David Vago

David Vago

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Vancouver, British Columbia

Neuroscientist & Mind Body Medicine Expert | Exploring The Science Of Mindfulness

  • Videos
  • Expertise
  • Leadership
  • Health & Human Performance
  • PTSD & Trauma
  • Personal Leadership
  • Healthcare
  • Health and Safety
  • Patient Safety & Patient Care
  • Neuroscientis
  • integrative health

DAVID VAGO BIOGRAPHY

David Vago is an internationally renowned cognitive neuroscientist and leading expert in mind-body medicine, integrative health, and the neurobiology of self-transformation. Dedicated to making science accessible and impactful, David Vago bridges contemplative traditions with modern neuroscience to advance understanding of how mind-body practices enhance mental health and well-being. As President of the International Society for Contemplative Research, David Vago collaborates with global leaders to promote rigorous science and research of body-brain-mind interactions. In collaboration with leaders in the wellbeing industry, David Vago facilitates evidence-based strategies for improving the impact of stress, increasing resilience, and driving personal growth. As an advisory board member, he advises on science-backed strategy and vision, including the Thich Nhat Hanh Center for Mindfulness in the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the Sadhguru Center for a Conscious Planet at Harvard Medical School, and Mind and Life Institute.

David Vago received his Bachelors Degree in Brain and Cognitive Sciences from the University of Rochester and his Ph.D. in Cognitive and Neural Sciences from University of Utah. David Vago has held prestigious academic positions, including Associate Professor at the Vanderbilt Brain Institute and Research Director of the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. David Vago has also served on the faculty of esteemed institutions like Harvard Medical School, Weill Cornell Medical College, University of Virginia, and as a capstone advisor for the Applied Positive Psychology Graduate Program at University of Pennsylvania. His research combines neuroimaging, cognitive-behavioral approaches, and first-person phenomenology to uncover the mechanisms behind body-brain-mind interactions by which meditation and other mind-body practices alleviate chronic pain, reduce the impacts of stress, and unlock human potential. By integrating the tools of neuroscience and clinical research, David Vago has advanced understanding of neuropsychiatric disorders and how contemplative practices can promote long-term mental health and wellbeing.

As a Research Consultant in the digital health and wellness industry, David Vago applies cutting-edge science to develop innovative tools and programs that empower individuals to live with purpose and meaning. His contributions include advancing the Muse Headset for meditation neurofeedback, designing workplace solutions and mental health features for the holistic wellbeing platform Roundglass, and supporting Headspace’s research initiatives for children and adolescents. Through these efforts, David Vago has played a pivotal role in bringing science-backed solutions to real-world challenges in mental health and wellness.

His expertise in neuroscience, behavioral health, and digital innovation continues to inspire collaborations that revolutionize the mental health and wellbeing landscape. With nearly 100 peer-reviewed publications cited over 15,000 times and more than 150 invited talks worldwide, David Vago’s work has been foundational in the fields of mindfulness, integrative health, and contemplative science. Featured in outlets like NPR, ABC News, and the Washington Post, David Vago is a dynamic and sought-after keynote speaker, known for his ability to make complex science engaging and relevant to diverse audiences. David Vago’s career is defined by his passion for empowering individuals and organizations to apply evidence-based strategies for building resilience, leveraging neuroplasticity, and fostering a deeper sense of purpose and connection. Whether through research, speaking engagements, or collaborations, his work exemplifies the transformative potential of science to enhance human flourishing.

 

David Vago Related Media

Media Interview

BrainMind Summit

SBC

Interview with David Vago at the BrainMind Summit
View

Media Interview

vimeo

SBC

Taking deep breaths could be key to reducing stress
View

Media Interview

NewsChannel 5

SBC

Community Health Matters: Meditation & Mindfulness
View

Podcast

MIND & LIFE

Play

SBC

Dave Vago – Meditation, Neuroscience, and Self

Podcast

John R. Miles

Play

SBC

Dr. David Vago on Self Transcendence - Experiencing Personal Growth Thru Meditation & Meta Awareness

Podcast

State of Medtech

Play

SBC

The Power of Mind and The Emerging Field of Contemplative Neuroscience with Dr. David Vago

David Vago Related Content

Book

Rehabilitation of the Spine: A Patient-Centered Approach
Rehabilitation of the Spine: A Patient-Centered Approach
The gold standard resource in the field, Rehabilitation of the Spine: A Patient-Centered Approach provides a practical overview of all aspects of spinal rehabilitation. Dr. Vago’s chapter focuses on the science of mindfulness in the context of acute and chronic pain.

