About SkillfulMeans:
SkillfulMeans is mental fitness — like going to the gym, but for your team's mental health. We build the skills that prevent burnout before it ever becomes a claim.
Our approach
SkillfulMeans was founded on a simple but powerful principle rooted in founder Dr. William Jackson's postdoctoral research: a team's emotional intelligence (EQ) is one of the strongest predictors of how well it performs, collaborates, and sustains its well-being.Â
When William transitioned from clinical practice into the corporate world, he saw a challenge that traditional workplace wellness programs weren't solving.
Professionals and leaders across professional services firms (tech, biotech, financial, legal, marketing ect), healthcare and behavioral health organizations, and remote and hybrid workforces were quietly struggling with burnout, chronic stress, and the relentless demands of modern work. Yet most wellness initiatives relied on isolated perks and one-time experiences that offered temporary relief without creating meaningful behavioral or cultural change.
William founded SkillfulMeans to change that.
He believes organizations need more than wellness benefits—they need a sustainable mental fitness strategy. Just as employees go to the gym to strengthen their physical health, SkillfulMeans programs train teams in mental fitness which strengthen the mental and emotional skills that drive performance, resilience, and leadership.
By combining neuroscience, psychology, mindfulness, and practical leadership development, we give employees the tools to regulate stress, communicate with clarity, build stronger relationships, and perform at their best—not just during moments of crisis, but every day.
Our Mission
SkillfulMeans helps organizations build lasting mental fitness — training teams to manage stress, lead with emotional intelligence, and perform at their best without burning out.
Our Team
William Jackson
Founder & CEO
Dr. William Jackson, Psy.D., brings a rare combination of clinical psychology, neuroscience research, contemplative practice, and real-world leadership development to the corporate wellness space. As a Clinical Health Psychologist and former Buddhist monk, he has spent more than two decades studying how the mind, body, and nervous system influence resilience, performance, and well-being.
His journey began long before earning his doctorate. At 22, William became a Buddhist monk, immersing himself in mindfulness and contemplative practice to better understand the human mind. He later returned to academia to answer a deeper question: not simply whether these practices improve our lives, but why they create lasting change.
That pursuit led him to conduct meditation research with the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research in Frankfurt and the Greene Moral Cognition Lab at Harvard. He earned his Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) in 2016 and continued his postdoctoral training through research at the Massachusetts General Hospital Pain Clinic and clinical work and research at the Tufts Craniofacial Pain Center, where he studied the relationship between chronic stress, pain, nervous system regulation, and human performance.
Across every stage of his career, one insight became increasingly clear: when people learn to regulate their nervous system, they become more resilient, communicate more effectively, make better decisions, and perform at a higher level. He also discovered that these skills are most effective when they're developed together—as teams and organizations—not just as individuals.
Those discoveries became the foundation of SkillfulMeans.
Heather Wise
Director of Strategic Partnerships & Growth
Heather Wise, MPH, HHC partners with HR leaders, brokers, and executive teams to strengthen workplace culture through mental fitness, emotional intelligence, leadership development, and employee wellbeing initiatives.
She brings over 10 years of corporate experience and 15 years in the health and wellness industry, with previous roles at Cigna, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Vitality Group, and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
Heather is passionate about helping organizations create healthier, more resilient, and more connected teams through people-first strategies that support both wellbeing and performance.
Amy Koop
Leadership EQ Workshop Leader
Amy Koop is a Co-Active Trained Coach with over 20 years of experience in the corporate world as a marketing executive and team leader, and 40+ years as an athlete, sister, daughter, and friend. From her experience as an executive, she understands what it takes to build a career for impact and create time to stay centered and balanced. As an athlete participating in marathons and triathlons, she has learned how to set and achieve goals and change habits.
Amy's holistic approach blends her corporate experience with her athletic mindset to help individuals achieve balance and success in both personal and professional spheres. She emphasizes the importance of Mindset Decisions and Intentional Life Design. Amy's coaching sessions empower individuals to make conscious choices that align with their true values and aspirations, fostering sustainable growth and fulfillment.
Her passion is supporting individuals to unlock their full potential.
Kristin Whiting Davis
Co-developer of SkillfulMeans curriculum
Kristin Whiting-Davis is a presenter and co-developer of SkillfulMeans curriculum. She is also a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with over 25 years of experience in behavioral health. Holding a Master of Social Work, she founded KWD Wellness, where she specializes in trauma-informed care, grief, and burnout, particularly for caregivers and healthcare professionals. She also serves as a behavioral health service operations manager for Kaiser Permanente.
Her person-centered approach integrates evidence-based methods like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). She is a Certified Workplace Mindfulness Facilitator trained in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR).
Shrimi Nadan
Business Development
Shrimi Nandan blends her background in marketing and strategy with her passion for holistic well-being to support SkillfulMeans’ mission of bringing emotional intelligence and mental fitness to organizations. With experience in marketing and strategic partnerships, she focuses on expanding the reach of SkillfulMeans programs and cultivating meaningful collaborations that drive impact.
Before joining SkillfulMeans, Shrimi worked in strategy and analytics within the healthcare technology sector. She later founded her own wellness business, guiding individuals through mindfulness and nervous-system-regulation practices to foster clarity, balance, and self-leadership.
Her approach bridges analytical insight with authentic connection, helping bring SkillfulMeans’ message of sustainable well-being to a broader audience.