Madelaine VanDerHeyden

Senior Marketing and Storytelling Manager at The Wellbeing Project

Paris, France

Connect with Madelaine VanDerHeyden on social media :

Madelaine is a skilled marketing and communications professional passionate about using storytelling to encourage community in our pursuit of social change and sustainability. From a family of artists, musicians, and writers, Madelaine’s love for storytelling is deeply personal; as a conscious citizen and yogi, her passion for human unity is as well.

Madelaine’s connection with The Wellbeing Project started in 2020 after her year spent abroad in Auroville, India, where she researched compassionate communication in sustainability and social change organizations. Curious about the inner, affective experience of communication and development, she found the Project and its motto, ‘wellbeing inspires welldoing’, which spoke deeply to her research and personal experiences. Today, she is thrilled to be reunited with the Project and join the Storytelling Team.

In her career communicating across a variety of media — including broadcast television, print journalism, and digital channels — Madelaine brings a dynamic approach to storytelling which allows her to effectively engage diverse audiences ranging from women’s self-help groups in rural India to international corporations to the United Nations Climate Change Conference.

She has a Masters of Arts in Global Communications from the American University of Paris, and a Bachelors of Art in English and International Affairs from the University of Washington.

In her free time, Madelaine can be found practicing (and teaching) yoga, reading, hiking, leisurely walking the streets of Paris, and FaceTiming with her family and dog back home in sunny southern California.

What does inner wellbeing mean to you?
Peace.

How would you define wellbeing in one word?
Blossoming.

Are there any rituals or practices you use to enhance your wellbeing?
Joyful movement, intuitive eating, getting a full night’s sleep, therapy, mindful walking, and artistic creation.

Why is it important that we prioritize individual, organizational and societal wellbeing?Wellbeing, to me, is the root of all peaceful experiences on this earth. It brings us back to our roots to help us truly know who we are, how to live in community with others, and see what type of world we want to live in. With wellbeing in our minds and hearts, we can awaken from the dream of human unity and live in real harmony with each other and Mother Earth.

Valeria Peredo Figini

People & Culture Lead at The Wellbeing Project

Spain

Connect with VALERIA PEREDO FIGINI on social media :

Valeria has developed her professional career in the HR field. She has played different roles as HRBP, expert in training, talent management, leadership development, culture, well-being and employee experience in different companies for more than 15 years. Since 2017 she has the accreditation of the International Coaching Federation (ACC) and the Coactive Coactive and HR Agile certifications (CPCC – ICP-AHR).

Since 2018 she has been working as a Senior consultant on internal communication projects, employee engagement, cultural transformation and leadership, executive and team coaching, collaborating with different talent development firms. Since 2018 , she is also a volunteer at PWN Madrid, a profesional women network association. She is the Academic Director of The Human and Digital leadership program. In adition to this role, she also performs as responsible for the anual individual coaching program for executive women organised pro-bono together with UNED ( Spain National at a distance University) and Green Light GO ( CTI Spain).

Since novemeber 2022 she is People & Culture Lead for The Wellbeing Project. She firmly believes that in order to better adapt to the rapidly changing world we live in,
it is important to learn how to keep ourselves and our work environment psychologically safe. She is focused on helping people, leaders and teams to grow and flourish in environments of healthy and sustainable relationships.

What does inner wellbeing mean to you?
Inner wellbeing is the constant practice of all the activities that help us feel healthy, at peace of mind and full of energy. Each of us need to go through the journey to discover what are those specific initiatives that care and nourish our physical, mental , emotional and spiritual health.

How would you define wellbeing in one word?
Living at your full potential.

Are there any rituals or practices you use to enhance your wellbeing?
I practice yoga, I meditate and take care as much as I can of muy closest relationships.

Why is it important that we prioritize individual, organizational and societal wellbeing?
We live in a complex world. We frequently forget we are human and we are nature. We are not a piece of machinery that functions non stop. We need to take care of our bodies, minds, heart and environment as well as our relationships. Health is not only physical but being in a state to be able to relate to others and contribute from our talents and strengths.

Do you have any favorite books, podcasts, or articles that you believe support, promote or educate on wellbeing and related themes?

Thrive Global. 

University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX (Southern Sector – Oak Cliff Community)
United States.

