Brene Brown, PHD

Dr. Brené Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston, where she holds the Huffington Foundation Endowed Chair at the Graduate College of Social Work. She is also a visiting professor in management at the University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business. Brown has spent two decades studying courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy, becoming a pioneer in the field of social-emotional research. Her groundbreaking work gained international recognition following her 2010 TEDx talk, "The Power of Vulnerability," which is one of the most viewed TED talks in the world.

Brown is the author of six #1 New York Times bestsellers, including "The Gifts of Imperfection," "Daring Greatly," and "Atlas of the Heart." Her books have been translated into more than 30 languages. Brown is also the first researcher to have a filmed lecture on Netflix with "The Call to Courage" and hosts two hit podcasts, "Unlocking Us" and "Dare to Lead." Her work has been featured on PBS, NPR, CNN, and in The New York Times and The Washington Post.

A proud Texan, Brown lives in Houston with her husband, Steve. They have two children, Ellen and Charlie.