For our 50th episode of the Our Stories Podcast we welcomed Dr. Jennifer Mascaro who leads our research efforts within the HMO Wellness Program. Dr. Mascaro is Associate Professor in Family and Preventive Medicine with Emory University School of Medicine. As a biological and medical anthropologist her areas of research are integrative mind/body approaches to bolster social connection and wellbeing. In this interview, Dr. Mascaro shares about her childhood as an introvert looking to understand the ways people engage with compassion and ease, which drew her into exploring social connective elements as an anthropologist. Before graduate school Dr. Mascaro played soccer on the US National Women’s Team, and this experience, along with many years of having wonderful teams and coaches from her childhood, taught her about the benefits of social and emotional safety within a team as a predictor of health and success. Dr. Mascaro seeks to support the research and implementation of programs that create safety and compassion within the healthcare environment. In this interview she offers many wonderful perspectives about the science of well-being. Please take a listen!