Most Likely to Make People Happy: Dr. Laurie Santos, psychology professor & podcaster

Her class at Yale is the most popular in university history. Her podcast The Happiness Lab is one of the most listened-to in the world. But as a kid, Laurie Santos wanted to be... a dolphin trainer?! In this chat with Janelle, Laurie shares her experience growing up mixed-race in Massachusetts and offers real, science-based strategies to help you become a happier human.

(Also covered: that time a bunch of monkeys stole all of her eggplants in Puerto Rico — and the surprising thing it reveals about behavior.)

You can take Dr. Santos' free, remote class "The Science of Well-Being for Teens" on Coursera: https://www.coursera.org/learn/the-science-of-well-being-for-teens

Most Likely To, a podcast by DonorsChoose is sponsored by KPMG. To learn more about the show, visit: https://www.donorschoose.org/podcast

Mentioned in this episode:

KPMG, People Make the Difference

At KPMG, people make the difference. Their dedication to purpose-driven initiatives and technology enablement helps them attract top talent, benefiting their clients and communities. Empowering careers. Enabling progress. Expanding opportunities. It’s how they make the difference every day.

KPMG, People Make the Difference (2025)