As happiness experts John Helliwell and Mark D. Holder discuss their findings in the field of happiness research, the series’ cast is introduced. Marty Ahad, Marilyn Rushton, Judy Graves, Shahram Vahdany, June B. Wilde, Tom Cooper, Tina Swan, Gail Sparrow, Joe Foy and Leonora Gregory-Collura have all found happiness despite their various struggles. Their stories will unfold in the following episodes.

JOHN HELLIWELL

John Helliwell is an economist at the University of British Columbia who believes in the importance of promoting universal happiness. John was recently requested to help put together a “World Happiness Report” for an important UN meeting that took place April 2, 2012, in New York. The report was to help the United Nations measure and improve global happiness levels.

MARK D. HOLDER

Dr. Holder, an award winning teacher and researcher, is an Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia, Okanagan, where he studies the science of happiness. Dr. Holder earned his Ph.D. at the University of California at Berkeley and has spent a research sabbatical at the University of Hawaii swimming with dolphins in studies of their language and creativity. He now leads a research team that is identifying factors that contribute to happiness in children. His team is also investigating strategies to enhance happiness in adults.