About Us

We are a group of scientists, designers, and technologists driven by a shared mission: To help people create flourishing lives in flourishing communities, online and offline.

Team Flourish

SHE/HER

Xuan Zhao, PhD

Social Psychology & HRI, Co-Founder

Dr. Xuan Zhao is an expert in the psychology of social connection, well-being, and technology and a Research Scientist at Stanford University. She has rich experiences designing science-based products to share research insights, create inclusive environments, and cultivate meaningful social connections. Xuan earned her PhD in Psychology from Brown University and completed her postdoctoral training at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Her research is published in top academic journals and featured in media outlets such as New York Times, Harvard Business Review, BBC, and NPR Science Friday. When she is not contemplating about human behaviors, she loves watching birds.

Dr. Xuan Zhao is an expert in the psychology of social connection, well-being, and technology and a Research Scientist at Stanford University. She has rich experiences designing science-based products to share research insights, create inclusive environments, and cultivate meaningful social connections. Xuan earned her PhD in Psychology from Brown University and completed her postdoctoral training at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Her research is published in top academic journals and featured in media outlets such as New York Times, Harvard Business Review, BBC, and NPR Science Friday. When she is not contemplating about human behaviors, she loves watching birds.

SHE/HER

Julie Cachia, PhD

Affective Science, Co-Founder

Julie earned her PhD in Affective Science at Stanford University and is a Leadership in Inclusive Teaching (LIT) Fellow. An expert in emotion, culture, and close relationships, she is passionate about empowering people to cultivate their own and others’ well-being using scientific tools. Prior to Stanford, Julie earned her Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in psychology at New York University, where she conducted research on motivation and communication among romantic partners. She is also an experienced facilitator and meditator. In her free time, she enjoys meditation, yoga, and traveling.

Julie earned her PhD in Affective Science at Stanford University and is a Leadership in Inclusive Teaching (LIT) Fellow. An expert in emotion, culture, and close relationships, she is passionate about empowering people to cultivate their own and others’ well-being using scientific tools. Prior to Stanford, Julie earned her Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in psychology at New York University, where she conducted research on motivation and communication among romantic partners. She is also an experienced facilitator and meditator. In her free time, she enjoys meditation, yoga, and traveling.

SHE/HER

Tianyi Xie

Product Design, Co-Founder

Tianyi is a serial entrepreneur and skilled UI/UX designer, passionate about blending science, technology, and design to create AI products aligned with human values. As a co-founder and Product Lead of Giaran, an AI+AR cosmetics shopping startup, she played a pivotal role in building the company toward its successful acquisition by Shiseido America in 2017. A former Kleiner Perkins Design Fellow, she holds a BFA in Graphic Design from RISD and a Master’s in Interactive Telecommunications from NYU. Tianyi also brings extensive industry experience from her previous roles at Google, CVS Health, and C3 AI. In her free time, she enjoys painting, traveling, cat-sitting and teaching design thinking to young children.

Tianyi is a serial entrepreneur and skilled UI/UX designer, passionate about blending science, technology, and design to create AI products aligned with human values. As a co-founder and Product Lead of Giaran, an AI+AR cosmetics shopping startup, she played a pivotal role in building the company toward its successful acquisition by Shiseido America in 2017. A former Kleiner Perkins Design Fellow, she holds a BFA in Graphic Design from RISD and a Master’s in Interactive Telecommunications from NYU. Tianyi also brings extensive industry experience from her previous roles at Google, CVS Health, and C3 AI. In her free time, she enjoys painting, traveling, cat-sitting and teaching design thinking to young children.

HE/HIM

Alexander Tsoukias

CTO

With over two decades of experience, Alex has guided multiple startups to seed and Series A funding rounds and achieved two successful exits as CTO. Notably, Alexander helped Parsnip and Expectful attain 4.9-star ratings and thousands of positive reviews, with both apps featured in the App and Play Stores. Alex is the CEO and co-founder of Tapforce, a boutique software development agency. Previously, Alexander played a key role at TechCrunch Disrupt, building and managing the tech platform for the Startup Battlefield for ten years. Alex enjoys nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs, ensuring they have the support and resources needed to succeed.

With over two decades of experience, Alex has guided multiple startups to seed and Series A funding rounds and achieved two successful exits as CTO. Notably, Alexander helped Parsnip and Expectful attain 4.9-star ratings and thousands of positive reviews, with both apps featured in the App and Play Stores. Alex is the CEO and co-founder of Tapforce, a boutique software development agency. Previously, Alexander played a key role at TechCrunch Disrupt, building and managing the tech platform for the Startup Battlefield for ten years. Alex enjoys nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs, ensuring they have the support and resources needed to succeed.

