Meet Declan Edwards
Declan Edwards is a happiness researcher, speaker, and founder of BU Happiness College, an award-winning social enterprise advancing the science and skills of happiness in individuals and workplaces. His work focuses on making wellbeing measurable, teachable, and sustainable so that people and organisations can thrive, not just cope.
His insights have been featured in numerous publications including Psychology Today, Harvard Business Review, and The Daily Mail. He also regularly guest lectures on positive psychology for CQUniversity and Bond University and currently serves as the Resident Happiness Expert for the Australian Institute of Culture.
What Declan Does
Declan helps organisations:
- Build psychologically healthy and high-performing teams - Reduce burnout and uplift resilience - Improve culture, leadership, engagement, and wellbeing metrics - Become employers of choice by prioritising workplace happiness
His evidence-informed talks blend research, storytelling, and practical tools that audiences can apply immediately.
His research and coaching demonstrate that happiness is not luck or personality, it is a trainable skill. When organisations invest in these skills, they see measurable gains in performance, retention, culture, and wellbeing.
Declan has worked with organisations across Australia and abroad including:
- Red Cross - Westpac Rescue Helicopter - TEDx - United Nations General Assembly - National Parks and Wildlife Service - PKF - NSW Department of Communities and Justice
All of Declan's work, including his talks, are supported by a rigorous academic background including:
- Master of Applied Positive Psychology - Bachelor of Health - Practitioner certifications in Acceptance & Commitment Therapy, and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction.
His current work combines academic research with practical organisational psychology, leadership theory, and behaviour change science. He is most passionate about equipping others with the skills to spread their own happiness ripple effect and to play their part in making the world as a whole just a little bit happier.
Outside of work Declan enjoys hiking, backpacking, basketball, board games, and quality time with his wife and son.
My Why
I do this work because happiness changes lives. Not the fluffy, “smile more” version of happiness that social media portrays - the real kind grounded in science, skills, and behaviour. When people learn how to manage their minds, navigate emotions, and build meaningful relationships, everything improves: health, performance, leadership, families, and communities.
For most of my life I’ve watched smart, capable people struggle through stress, burnout, anxiety, and self-doubt because no one ever taught them the skills of wellbeing. At the same time, I’ve seen workplaces invest in perks and awareness campaigns while missing the deeper systems that actually impact human happiness.
My purpose is to close those gaps. I make the skills and science of happiness accessible, practical, and actionable for individuals and organisations. When more people knew how to cultivate their own wellbeing, and when more workplaces understood how to support it, we will see a ripple effect that reaches far beyond the office.
That ripple effect is what drives me: helping people feel and function at their best, and helping leaders create environments where humans can thrive.
My Accomplishments
I’ve been lucky enough to spend my career at the intersection of positive psychology, workplace culture, and leadership. I feel deeply grateful for where that work has taken me. What began as a curiosity about why some people and workplaces thrive while others simply get through life has grown into a body of work that I’m really proud of.
Along the way, my work has been recognised for accolades including the Social Enterprise of the Year (2020) and United Nations SDG Champion (2022). I've also contributed to the Harvard Business Review, Psychology Today, Daily Mail, and other publications.
But the part that matters most to me is the impact. The individuals who join us at BU Happiness College increase their happiness by an average of 57% within their first 12 months, and workplaces we’ve partnered with have gone on to improve culture, engagement, wellbeing, and in many cases become recognised as Accredited Happy Workplaces. I've now supported people and organisations across six countries, and that ripple continues to grow.
I’m proud of the milestones, and I’m grateful for every organisation, event, and coaching conversation that helped create them. Most of all, I’m proud that this work inspires people to be more intentional about their own happiness, and about the role they play in the happiness of others.
Fun facts
A few lighter things about me, because happiness should include a sense of humour:
- I was born in the US but have lived in Australia almost my entire life (the accent is very much Aussie at this point). - I have a strong and slightly irrational hatred of tomatoes. I blame the texture. - I remember things by colour, not name. My bookshelf and phone apps are organised like a Pantone chart. - I’ve travelled to every continent except Antarctica. One day I’ll finish the set. - I can wiggle my ears like the kid in The Little Rascals. It’s a very niche skill but a crowd favourite with children.
How I can help
Building real resilience (without the toxic positivity): I teach teams how to adapt under pressure, recharge effectively, and bounce forward rather than burning out.
Creating happier, healthier workplaces: I help leaders understand the structural and human factors that drive engagement, culture, retention, and performance.
Mastering the skills of wellbeing and emotional intelligence: I translate the science of happiness into practical tools that people can use to manage their minds and emotions more effectively.
Preventing burnout and support sustainable performance: I show individuals and teams how to spot the early signs of burnout, understand the 12 stages, and take proactive steps to recover.
Leading with humanity, clarity, and psychological safety: I equip managers and leaders with people-centred skills so their teams feel valued, supported, and able to do their best work.
More from Declan Edwards
Watch Declan Edwards in action ↗
View My Speaker's Reel ↗
Discover what happens when happiness science meets real-world performance.
Declan Edwards is a happiness researcher, award-winning social enterprise founder, and one of Australia’s leading voices on workplace wellbeing, adaptive resilience, and psychological performance. Over the past decade he has helped individuals, teams, and organisations develop the mental, emotional, and cultural skills needed to thrive.
This speaker reel showcases highlights from keynotes and workshops delivered for leading organisations and conferences across Australia and internationally.
Declan’s evidence-based approach blends research, compelling storytelling, and practical tools that audiences can apply immediately.
Declan speaks on topics including:
• Adaptive Resilience & Mental Fitness • Workplace Happiness & Psychological Safety • The 7 Cs of Happy Employees • Leadership for Human Performance • Burnout Prevention & Sustainable Wellbeing • The Science of Happiness & Positive Psychology
Who Declan Has Worked With
Declan has been trusted by organisations including: Red Cross, TEDx, Westpac Rescue Helicopter, NSW Government, National Parks & Wildlife Service, PwC, United Nations General Assembly, and more.
Book Declan For Your Event
Watch my TEDx Talk ↗
Happiness is a concept which means different things to different people, but what is "happiness" and how do we obtain it? This talk explores the notion of happiness, what it means, how we come by it and how across the world, happiness means different things. Declan Edwards is a happiness researcher, keynote speaker and author. He is an avid believer in the potential of people and has devoted his time, effort and business to equipping people with the strategies to manage their emotions and master their mindset.
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