Meet the Team at Digital Wellness Institute

Dr. Bobo Blankson

A Harvard and Yale alumnus, Dr. Kwabena “Bobo” Blankson is a renowned authority on Positive Medicine. Serving 13 years in the military, he specialized in Adolescent Medicine. He later joined Girls to Women Health & Wellness in Dallas, guiding teens and their families in cultivating a healthy digital culture. Featured in leading media outlets like The New York Times and Forbes, he co-founded Gamer Wellness and is a board member of The Athlete Foundry.

Steven Michael Crane

Steven Michael Crane is a distinguished Research Scholar at Stanford University, affiliated with the Boundaries of Humanity Project and the Behavior Design Lab. He obtained his BA in Human Biology and MS in Community Health from Stanford. Steven delves into topics from biology and psychology to biotechnological ethics. He's recognized for his research on human behavior, especially concerning screen time, and its broader implications on public health.

Dr. Shaunelle Curry

Dr. Shaunelle Curry, CEO of Media Done Responsibly, champions socially responsible media. As an Adjunct Professor of TV, Film, and Media Studies at California State University, LA, she also holds the role of Director of Diversity at the Digital Wellness Collective. An accomplished author and playwright, Curry is a founding member of the Black Women Leaders of LA Coalition. She passionately trains college mentors, emphasizing the importance of media literacy for younger generations.

Dr. Carl Marci

Physician, scientist, and entrepreneur, Dr. Carl Marci is the author of "Rewired: Protecting Your Brain in the Digital Age." Currently, he’s the Chief Psychiatrist at OM1 in Boston and holds a part-time professorship at Harvard Medical School. A Columbia, Oxford, and Harvard alumnus, Dr. Marci’s extensive research in neuroscience has led to several patents and prominent lectures worldwide.

Dr. Gloria Mark

Gloria Mark is the Chancellor’s Professor of Informatics at the University of California, Irvine, and author of Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness and Productivity. Earning her PhD from Columbia University, she explores digital media's influence on behavior, emphasizing multitasking and mood dynamics. With over 200 articles, Dr. Mark was honored by the ACM SIGCHI Academy in 2017 and frequently presents her findings at major events, such as SXSW.

Dr. Adrian Meier

Adrian Meier is an Assistant Professor for Communication Science at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg. In 2020, he earned his Dr. phil. from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, focusing on social media's impact on happiness. His current research delves into the role of social media in work and home life balance, especially in remote work scenarios. His noteworthy contributions to communication and media psychology have earned multiple academic recognitions.

Dr. Omneya Omar

With over 15 years of experience across UAE, Egypt, Kuwait, and KSA, Dr. Omneya Omar is a distinguished Well-being Facilitator and Consultant. She has a Ph.D. in Educational Research from Lancaster University, UK, and is a Certified Happiness Life Coach. Passionate about societal well-being, her research focuses on Happiness Science in the Business and Education sectors. Dr. Omar was instrumental in the early phases of the UAE Happiness and Wellbeing National Program in 2016.

Dr. Lena Song

Assistant Professor Lena Song, based at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, is a notable figure in Economics with a keen focus on media and information technologies, especially their implications on diversity and inequality. Her innovative research often involves meticulous data collection methods, like archival research and field experiments. A scholar with global credentials, Song holds an MPhil from the University of Oxford and a PhD from New York University.

Dr. Amanda Third

Associate Professor Amanda Third, from the University of Western Sydney, explores young people’s technological interactions. As the Principal Research Fellow in Digital Social and Cultural Research, her focus rests on technology's socio-cultural dimensions. Since 2010, she's helmed the "Connected and Creative" Research Program, collaborating with over 75 partners to enhance youth mental health and well-being through technology.