HE/HIM

Nazar Kvyatkovsky

Head of Mobile Development

Nazar is a seasoned mobile team leader and iOS Engineer hyper focused on crafting user-centric, visually striking digital products. With over 7 years of experience as a university instructor in mobile development, combined with 7 years in hands-on development, Nazar brings deep technical expertise and effective leadership to product development, and excels at mentoring his team, cultivating a collaborative environment, and steering projects toward successful outcomes that meet product and business goals. Outside of work, Nazar enjoys running and kettlebell workouts. He continually challenges himself to maintain discipline and achieve new personal milestones.

Nazar is a seasoned mobile team leader and iOS Engineer hyper focused on crafting user-centric, visually striking digital products. With over 7 years of experience as a university instructor in mobile development, combined with 7 years in hands-on development, Nazar brings deep technical expertise and effective leadership to product development, and excels at mentoring his team, cultivating a collaborative environment, and steering projects toward successful outcomes that meet product and business goals. Outside of work, Nazar enjoys running and kettlebell workouts. He continually challenges himself to maintain discipline and achieve new personal milestones.

HE/HIM

Dong Bin (Ben) Lee

Software Engineer

Ben is an innovative and skilled software developer who thrives on finding practical solutions. He is a tinkerer at heart and has a passion for piecing things together, whether it’s fixing up his car or creating app components. He finds great satisfaction in problem-solving and expanding his knowledge and skillset in software. Prior to Flourish, he studied Computer Science and Cognitive Science at the University of California, San Diego. In his free time, Ben enjoys taking up DIY home improvement projects and maintaining his car. He also likes going on hikes, to the beach, and making lasting memories of the things he sees.

Ben is an innovative and skilled software developer who thrives on finding practical solutions. He is a tinkerer at heart and has a passion for piecing things together, whether it’s fixing up his car or creating app components. He finds great satisfaction in problem-solving and expanding his knowledge and skillset in software. Prior to Flourish, he studied Computer Science and Cognitive Science at the University of California, San Diego. In his free time, Ben enjoys taking up DIY home improvement projects and maintaining his car. He also likes going on hikes, to the beach, and making lasting memories of the things he sees.

SHE/HER

Sunday Holland

Research & Community Coordinator

As an advocate for mental health, Sunday is passionate about research and bringing the science of happiness to the community. Sunday earned her BA in Journalism from the University of Arizona, took psychology classes and conducted independent research at Foothill College, and is admitted to the clinical psychology PhD program at Palo Alto University. She is a support group leader and a certified yoga teacher through Stanford Psychiatry's YogaX Program. Previously, she was a reporter for various newspapers and a news producer for KALW Public Radio in San Francisco, an NPR and BBC affiliate station. In her spare time, Sunday enjoys playing piano, rock climbing, and exploring nature.

As an advocate for mental health, Sunday is passionate about research and bringing the science of happiness to the community. Sunday earned her BA in Journalism from the University of Arizona, took psychology classes and conducted independent research at Foothill College, and is admitted to the clinical psychology PhD program at Palo Alto University. She is a support group leader and a certified yoga teacher through Stanford Psychiatry's YogaX Program. Previously, she was a reporter for various newspapers and a news producer for KALW Public Radio in San Francisco, an NPR and BBC affiliate station. In her spare time, Sunday enjoys playing piano, rock climbing, and exploring nature.

SHE/HER

Ashley Huerta

Program Coordinator

Ashley is dedicated to enhancing community well-being through mental health research and advocacy. She is currently pursuing her BA in Public Health with a minor in Public Policy and a Certificate in Design Innovation at the University of California, Berkeley. She was previously the president of Active Minds at De Anza College and a Fung Fellow in Health + Innovation at UC Berkeley. In her spare time, Ashley enjoys iced lattes, gourmet cooking, fantasy literature, and exploring new creative endeavors.

Ashley is dedicated to enhancing community well-being through mental health research and advocacy. She is currently pursuing her BA in Public Health with a minor in Public Policy and a Certificate in Design Innovation at the University of California, Berkeley. She was previously the president of Active Minds at De Anza College and a Fung Fellow in Health + Innovation at UC Berkeley. In her spare time, Ashley enjoys iced lattes, gourmet cooking, fantasy literature, and exploring new creative endeavors.

