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Jennifer Breheny Wallace is an American author, journalist, and social commentator known for her work on mattering, resilience, achievement pressure, and mental health.
Early Life and Education
editWallace was born and raised in New Jersey. She earned an undergraduate degree in English from Harvard University, where she graduated cum laude.
Career
editJournalism
editWallace began her career in the editorial department of Doubleday, part of Random House Publishing. She then worked as an associate producer at CBS’s 60 Minutes, producing segments with Morley Safer. Wallace was part of a team that won The Robert F. Kennedy Awards for Excellence in Journalism for a story highlighting the struggles of children experiencing homelessness.
After nearly a decade in broadcast journalism, Wallace transitioned to print journalism. She contributes to The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post and frequently appears on national television programs, sharing insights as a social commentator. Her reporting combines rigorous social science research with narrative storytelling.
Authorship
editNever Enough
editWallace is the author of the instant New York Times bestseller Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic—and What We Can Do About It (Portfolio, 2023). Based on research and interviews with hundreds of parents, educators, and students, the book investigates the deep roots of toxic achievement culture and offers practical and actionable solutions for families, schools, and communities. Wallace advocates for "mattering"—the universal human need to feel valued and to add value—as a protective factor against mental health risks. With memorable stories and a powerful tool kit for positive change, Wallace offers an urgent, humane view of the crisis plaguing young people and a practical framework for how to help.
Never Enough debuted at #6 on the New York Times Hardcover Nonfiction list. It was named an Amazon Best Book of the Year and a Next Big Idea Selection. The book received positive acclaim in outlets including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The New Yorker, Fortune, The Washington Post, People, The Boston Globe, CNN, and Harvard Business Review, among others. Wallace was interviewed about the book’s themes in live events with Ina Garten and Katie Couric and on national broadcast programs, such as NBC’s Today Show, CBS’s CBS Mornings, ABC’s GMA3, NPR’s Marketplace, and numerous public radio shows and podcasts.
Mattering in the Modern World
editWallace’s forthcoming book, Mattering in the Modern World: A Solution for the Crises of Our Time, will be published by Penguin Random House. Based on five years of research and an original global survey, the book explores mattering – the human need to add value and feel valued by others – as a key component of well-being throughout the lifespan. Wallace argues that a lack of mattering has contributed to the global rise of mental health challenges and that protecting opportunities for mattering is critical to a healthy society.
Speaker and Advocate
editWallace is a prominent speaker on mattering, mental health, and achievement pressure. She has spoken at conferences, schools, nonprofits, community organizations, and Fortune 500 companies, emphasizing the role of mattering in resilience and psychological well-being.
The Mattering Movement and Related Initiatives
editWallace founded The Mattering Institute, dedicated to fostering mattering in homes, workplaces, and communities. She is also the co-founder of The Mattering Movement, a nonprofit promoting mattering in educational settings.
Other Positions
editWallace has consulted for organizations such as The LEGO Group and Netflix and is a BrightHouse Luminary with Boston Consulting Group. She serves on the University of Michigan Well-being Collective Advisory Council, the advisory board for Making Caring Common at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and the board of the Coalition for the Homeless in New York City. Wallace is also a journalism fellow at The Center for Parent and Teen Communication at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Personal Life
editWallace resides in New York City with her husband, Peter Wallace, and their three children.
External Links:
editNever Enough: When Achievement Pressure Becomes Toxic -- And What We Can Do About It