The University of North Texas at Dallas (UNTD) is the only public, accredited 4-year university in the city of Dallas, serving the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. UNTD is classified as a Hispanic-serving institution and has served as a pathway to social mobility since its establishment in 2010. UNTD is a collaborative, partnerships-focused institution that also serves under-resourced areas in North Texas. The University of North Texas at Dallas is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral degrees.

Website

Global Grassroots

New Hampshire, United States.

Field of Action: Social change. Women’s Justice. Ecological Belonging.

Ecosystem Network

Since 2006, Global Grassroots has trained more than 700 emerging change agents across East Africa who have designed nearly 200 civil society organizations reaching 198,000 people.

Their inner-driven approach, called Conscious Social Change, results in powerful impacts on our change agents and them, in turn, upon their communities.

When applied to the water sector, this results in significant shifts in health, violence, and education indicators, recording an unprecedented sustainability rate of 96% among water ventures they have funded since 2008, which are serving nearly 78,000 people with access to clean water and hygiene supplies, a critical need during COVID-19. Women belonging to Global Grassroots groups and programs understand systemic change and use their water solutions as sustainable hubs to target a range of other priority local issues affecting women.

When women lead, communities succeed.

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Women are the fabric of society, but in impoverished areas, they lack the tools to solve local social issues.”

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Reports & Research

Women, Water & Wisdom: Mapping Ripple Effects of Conscious Social Change in
Rural Rwanda

Have you ever thought about the link between wellbeing and water?

The benefits of clean water go well beyond physical health. In communities where clean water is scarce and has to be fetched on a daily basis, its availability reduced stress and increased safety: 

“According to participants, the incidents of injury, violence, and abuse related to fetching water dropped since the new water sites launched, particularly improving the safety of women, girls, and other community members for whom the journey had been dangerous.”

Read the full report to learn more about the power of water and community-led change: 

READ REPORT

Related Posts

Silvia Haba de Merlo

Regional Summit & Network Senior Manager at The Wellbeing Project

Panama

Silvia is a deep believer in the power of community, connection, and inner growth as the paths for social transformation. She has spent over a decade working in NGOs and social enterprises, leading social and emotional learning programs for children, young adults, and change-makers. In the midst of the pandemic and experiencing [what she later came to understand as] symptoms of burnout, she understood the importance of taking care of oneself in order to keep taking care of others and promoting social impact. She founded Coimpacta, an online community for Spanish-speaking changemakers to cultivate their wellbeing and self-development by accessing international experts and peer-support spaces. You will often find her out in nature (especially the ocean), dancing or learning something new. She was born and raised in Madrid, Spain, and has lived in France, China, and Belgium before moving to Panama in 2014. She is thrilled to be a part of The Wellbeing Project movement and community. In collaboration with The Wellbeing Summit and the Networks Teams, her work enables expanding the messages and experiences of inner wellbeing for social change to a regional and local level.

What does inner wellbeing mean to you?

Feeling at peace, with yourself and with others, while striving to keep evolving and contributing.

How would you define wellbeing in one word?

Love.

Are there any rituals or practices you use to enhance your wellbeing?

Meditation, stretching, Qi gong, yoga, playing music (piano, guitar, singing), walking in nature, and spending time with loved ones. Watching sunrise and/or sunset.

Why is it important that we prioritize individual, organizational and societal wellbeing?

“We cannot practice compassion with other people if we do not treat ourselves kindly.” – Brené Brown

“Peace between countries must rest on the solid foundation of love between individuals.” – Mahatma Gandhi

Do you have any favorite books, podcasts, or articles that you believe support, promote or educate on wellbeing and related themes?

Online course: The Power of Awareness – Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach

App: Richard Davidson’s “Healthy Minds”

Book: “The Gift: 12 Lessons to Save your Life” – Edith Eger

Connect with SILVA HABA DE MERLO on social media :

Alana Chávez

Senior Manager of Digital Marketing at The Wellbeing Project

Mexico City,

Mexico

Connect with Alana Chávez on social media :

Alana Chávez is a Digital Marketing and Content professional hailing from Mexico. With over eight years of experience in the industry, Alana has honed her skills in creating compelling content and crafting effective marketing strategies for a wide range of mass consumer goods, government agencies, technology companies, fintech startups, and more.

