Loneliness as a Public Health Crisis; Connection for a Cure

Julianne Holt-Lunstad is a professor of psychology and neuroscience, and the Martin B. Hickman distinguished scholar at Brigham Young University, where she is also the Director of the Social Neuroscience Lab, and Director of the Society, Behavior, and Health International Study Program. She is also the founding scientific chair of the U.S. Coalition to End Social Isolation and Loneliness and the Foundation for Social Connections.

Dr. Holt-Lunstad’s research is focused on understanding the long-term health effects, biological mechanisms, and effective strategies to mitigate risk and promote protection associated with social connection. Her work has been seminal in the recognition of social isolation and loneliness as risk factors for early mortality. She serves as a scientific advisor and regularly consults with US and international government, industry, and non-profit organizations. Her work has been widely recognized within her discipline, including several awards, and is regularly highlighted in major media outlets.

Dr. Jean Accius is a passionate champion and catalyst for changing how the world sees and values aging. He is an internationally recognized thought leader on aging, longevity, equity, health systems transformation and modernizing the delivery and financing of long-term care. With tri-sector experience and deep knowledge, he has a strong track record of building high-performing teams, managing cross- functional operations and processes, and developing innovative and actionable solutions, policies, and programs to close the opportunity gap so that everyone can live longer, healthier and more productive lives.

As Senior Vice President of Global Thought Leadership at AARP, he leads a team in positioning AARP as a global thought leader by identifying emerging trends around the world, cultivating and elevating new ideas, forging global strategic alliances that become the foundation for collaboration and sparking bold solutions to change systems and improve the lives of the global population as it ages.

Dr. Accius is an Executive Leadership Council Fellow, member of G100’s Transformational Leadership Network, and holds a bachelor’s degree in hospitality administration and a master’s degree in aging studies from the Claude Pepper Institute at Florida State University. He also holds a Ph.D. in public administration from American University.  Dr. Accius is a graduate of Leadership Maryland’s Class of 2014, the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health program on health reform, and Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business Corporate Innovation program.

Dr. Michelle Lim is the inaugural Chairperson and Scientific Chair of Ending Loneliness Together. She is considered the leading Australian scientific expert in loneliness, with more than 80 national media appearances to date. Dr. Lim is a Research Fellow at the Iverson Health Innovation Research Institute and Centre for Mental Health at Swinburne University of Technology. She is the Director of the Social Health and Wellbeing (SHAW) Laboratory which generates evidence-based research in loneliness. Her research involves understanding the drivers of loneliness over time, and developing consumer-relevant and effective digital interventions to reduce loneliness. Dr. Lim is also a practising clinical psychologist.

Adam “Smiley” Poswolsky is an internationally renowned keynote speaker, workplace belonging expert, and bestselling author of three books, including Friendship in the Age of Loneliness, which has been translated into multiple languages. Smiley regularly speaks at Fortune 500 companies and has advised leaders around the world about human connection, workplace belonging, and the future of work. Smiley’s TED talk has been viewed nearly 2 million times, and he has spoken in front of fifty thousand people in twenty-five countries. Smiley’s writing has been published in Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, and the Washington Post, and his work has been featured in the Wall St. Journal, the New York Times, the New Yorker, and the World Economic Forum.