Book

The Virtues in Psychiatric Practice
The Virtues in Psychiatric Practice
The Virtues in Psychiatric Practice explores the role of the virtues in promoting human flourishing within the context of psychiatric practice. Virtues highlighted include forgiveness, gratitude, accountability, self-transcendence, defiance, humility, compassion, love, and practical wisdom.

Book

How meditation changes the brain
How meditation changes the brain
Dr. Vago’s chapter provides a comprehensive review and assessment of the bulk of the neuroscientific research conducted on meditation within the past two decades that may be relevant to the philosophy of meditation, to the development of a more comprehensive epistemological theory.

Book

Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry
Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry
Kaplan & Sadock's Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry, edited by Drs. Robert Boland and Marcia L. Dr. Vago’s chapter offers insights from evolutionary, neurobiological, and clinical viewpoints to elucidate the phenomenology and functionality of selfhood.

Articles & Magazine Feature

Feeling anxious? Can’t sleep? Sometimes doing nothing is the best.

The Washington Post

My grandmother always had an aphorism on the tip of her tongue. I remember when she first uttered what seemed very Zen to me back in the 1970s: “If I can’t change the situation, I must change my attitude for my own peace of mind.
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Articles & Magazine Feature

What Meditation Can—and Can’t—Do for Your Health

Self

You know you should meditate. You’ve probably had plenty of friends tell you so and seen plenty of headlines about the benefits of meditation. It makes you happier, healthier, calmer, glowier, smarter, younger, nicer—a generally better human, or so you’ve heard.
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Articles & Magazine Feature

How Practicing Mindfulness Can Ease Stress

Brain and Life Magazine

For the past two years, Matthew Katz has been using a mindfulness technique to deal with chronic migraine. Called mindfulness of emotions, it teaches him to check in with his mind and body a few minutes each day and take inventory of how he's feeling.
View

Articles & Magazine Feature

'Mindfulness' Is a Meaningless Word With Shoddy Science Behind It

Newsweek

A new study by a multidisciplinary group of researchers at several universities calls out the "misinformation and propagation of poor research methodology" that pervade much of the evidence behind the benefits of mindfulness. They focus in particular on the problem of defining the word mindfulness and on how the effects of the practice are studied.
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David Vago Topic Presentations

The Science of Meditation and Mindfulness

The Science of Longevity & Living Well

Breaking the Cycles of Stress & Burnout for Optimizing Performance and Productivity

The Science of Self-transformation for Spiritual Health

The Psychology of Manifestation: Harnessing the Power of Belief to Shape Reality

The Future of Digital Health, AI and Wellbeing

The Science of Psychedelics for Mental Health

David Vago Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

David Vago Keynote Speaker delivers customized and tailored keynote presentations, workshops, and training sessions on a wide variety of topics. Each presentation is unique and are designed for a variety of audiences, industries, conferences, and event formats.

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FAQ

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David Vago keynote speaker is an expert presenter and has a wide range of experience speaking to a wide variety of audiences and organizations. David Vago delivers keynotes, workshops & training sessions. They may also host or emcee events. Hire David Vago from Vancouver, British Columbia for your event to inspire the audience to take action and make change in their work and their lives. Your workplace will benefit from our keynote speaker and their keynote talks and speeches will shift the mindsets or behaviours for the audience members in Canada. 

Interested in booking David Vago for an event?

