Ilona Boniwell is a Principal Lecturer in Positive Psychology at the University of East London, UK and the Programme Leader for the first Masters Degree in Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) in Europe. She also instructs on the Executive Certificate in Positive Leadership at l'Ecole Centrale Paris and carries out research in collaboration with the Higher School of Economics, Moscow. Her research and applied interests include: psychology of time, resilience, eudaimonic well-being and applications of positive psychology to leadership, coaching and education. Ilona received her PhD from the Open University. Prior to joining UEL, she worked at Oxford Brookes and City Universities.
Dr Boniwell founded the European Network of Positive Psychology, organised the first European Congress of Positive Psychology (June 2002, Winchester) and was the first vice-chair of the International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA), currently serving as its board member.
Amanda Conley Ayers holds a Master's Degree from the University of Pennsylvania's Positive Psychology (MAPP) program where she investigated positive psychology and meaning in life under the direction of Dr. Martin Seligman. For 5 years she has been a researcher with Evidence Based Psychology, a leadership development and management consultancy focused on providing strategic advice in the areas of positive leadership development and people practices. In this role she researched the underpinnings and impact of emotional skills, employee engagement, resilience, coaching, and leadership on individual and organizational excellence. Prior to joining the Evidence Based Psychology team, she was a researcher at the Massachusetts General Hospital, in Boston, USA.