Alana is a true storyteller at heart. She has a passion for anything that tells a story, whether it’s a captivating novel, a thought-provoking film, or a great conversation. She firmly believes that human beings connect best through stories and that storytelling is the key to creating content that resonates with audiences. This enthusiasm for storytelling is reflected in her work, where she creates content that not only informs but also entertains and engages her audience.

As the Senior Manager of Digital Marketing for the Storytelling team, Alana is dedicated to creating a captivating and inspiring narrative that motivates others to embark on their own wellbeing journey.

What does inner wellbeing mean to you?

Feeling at ease with being a work in progress.

How would you define wellbeing in one word?

Awareness.

Are there any rituals or practices you use to enhance your wellbeing?

Long walks in nature.

Why is it important that we prioritize individual, organizational and societal wellbeing?

Because well-being inspires well-doing.

Do you have any favorite books, podcasts, or articles that you believe support, promote or educate on wellbeing and related themes?

Brené Brown’s podcast “Unlocking Us” taught me everything I know about self-awareness, the key to inner wellbeing.

Matilde Siman Kim

Mental Health Specialist

Glasswing International

Miami, FL,
United States

Licensed mental health clinician with 10+ years of experience, focused on helping democratize mental health access in Latin America. Leverages clinical expertise to partner with private and public organizations to build programs. Passionate about strengthening the intersection between practice and policy. Matilde currently serves as a Mental Health Specialist for Glasswing’s Strategic Partnership team, working to align industry standards, research, and services in the mental health sector that are relevant to Glasswing’s work. At the beginning of her career, Matilde focused on Latino and migrant mental health by providing clinical psychotherapy to Spanish-speaking youth and families. Matilde holds a masters degree in Counseling Psychology from Boston College, a Foundations in Mental Health Certification from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, a Psychological First Aid Certification from John Hopkins University, and a Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Certification from the PESI Institute.

Connect with Matilde Siman Kim on social media :

Co.act Detroit

Detroit, Michigan,
United States.

Co.act Detroit is a hub that accelerates transformative impact with nonprofit and community organizations in southeast Michigan through collaborative idea generation, cross-sector resources, and equitable access to world-class programming and learning opportunities.

Co.act Detroit is the home of the Nonprofit Wellbeing series, which celebrates the vital connection between self and community care and pushes for a culture shift around wellbeing at the organization and sector level. Through a quarterly series of workshops, activities, and conversations, we provide access to virtual resources and best practices that equip nonprofit professionals with strategies to support their teams and wellbeing.

Nonprofit mental health and wellbeing is also a frequent topic of conversation in our podcast, Natural Collisions. Past episode topics include creating cultures of wellbeing at work and the impact of the pandemic on women’s careers and the mental health of women in the nonprofit workplace.

Connect to Co.act Detroit on social media :

Website

Julia Hotz

Julia Hotz is a solutions-focused journalist currently writing THE SOCIAL PRESCRIPTION (2024), a book exploring the science and stories of social prescribing by chronicling how doctor-led interventions for nonmedical supports —like art, nature, exercise, volunteer service, conversation groups, and economic resources—are making healthcare more effective, equitable, and sustainable. Her stories have appeared in WIRED UK, The New York Times, The Boston Globe, TIME, Popular Science, Scientific American, and more. After studying sociology at the University of Cambridge, she joined the Solutions Journalism Network, where she helps other journalists and entrepreneurs do and spread rigorous, evidence-based reporting on solutions to today’s biggest problems.

Dan Morse

Dan Morse is the co-founder of Social Prescribing USA, a network of leaders working to advance the US Social Prescribing movement. His team of volunteers are coordinating a US grassroots physician movement, organizing a network of 400+ experts, and catalyzing prospective pilot studies in collaboration with professors at Harvard, Stanford, University of Michigan, reps from hospitals, Cleveland Clinic, and the NIH. Aimed to be the “public town square” of the moment, the organization is also building a free site to allow people to find social prescriptions by zip code.

Dan has spent the past decade focused on social determinants of health, from organizing place-based health interventions in Detroit to founding an award-winning health empowerment restaurant. Today, Dan is on the founding team of a new Bachelor’s degree-granting college in San Francisco, called Make School (now Dominican University). The college prepares students from disadvantaged backgrounds to get jobs at companies like Apple, Google, Tesla, and NASA. Dan has pioneered data-driven programs that address students’ social determinants of health and foster academic success. He graduated from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business with honors.