David Shar

My mission is simple: to make work, work better for everyone.

Long before earning my PhD, I took over a small ice cream shop in Baltimore. I thought I was learning about butterfat percentages and fancy Italian freezers, but what I really learned was the psychology of work. One afternoon, a young team member told me that our little shop was her “happy place” after experiencing a devastating loss. That moment changed everything for me. I realized that even in an ice cream shop, work could be a source of meaning, belonging, and hope.

I could not stop wondering why so many people in “meaningful” professions dreaded Mondays while my teenage crew found joy and purpose in their work. That question sent me on a lifelong journey to understand what makes work fulfilling and how leaders and HR professionals can create cultures where people actually want to show up.

Today, I bring that same curiosity and heart to my work as an international speaker, consultant, and SHRM-SCP. I teach graduate courses in Talent Development and Organizational Change at the University of Maryland, helping future leaders build workplaces that are passionate, healthy, and kind. My research explores why people fall out of love with their work and how to rekindle that spark before it is too late.

Listeners walk away from our conversations with both inspiration and practical tools they can use right away to improve culture, leadership, and well-being at work.