Tasha Golden

Dr. Tasha Golden is a behavioral scientist and internationally recognized keynote speaker who helps leaders and organizations develop their capacity to question inherited assumptions, navigate uncertainty, and build cultures where both people and performance thrive.

Named one of Fierce Pharma’s “Fierce 50” in Healthcare Innovation, Dr. Golden brings a rare and compelling combination of scientific rigor and creative insight to the stage. She was the first Director of Research at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine’s International Arts + Mind Lab, and has worked with Fortune 10 organizations including Google on questions of workplace innovation, culture, and wellbeing.

Dr. Golden’s perspective is shaped by lived experience as well as research. After years touring internationally as a singer-songwriter with the band Ellery—with music featured on Netflix, Showtime, FOX, and ABC—career-ending burnout forced her to ask fundamental questions about how success, creativity, and wellbeing actually work—and why organizations get these relationships so wrong. Rather than simply recovering, she earned a PhD to study these dynamics—developing frameworks now used by leaders across sectors to navigate uncertainty, prevent burnout, and expand what they believe is possible.

A sought-after speaker for audiences ranging from SXSW, POLITICO, and the U.S. Conference of Mayors to the Mayo Clinic, state agencies, and major corporations, Dr. Golden is known for keynotes that blend cutting-edge science, compelling storytelling, and practical tools that audiences can use immediately. Her work invites leaders to move from optimization to transformative change: questioning old narratives, reimagining what’s possible, and designing cultures where people—and performance—can thrive.

Dr. Golden is also a regular contributor to Psychology Today, a frequent guest on top-rated podcasts in business, leadership, and creativity, and has been featured in outlets including The Guardian, SELF Magazine, NPQ, and the CBC. She is the lead author of Arts on Prescription: A Field Guide for U.S. Communities and founder of “How We Human”: a training in mental health and trauma-informed practice designed for creative professionals.

IDEAL FOR ORGANIZATIONS SEEKING:

• Fresh, evidence-based perspectives on innovation and change
• Support to question inherited narratives and expand what they believe is possible
• Help navigating uncertainty without defaulting to control
• Culture change that actually sticks (not one-off inspiration)
• Burnout prevention through rethinking systems (not just more resilience training)
• Practical frameworks for creativity, wellbeing, and performance

WHAT MAKES DR. GOLDEN UNIQUE:

Dr. Golden doesn’t just study creativity and wellbeing; she has lived both sides of the equation. From international touring musician to research leader, she brings organizations frameworks that are both scientifically rigorous and deeply human. Her work moves beyond surface-level wellness or generic innovation talk, helping leaders understand how humans actually function—and how that understanding can drive smarter decisions, healthier cultures, and meaningful growth.