The Work & Wellness Research Institute advances rigorous, ethical research into the effects of animal-assisted therapy on wellbeing in workplace settings. We build and validate standardized measurement instruments, conduct research using recognized methods, and share what we find so that employers, clinicians, and researchers can make evidence-based decisions.
Dawn McGrath chairs the Board of the Work & Wellness Research Institute, providing governance, strategic direction, and fiduciary oversight. Drawing on a professional background in marketing and organizational leadership, she guides the Institute's development as a durable research institution and works to ensure its studies are conducted with transparency, independence, and accountability to the communities and funders it serves.
A co-founder of the Institute, Brian McGrath has volunteered with community animal-assisted therapy programs since the age of twelve, progressing from hands-on therapy-animal visits to organizing outreach events and fundraising initiatives. As Executive Director, he leads WWRI's operations, partnerships, and program delivery, bringing years of direct field experience to the design and implementation of the Institute's workplace studies.
Kelly McGrath, co-founder and Director of Research & Data, has likewise been active in animal-assisted therapy since the age of twelve — an experience that shaped her focus on how its effects can be observed and measured. She leads the Institute's research design and data management: developing its survey instruments around the validated PSS-10, overseeing data collection, and upholding standards of methodological rigor, reproducibility, and ethical data stewardship.