Are you looking to hire David Vago for your event? David Vago Vancouver, British Columbia is a dynamic and engaging speaker that offers audiences researched content paired with expertise and a dynamic speaking ability. David Vago is also a Canadian corporate consultant and coach and facilitates workshops and training sessions for a corporate audience. David Vago is an expert keynote presenter and speaks on wide variety of topics. Hiring a great speaker for your event is important and working with a thought leader like David Vago from Speakers Canada's roster will engage audiences into the content of the presentation to bring awareness and a fresh perspective for their approach to their work and their lives. Book David Vago to educate, motivate and activate the audience through an interactive and entertaining presentation at corporate meetings and gatherings.

Known as a popular key note speaker in Canada, David Vago creates life changing experiences for the participants with practical insights and strategic advice they can implement right after the session. Working with one of our leading expert speaker like David Vago from Vancouver, British Columbia offers organizations a fresh perspective to assist the people of the organization. No matter if it is a government, association, or business crowd, David Vago is a perfect speaker for your event. Through unique practical insights for trending topics and years experience speaking to different organizations, David Vago focuses on changing individuals to make better decisions at work and their lives. No matter if you are holding an in person or virtual event, having an influential speaker such as David Vago will engage, motivate, and activate the audience to make a change in their lives and inspire action for results to meet organizational goals. Your workforce will benefit from David Vago's presentations and speeches, with measurable results set to shift the people of the organization and core direction of the company. Book David Vago speaker for your annual general meeting, conference, summit, or convention in Canada.

How much does it cost to hire David Vago for a keynote presentation or virtual event?

David Vago is an expert professional key note speaker with a lot of experience speaking and delivering engaging talks to organizations and audiences in Canada. Each of Speaker Bureau Canada's talent have different ways to assess their fees, and David Vago speaker fee ranges depending on the size of the audience, event format (in person or virtual), event location, and if the organization booking them is a non profit, association, government department/government agency or business/corporation. The speakers we work with are flexible with their fees, and it is important for us to learn more about your event before we approach them, as it is our role to work for you, and to help you find a speaker within budget. 

Please contact Speakers Bureau of Canada and provide us with your event details so that we can contact David Vago to check availability or confirm the pricing and associated costs to hire a great speaker like David Vago for your event. As David Vago's agent and as a Canadian top speaker bureau and talent agency for speakers, we are able to propose each event opportunity from each host organization's behalf to try to help you get in touch with David Vago and confirm them for your in person or online meeting/event. We can also provide and advise on the booking process and potentially negotiate their fee. Speakers Canada is a client focused speaker agency, and we work for you in finding good speakers for your team meetings and booking processes.

David Vago Disclaimer

Speakers Bureau Canada assists companies and event planning teams seeking to hire talent like David Vago for speaking engagements, virtual meetings, conference appearances, training sessions and workshops facilitations. Our Canadian speakers bureau does not claim to exclusively represent David Vago, however they are represented by Speakers Canada, and we work with them closely for their Canadian speaking opportunities and bookings. As Canada's top speaker bureau, we represent Canadian motivational keynote speakers and professional guest speakers that will be available on your upcoming events date and location that are withing the budget. Our talented bureau speaker booking agency can help find business speakers or celebrity speakers that aligns with each organization, audience, event theme and the topic themes you hope for the speaker to address in their presentation. 

When SBC receives a request to book David Vago we provide you with their speaker fees, travel costs and check their schedules. We work closely with the host organization's event planning team and the speaker to handle the logistics and to relay or negotiate associated costs. Our talented team members then will work with our talent directly or their agent/manager/assistant to confirm the Canadian speaker fee and travel expenses, so that event planning teams can receive an official quote for the speaker appearing at the event. Speaker fees and travel costs vary per speaker and our role is to contact David Vago about your event, after we have connected with the event organizers to learn all the event details and/or conference program. Each booking request is unique since session durations and audience sizes can vary which may affect the speaker's fees. If you are looking to hire David Vago, we recommend filling out the booking request form so a booking agent from Speakers Bureau Canada can get in touch with our talent to help you coordinate with your team to engage the speaker for a successful event.