Carol Harnett

Brainstormer, Change Agent, Concerned citizen, Connector, Consultant, Idea generator, Journalist, Performer, Photographer, Scientist, Single, Writer/Editor

Carol Harnett is the president of the Council for Disability Awareness—a non-profit organization with a mission to conduct research and education that helps consumers, employers and advisors understand the importance of working adults maintaining an income stream when they need to leave the workplace due to illness, injury or life events, including the birth of a child. Carol authors the employee benefits column for Human Resource Executive and co-hosts the radio shows: CoHealth Checkup and The Financial Health and Income Network. She maintains a selective employee benefits consulting practice specializing in health care and absence and is a speaker, writer and trend spotter in the fields of general employee benefits, health and productivity management, and value-based health. Carol held key positions in the insurance industry as the Vice President and National Disability and Life Practice Leader for The Hartford and The Prudential's Director of Resources and Rehabilitation Services. She also led the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation’s industrial medicine department. Carol sits on the Board of Directors of Disabled Sports / USA. Carol received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Chemistry from St. Peter’s College and a Master of Science degree in Physiology and Biophysics from Rutgers University.

making health cool; the impact of happiness on health; telling stories; engaging audiences; getting people to see the other side of issues; communicating big picture ideas;

There is no doubt that Americans' health status is declining. I don't know if it is realistic to try to permanently change the lifestyle behaviors that are underlying most of the chronic disease conditions in the U.S...at least in the adult population. We're pretty much baked and done by the time we're 18 years old. We want to change but, at best, most people are episodically good. If this presumption is true, is there any hope? My belief that happiness may be the way to go. I don't know if I can make you any happier, but I may be able to do things that do not make you unhappier. There is some evidence that people who say they are mostly or completely happy spend less on health care, are at work more often, and are more productive. This may be an idea worth chasing.

Ability Management, Absence Management, Disability Management, Disease Management, Employee Benefits, Family Leave, Health, Health & Wellness, Health and Productivity Management, Parental Leave

I started as a TED voyeur, went to TED Aspen, hosted a TEDx and have been to many TEDs, which feel like an evolution, and as though I'm part of a tribe.

Dancing... and teaching people how to hug.