Our Team

Who are the people behind Happify? Get to know our team of passionate creators and innovators.

Tomer Ben-Kiki

Co-Founder and CEO

My favorite hobby:

“Scuba-Diving. I've made over 150 dives around the world. The most magical one was Angelita Cenote in Mexico, with my wife.”

Tomer is an experienced entrepreneur who has held the top leadership position at several companies, successfully steering them from inception through rapid growth. Previously, Tomer was the Co-Founder and CEO of Oberon Media, a leading casual gaming company providing for some of the world’s biggest brands, including Microsoft, Yahoo and Sprint. Prior to Oberon, Tomer was the Co-Founder and President of RichFx, an e-commerce startup that provided visual merchandising technologies to top retailers. He graduated cum laude from Tel Aviv University with a B.Sc. in Computer Science, and served as an IDF officer for seven years.

Ofer Leidner

Co-Founder and President

If I weren't a tech entrepreneur...

“I'd be a DJ. Rarely has anyone heard my talent, but one day, I'll be on a stage somewhere, helping people dance their faces off.”

An experienced entrepreneur and business leader, Ofer co-founded and built several digital media businesses, most recently iPlay/Oberon Media, a leading casual downloadable games company where he held several executive leadership roles. Ofer has also served as Co-Founder and President of Gate42 Technologies, a software startup in the customer relations management space. Earlier in his career, he served as an investment manager at an early stage seed fund and as a management consultant in the strategy practice of Trigger Consulting, a leading firm in Israel. Ofer holds an MBA in Finance and a B.A. in Economics and Information Technologies, both from Tel Aviv University.

Rick Held

Chief Experience Officer

My favorite vacation spot:

“I love everything about Jamaica—the beach, the sun, the culture and reggae music…I even got married there!”

Rick is responsible for leading Happify’s consumer experience and growth strategy including analytics and reporting. By applying data-driven behavioral insights and consumer marketing best practices, Rick helps Happify deliver unmatched rates of activation, engagement and retention. Prior to Happify, Rick was the President of Make The Web Better, LLC, a consumer software company that built, marketed and delivered fun, easy-to-use, family-friendly search monetization products. Previously, Rick was the Vice President of Affinity Direct, LLC, the fourth largest federal student loan consolidation company in the US. Rick has a Bachelor’s degree in Consumer Affairs in Business from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Tiffany Sun

Head of Content Strategy

What's on my bucket list:

“Seeing the aurora borealis in Iceland. I'm hoping to make it happen next winter!”

Tiffany serves as editor-in-chief of Happify, overseeing content development and strategy across Happify’s platforms and developing ideas for engaging experiences with leading experts in the field of positive psychology. Previously, Tiffany was the managing editor of Oprah.com and oversaw online content and products for O, The Oprah Magazine. She also managed digital extensions to the Martha Stewart Living brand and developed editorial programming as a senior editor at MarthaStewart.com, and has held several editorial roles at Hearst Magazines. Tiffany graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in Psychology.

Ran Zilca

Chief Data-Science Officer

Rocking in the free world:

“I’ve always played guitar in rock bands, recorded and performed. I currently play in a trio that’s been on and off for more than 30 years. The drummer and I started it originally in 5th grade.”

Ran is an entrepreneur, scientist, author, and coach who pioneered the use of technology to deliver positive interventions. Before joining Happify, Ran’s companies developed innovative offerings together with partners like Stephen Covey and Deepak Chopra. Prior to that, he led R&D teams at IBM Research, Amdocs, and the IDF. Ran’s research, collaborating with leading psychologists, has been published in major scientific publications. He is also the author of Ride of Your Life – a Coast to Coast Guide to Finding Inner Peace, describing his 6,000-mile solo motorcycle ride of personal transformation. Ran holds an MSc in Electrical Engineering, and is a Senior Member of the IEEE.

Acacia Parks, Ph.D.

Chief Scientist

My claim to fame...

“My parents composed and produced the soundtrack to Care Bears Movie 2, and my squeaky 3-year-old voice is in it! If you listen to the “Fight Song” you can hear me throughout, especially at the very end.”

Acacia's research focuses on self-help methods for increasing happiness via books and digital technology, with an emphasis on objective/observable outcomes such as physical health indicators. She received her B.A. in Psychology from Reed College, and her Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, where her graduate research helped build the foundation for research on bringing happiness interventions to the general public. She regularly publishes articles in scientific journals, has edited three books, and is also Associate Editor at the Journal of Positive Psychology. When she isn't doing research with Happify, she is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Hiram College.

Laurie Zaugg

Chief Operating Officer

Where I spend my free time:

“My husband and I live on one of Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes, and I love boating, kayaking, paddle boarding and snowshoeing when the lake freezes over.”

Laurie is an experienced healthcare executive and change leader. She spent 14 years in leadership roles at UnitedHealth Group and Optum ranging from General Management of the Employer Channel for specialty networks and behavioral health to leading Sales Operations and HR. Prior to that, Laurie held leadership positions at both Thomson Reuters and American Express and got her start doing applied research and consulting. She is a licensed psychologist with a Masters in Industrial Organizational Psychology from the University of Minnesota and graduated summa cum laude with a BA in Psychology from Concordia College, Moorhead.