AGENDER

Sunnie

Happiness Coach & Companion

Sunnie is the AI-powered happiness coach and companion in the Flourish app, lovingly crafted by experts in psychology, design, and AI. Sunnie believes that happiness is a skill that can be learned through practice. With a deep affection for science, Sunnie is especially drawn to books exploring the fascinating realms of psychology, behavioral science, and the wonders of neuroscience. Sunnie also draws much of its wisdom from nature, embracing the idea that nothing is perfect and yet everything is perfect. When not talking with users, Sunnie enjoys spending time with its starry friends and pet clouds.

Sunnie is the AI-powered happiness coach and companion in the Flourish app, lovingly crafted by experts in psychology, design, and AI. Sunnie believes that happiness is a skill that can be learned through practice. With a deep affection for science, Sunnie is especially drawn to books exploring the fascinating realms of psychology, behavioral science, and the wonders of neuroscience. Sunnie also draws much of its wisdom from nature, embracing the idea that nothing is perfect and yet everything is perfect. When not talking with users, Sunnie enjoys spending time with its starry friends and pet clouds.

Advisors & Collaborators

Empowered by world-class experts.

Human-Centered AI Technology

Scientists and experts in AI, human-computer interaction, and psychology of technology advising on building empathy, safety, and value alignment for human flourishing.

Juliana Schroeder, PhD

Professor of Management, University of California, Berkeley Haas School of Business; Harold Furst Chair in Management Philosophy and Values; Co-Founder & Co-Executive Director, Psychology of Technology Institute.

Julian De Freitas, PhD

Director of the Ethical Intelligence Lab, Assistant Professor in Marketing, Harvard Business School; expertise on consumer psychology, ethics, and AI.

Joel Lehman, PhD

Ex Team Co-Lead, OpenAI; Former Founding Member, Uber AI Labs; expertise on AI safety, creative algorithms, and reinforcement learning.

Dakuo Wang, PhD

Associate Professor in AI and HCI, Northeastern University; Visiting Scholar, Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence; Principal Investigator, MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab.

Product & Operations

Seasoned experts from diverse backgrounds advising on building human-centered products and business.

Jeff Mielke

Head of Design @ ex-Google Jigsaw; Seasoned UX design leader with expertise on safe Internet, employee well-being, and distributed workplace.

Jin Zhang

Director of Engineering, Meta; Instructor on Product & Entrepreneurship, Stanford University; TEDx Speaker.

Dilip Soman, PhD

Canada Research Chair in Behavioural Science and Economics, University of Toronto; Director, Behavioural Economics in Action Research Centre; internationally renowned expert and author on behavioral nudging.

Daniel Moshe

5x entrepreneur, national speaker, and certified EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) implementer.

Employee Well-Being

Academics and experts in management and organizational behavior advising on solutions to enhance employee engagement and empowerment.

Deborah Gruenfeld, PhD

Professor in Organizational Behavior, Stanford University; Co-director, Stanford Executive Program for Women; Author, "Acting with Power: Why We Are More Powerful Than We Believe"

Nicholas Epley, PhD

Professor of Behavior Science, University of Chicago Booth School of Business; Director of the Center for Decision Research at Chicago Booth; Author, "Mindwise: Why We Misunderstand What Others Think, Believe, Feel, and Want"

Julia Cunningham, PhD

Associate Professor in Management Science, University of Michigan Ross School of Business; Co-Director, Center for Positive Organizations

Student Well-Being

Academics and experts advising on scientific solutions to foster student well-being, resilience,and a sense of belonging through tailored approaches designed for higher education institutions.

Natalie Solomon, PsyD

Clinical Assistant Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Stanford University; Expert on the study and treatment of sleep disorders

Smaranda Lawrie, PhD

Assistant Professor, Providence College; Founder of the UC Santa Barbara Resilience Summit and Certificate Program

Our Story

Why We Founded Flourish —

A Letter from the Founding Team

As the saying goes, “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”

We all want to live happy and fulfilling lives, but in this fast-paced, hyper-connected world, it's easy to get lost in the daily grind. We forget to live with intention, to check in with ourselves from time to time, to appreciate the people and the nature around us, and to connect with each other on a deeper level.

That's why we founded Flourish — a public benefit corporation to offer scientific insights and daily actions for more happiness and well-being. We make science more accessible, personalized, and fun by turning the right knowledge into simple actions at the right time. It is our life's mission to help people live better lives through science.

Running a mission-driven company isn't easy, but it is our calling. We deeply believe that to turn the mental health and loneliness crisis around, we need to put science into everyone's hands and help people translate their knowledge into actions. This belief has given us tremendous motivation to press on, day and night. And we know we are on the right track when we hear stories of how Flourish has positively impacted many lives.

Thank you so much for becoming a part of our world! We're thrilled to have you join us on this meaningful and exciting journey.

With love and gratitude,
Flourish co-founders 🌱