In today’s world, influence isn’t about manipulation or tricks—it’s about trust. In this powerful keynote, Dr. Abbie Maroño, human behavioral scientist, speaker, and coach, reveals how you can gain “the upper hand” in life and work by understanding the psychology behind human decision-making. Drawing on her book The Upper Hand, Dr. Abbie shares five essential truths about human behavior and shows how to use them to build stronger relationships, win cooperation, and guide outcomes in your favor—without coercion or leverage.
Whether you want to advance your career, lead more effectively, or strengthen personal connections, this session will equip you with actionable insights rooted in science. Inspiring, practical, and eye-opening, it’s a rare opportunity to learn from one of the world’s leading experts on persuasion and prosocial influence.
About the presenter:
Dr. Abbie Maroño is an internationally recognized behavioral and social scientist, acknowledged by the U.S. Department of State as a top 1% expert in her field. She has delivered specialized behavioral analysis training to representatives from 29 U.S. federal agencies, including the U.S. Secret Service, FBI, and Department of Homeland Security, as well as to senior leadership at INTERPOL. Dr. Abbie is the creator of The Upper Hand, a proprietary framework for understanding human decision-making and influence. After delivering this training, the U.S. Secret Service recognized her expertise with an award for outstanding contribution to their forensic services.
Earning her PhD in Psychology, Abbie became a Professor of Psychology at 23 and now serves as Director of Education at Social-Engineer, LLC, specializing in behavior analysis. She contributes regularly to Forbes, Court TV, and Apple News and has been featured on BBC News, Fox News, WIRED, and Forbes Breaking News. Dr. Abbie is also a highly sought-after expert witness, retained for high-profile cases, including lawsuits involving A-list celebrities.
As an active member of internationally recognized research groups, Abbie was honored as Reviewer of the Year for her significant contribution to the academic community. Additionally, she is an author, expert consultant, coach, and a TEDx speaker.
NOTE: This is a ticketed event. Entry to this event (and all keynote talks throughout the year) is free for all Golden Key Access Plus subscribers. To become an Access Plus subscriber, click here.