Our Story
In 2014, still reeling from the tragedy of the Sandy Hook shooting, school communities across the United States asked a quiet, urgent question: How do we heal—together? From that mud, a seed was planted—one that would soon ripple around the world. Dr. Daniel Cordaro, then Director of Wellbeing at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, embarked on a journey to co-create a wellbeing curriculum rooted in universal human wisdom and positive psychology.
What began as an offering of support quickly revealed itself to be something much greater—within months, the curriculum sparked profound transformations, echoing through classrooms, hallways, and homes.
As the momentum grew, so did the call to share this work more widely. In 2016, the Contentment Foundation was born—a community of educators, researchers, and kindred spirits dedicated to weaving wellbeing into the fabric of school life. Over the years, this offering has reached over 180 school communities across 9 countries, training 7,500 educators, supporting 75,000 students, and touching the lives of approximately 249,000 families.
At the heart of this work is a simple aspiration: wellbeing for all. Through the Four Pillars of Wellbeing for Schools, we share timeless practices in a way that honors local wisdom and deepens human connection. With each school that embraces this journey, we witness the quiet power of transformation—a reminder that true change begins within, and its ripples extend far beyond what we can see.
Meet The Team
Board of Directors
Circle of Alumni
Our work has been enriched by those who have walked this journey with us. Our former team members continue to serve the world, carrying the spirit of contentment into new spaces. We honor their service, knowing the seeds they’ve sown will keep rippling outward, inspiring generations to come.
✦ Daniel Cordaro, Ph.D. ✦ Marcia Goddard, Ph.D. ✦ Kristin Pittman ✦ Andrea Ings ✦ Petra Schneider ✦ Ronald Elson, M.D. ✦ Anne Espiritu ✦ Asheena Baez, Ph.D. ✦ Christian Kjeldsen ✦ Christina Bradley ✦ Franklyn Zhu ✦ Kelli Love-Yuan ✦ Lauren Glass, M.A. ✦ Marla Vildostegui ✦ Rachel Jing Han, Ph.D. ✦ Kathryn Lee, M.A. ✦ Yang Bai, Ph.D. ✦ Matt Melnick ✦ Sophia Koehler-Berkley ✦ Veronica Bottalico ✦ Hanna Atwood ✦ Samantha Borosh ✦ Mike Johnson ✦ Matthew Scott ✦ Victoria Prado ✦ Dorji Wangchuk, Ph.D. ✦ Dipesh Bhardwaj
Our Global Partners Help Serve School Globally
Policy