About Us
Our Mission
To make wellness a shared human experience—accessible, inclusive, and rooted in tradition and innovation.
Our Vision
A world where wellness is recognized as a fundamental right and integrated into everyday life, shaping healthier, more empowered individuals and communities.
Founded in 2018, we are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Massachusetts, USA. Our mission is rooted in a unique perspective: treating wellness not just as a trend or service, but as a timeless human tradition and essential right.
We aim to create meaningful opportunities for individuals and communities to experience a true “well” state—physically, mentally, and socially. Wellness is a complex ecosystem, often requiring nuanced, cross-disciplinary solutions. That’s why we collaborate with leaders across research, business, policy, academia, and other expert organizations to drive forward-thinking action.
By staying at the frontline of the wellness movement, our advocacy is grounded, informed, and impactful.
Our Process
Once narrowly seen as just physical health, wellness has grown into a multi-trillion-dollar global industry. The next step is making wellness a practical tool for solving real problems—at both the individual and community level. That means improving access, building awareness, and embedding wellness into everyday life.
We draw inspiration from Nobel Laureate Dr. Amartya Sen’s Capability Approach, which focuses on the real freedoms people have to live the lives they value. While wellness resources have expanded, many people still can’t access or benefit from them fully. Dr. Sen’s people-first perspective guides how we set goals and shape our mission.
Our mission to democratize wellness directly supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being. Through advocacy, education, and capacity building, we work to make wellness sustainable and inclusive. We take a multidimensional view—acknowledging all aspects of wellness and addressing them through programs, events, and ongoing initiatives.
Wellness is multidimensional. Each dimension plays a unique role in shaping our overall health and quality of life. We recognize and support the following key areas:
We translate these dimensions into action through programs, initiatives and projects that are built on the following strategies.
Our Story
Where Gratitude Sparked a Movement
Wellness has always been a core value for our founder, Dhanashree Ramachandran, but it became a mission—and a service—after a life-changing event. Following a near-fatal car accident, her life was saved by the swift action of first responders. In gratitude for their heroic role in her recovery, she launched Mass Wellness Initiative with its first program: HI-5 (High-Impact Stress Relief) for first responders.
HI-5 addressed a critical issue: accessibility. It created space for wellness in the lives of those who often put their own well-being last—people in high-pressure, high-responsibility roles.
As Dhanashree continued her research, deeper challenges within the wellness ecosystem came into focus: lack of accessible resources, limited infrastructure, and the need for a neutral platform that embraces wellness as a human tradition, free from commercial influence or doctrinal bias.
What followed were hundreds of hours of collaboration—with leaders in health, policy, academia, and community development. These conversations, along with field research, shaped the operational model behind MWI’s vision of a “well” world.
At the heart of it all is gratefulness—a powerful, sustaining force that binds our growing community of volunteers, partners, and changemakers together.
Dhanashree Ramachandran
Founder & Director of Outreach, Mass Wellness Initiative
Meet the Wellness Advocates (Board)
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Brett Auger
Director, Wellness Research and Implementation
Brett is a seasoned operator and strategic thinker with deep roots in the wellness and healthcare sectors. With a career spanning academic research, startups, and community-based initiatives, she brings a rare blend of big-picture insight and roll-up-your-sleeves experience to the table.
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Nirmal Kumar
Director, Sustainability and Development
Nirmal is a dynamic business leader with over 24 years of experience driving growth and innovation across service and technology sectors. Known for strategic vision, product leadership, and operational excellence, Nirmal integrates sustainability, strategy, and execution in every role he takes on.
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Grace Rector
Director, Educational Initiatives
Grace is an international education specialist with eight years of experience in teaching, training, and cross-cultural program development. A Fulbright Scholar and multilingual educator, she brings global insight and a deep commitment to equity through her leadership in youth engagement and education policy.
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Rob Arndt
Director, Strategy and Impact
Rob is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and founder with over two decades of experience in military recruitment, diversity strategy, and workforce development. He brings deep expertise in veteran engagement, compliance systems, and strategic advising for Fortune 500s and federal agencies, driving impactful, mission-aligned talent solutions across sectors.
Meet the Wellness Influencers (Advisors)
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Dr. H. R. Nagendra
Influencer and Advisor
Dr. H. R. Nagendra, renowned yoga visionary and President of S-VYASA University, brings decades of expertise in integrative health and yogic science to MWI. He inspires our mission to democratize wellness through evidence-based practices rooted in ancient wisdom and modern research.
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Dr. Amartya Sen
Influencer and Advisor
Dr. Amartya Sen, Nobel Laureate and pioneering economist, profoundly influences MWI’s vision with his insights on human development, equity, and well-being. His work inspires our approach to wellness as a fundamental right and societal foundation, guiding efforts toward inclusive, measurable, and sustainable impact.
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Dr. Sat Bir Singh Khalsa
Influencer and Advisor
Dr. Sat Bir Singh Khalsa, Harvard Medical School researcher and leading expert in yoga science, brings deep expertise in the physiological and psychological benefits of mind-body practices. His guidance helps shape MWI’s evidence-based wellness programs, advancing the integration of yoga and meditation into public health initiatives.
Meet the Wellness Allies (Partners)
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Sneh Jaisingh
Nutrition and Lifestyle
Sneh is a dedicated nutritionist and lifestyle coach who integrates mindful eating, holistic wellness, and sustainable living into her practice. As a key collaborator with MWI, she brings deep expertise and compassion to empowering communities through accessible, science-backed wellness education.
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Tom Dodge
Visual Storytelling
Tom is a talented videographer and entrepreneur specializing in visual storytelling that captures the heart of social impact. As a key collaborator with MWI, he brings powerful narratives to life, helping amplify the voices and stories that drive the wellness movement forward.
