Christine Whelan

Dr. Christine B. Whelan is a professor, author, keynote speaker, and nationally recognized thought leader on the quest for happiness and well-being.

Whelan is on a quest to translate and instrumentalize cutting-edge academic research to positively impact the lives of as many people as possible. In her research and teaching, she lives out Seneca’s hope that it is “not for school but for life we learn.” She is the author of four books, including 2016's "The Big Picture: A Guide to Finding Your Purpose in Life."

As a clinical professor in the School of Human Ecology at the UW – Madison, Whelan teaches popular classes on the intersection of money and happiness. She’s the director of MORE: Money, Relationships and Equality.

Whelan earned a masters and doctorate from the University of Oxford and has held teaching positions at the University of Pittsburgh, the University of Iowa, and Princeton University. She has been published in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and The New York Times, among other national outlets. She has appeared live on television programs and radio programs across the nation.

Whelan has helped groups like the DeBruce Foundation, AARP’s Life Reimagined, Jackson National, and Hackensack-Meridian Health develop purpose-focused approaches to health, finances, and self-improvement strategies for life’s transitions. She is on the board of SEEK Safely, and an outspoken advocate for the dissemination of research-based advice.

Whelan graduated magna cum laude from Princeton University, where she was Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Princetonian and was awarded the Daniel M. Sachs Scholarship to attend Worcester College at the University of Oxford. She and her family live and work in Madison, Wisconsin.