#299 Championing Workplace Well-Being: Meet the 2026 Golden Gavel Recipient - Jennifer Moss

[37:05] The Toastmasters International Golden Gavel is the prestigious annual award presented to an individual distinguished in the fields of leadership and communication. In this insightful and thought-provoking episode, Greg Gazin speaks with Jennifer Moss, award-winning author, workplace culture strategist, and the 2026 Golden Gavel Honoree. Jennifer shares personal stories and practical insights as the conversation explores communication, resilience, gratitude, workplace culture, and the evolving relationship people have with work in a rapidly changing world.

Jennifer also reflects on the deeply personal experiences that shaped her work, including The Smile Epidemic, a gratitude project started by her husband during a serious health crisis that eventually spread to more than 100 countries. The experience reinforced Jennifer’s belief in the power of gratitude, connection, and small behavioral shifts to positively influence people and organizations.

Listeners will hear:

• How Jennifer overcame intense fear before her first TEDx talk

• Why preparation and subject mastery reduce speaking anxiety

• Why conversational speaking can work better than memorizing scripts

• How gratitude practices shaped Jennifer’s work and leadership philosophy

• What organizations often misunderstand about burnout and wellbeing

• Why trust, fairness, and purpose drive engagement more than perks

• Why communication and analytical thinking remain essential workplace skills

Jennifer Moss is featured in the May 2026 issue of the Toastmaster magazine in Stephanie Darling’s article, “Golden Gavel Recipient Jennifer Moss Champions Workplace Wellbeing.”

Jennifer will receive the Golden Gavel award during the Toastmasters International Convention in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, August 19–22, 2026. The award presentation will take place Saturday, August 22 at 10 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time (UTC -7).

Jennifer will also deliver a presentation based on her latest book, Why Are We Here? Creating a Work Culture Everyone Wants, exploring hope, purpose, belonging, and psychological fitness in today’s evolving workplace.

TEDx Talk: The Epidemic of Smiles and the Science of Gratitude.

About Jennifer Moss:

Jennifer Moss is an award-winning international speaker, journalist, author, and workplace culture strategist. She is the author of Why Are We Here?, The Burnout Epidemic, and Unlocking Happiness at Work. Jennifer’s research and insights have been featured in Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, and Fortune. She is also co-host of the podcast How to Change Culture in 20 Minutes or Less.

Jennifer Moss is from Kitchener, Ontario, Canada and can be reached at: Jennifer-Moss.com.

Register here: for the Toastmasters International Convention.