2006.
Prilleltensky, I. (2005).Justice and Well-Being: Integrative Approaches. Invited keynote presentation.Presented at the Just Community: For all conference in Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, November 9, 2005.
Prilleltensky, I. (2005). Changing change agents? From amelioration to transformation in helping organizations. Invited keynote address delivered at international conference on community, family and work, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK, March 15-17, 2005.
Prilleltensky, I. (2005). Preventing and promoting: Sustainability and Institutionalization of new paradigms. Invited keynote address delivered in Padova, Italy, at the prevention conference in June 28, 2005.
Prilleltensky, I. (2003). Value-based praxis for personal, relational, and collective wellness: Towards psychopolitical validity. Invited keynote address delivered at the International Society for Critical Health Psychology Conference in Auckland, New Zealand, April 11-13.
Prilleltensky, I. (2002). Improving the lives of children and families in the future. InvitedKeynoteAddress. Children’s Welfare Association of Victoria. Melbourne, May 8.
Prilleltensky, I. (2001). Promoting child wellness and preventing child maltreatment: Leadership for action. Invited keynote address given at the 8th Australasian conference on child abuse and neglect. Melbourne. November 21.
Prilleltensky, I. (2001). Doing psychology critically: Making a difference in diverse settings. InvitedKeynote address delivered at the First North American Conference on Critical Psychology. Monterey, California, August 4-9.
Prilleltensky, I. (2001). Critical psychology: the challenge of praxis. Invited keynote address at Trans-Tasman Community Psychology Conference. Melbourne, April.
Prilleltensky, I. (September, 2000). Praxis in the social sciences: Reconciling diverse traditions. Invited keynote address given at the World congress of the Participatory Action Research conference, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia.
Prilleltensky, I. (June, 1999). Critical Psychology Praxis. Invited keynote address to the convention of the Inter-American Society of Psychology, June 25-July 2, Caracas, Venezuela.
Prilleltensky, I. (August, 1996). Invited keynote address: Human, moral, and political values for an emancipatory psychology. Presented at the meeting of the American Psychological Association, Toronto.