Dr. Abbie Maroño
Dr. Abbie Maroño turns behavioral science into practical tools for building trust, influencing decisions, and communicating with impact.
Why book Dr. Abbie Maroño for your next event
- Learn how human behavior shapes trust, decisions, and reactions—and turn behavioral science into practical strategies you can use immediately.
- Discover how to communicate and influence with greater precision by aligning your behavior, intent, and message for better outcomes.
- Gain tools for stronger self-awareness and emotional regulation, helping you perform and communicate effectively in high-pressure situations.
Non-binding request for Abbie Maroño
Behavioral scientist & keynote speaker on trust, influence, nonverbal communication, & decision-making
Recognized by the U.S. Department of State as a top 1% behavioral scientist, Dr. Abbie Maroño has trained elite agencies like the FBI and Secret Service. Her keynotes equip organizations with powerful, science-driven tools to build trust, decode behavior, and influence with integrity, transforming leadership, communication, and performance across every level of business.
Book Dr. Abbie Maroño for your event
Dr. Abbie Maroño is a keynote speaker, behavioral scientist, bestselling author, and expert in trust, influence, nonverbal communication, and human behavior. Her work explores the forces behind human decisions, emotions, and reactions, translating behavioral science into insights audiences can apply in leadership, communication, and everyday interactions.
Known for challenging conventional thinking, Dr. Abbie goes beyond familiar ideas about persuasion and communication to reveal what is really happening beneath the surface of human interaction. Her keynotes equip audiences to recognize behavioral patterns, communicate with greater precision, and navigate complex situations more effectively.
Her perspective is shaped by academic research, extensive professional experience, and a remarkable personal journey that began long before she entered the field of psychology.
From adversity to behavioral science
Dr. Abbie Maroño's fascination with human behavior did not begin in a classroom. Growing up in an unstable and traumatic home, she learned at an early age that no one was coming to save her.
At 16, she faced an extraordinary turning point: continue down a path of addiction or fight for a different future. She chose the latter. That decision sparked a lifelong curiosity about why people make the choices they do, what shapes those choices, and how understanding ourselves can change the direction of our lives.
She went on to earn a PhD in Psychology and became a Professor of Psychology at just 23 years old. Her expertise in behavioral science was later recognized by the U.S. Department of State for extraordinary ability, and she was named one of Central Florida's 40 Under 40 by the Orlando Business Journal.
Her journey gives her an unusual ability to connect scientific research with the realities of navigating pressure, uncertainty, and change.
Trust & influence under pressure
Dr. Abbie is the creator of The Upper Hand, her proprietary framework for understanding trust, influence, communication, and decision-making. Rather than relying on surface-level persuasion tactics, her approach examines how greater behavioral awareness can help people interact with clarity, purpose, and intention.
Her expertise has been applied in environments where the ability to read behavior and establish trust can have serious consequences. Dr. Abbie has trained representatives from 29 U.S. federal agencies, including the U.S. Secret Service, FBI, and Department of Homeland Security, as well as senior leadership at INTERPOL.
Her contributions have also been recognized by the U.S. Secret Service, which presented her with an award for outstanding contribution to their forensic services.
Drawing on these high-stakes environments, she shows audiences how behavioral insights can be applied to challenges they encounter in business, leadership, negotiations, teams, and relationships.
Three principles for better human interaction
At the heart of Dr. Abbie Maroño's work are three core principles that help audiences rethink how they communicate, influence, and respond to others:
- Trust Through Understanding: True influence begins with understanding what drives people's decisions, emotions, and reactions. This creates the foundation for trust that is genuine, consistent, and lasting.
- Precision in Influence: Effective influence means aligning communication, behavior, and intent with clarity and purpose rather than relying on control or persuasion tactics.
- Self-Awareness First: Understanding others starts with understanding yourself. Recognizing and regulating your own internal state allows you to respond more effectively, particularly when pressure is high.
Together, these principles give audiences a practical way to examine both sides of human interaction: understanding the behavior of others while developing greater awareness and control over their own.
A recognized voice on human behavior
Alongside her speaking and training, Dr. Abbie Maroño is a bestselling author, TEDx speaker, Forbes contributor, Court TV contributor, and media commentator. Her expertise has been featured by major international media including BBC News, Fox News, WIRED, Reuters, Forbes Breaking News, and Apple News.
She also provides expert witness services involving behavioral analysis and nonverbal communication. Her expertise has been applied in high-profile civil and criminal cases where careful analysis and precise interpretation are critical.
Across her work on stage, in the media, and in high-stakes professional environments, Dr. Abbie has built a reputation for making complex behavioral science accessible, relevant, and actionable.
Why book Dr. Abbie Maroño?
Dr. Abbie Maroño offers audiences something beyond an introduction to psychology. She challenges assumptions about how people think, communicate, and influence one another, revealing the behavioral dynamics that can easily go unnoticed.
Combining scientific expertise with extraordinary professional and personal experience, she delivers keynotes that are thought-provoking, highly practical, and relevant to the challenges people face at work and beyond.
Whether the focus is leadership, trust, influence, communication, decision-making, nonverbal behavior, or performance under pressure, audiences leave with a sharper understanding of themselves, the people around them, and how to interact more effectively when it matters most.
Keynotes
Keynote by Dr. Abbie :
Trust: how to gain it and maintain it.
The foundation of every strong relationship, be it personal or professional, is fundamentally about trust. This speech delves into the science of how trust is gained and maintained, and how to avoid losing it. You will discover practical strategies to not only be perceived as trustworthy but to truly embody trustworthiness.
Whether you're looking to strengthen your personal relationships, enhance your professional interactions, or foster a culture of trust within your organization, this speech will equip you with the knowledge and tools necessary to make a lasting impact.
Keynote by Dr. Abbie Maroño:
Nonverbal communication and deception detection
Recognizing when someone is lying is a highly valuable skill, but it’s far more complex than what TV shows and popular media often portray. In this speech, we will debunk the common myths and misconceptions surrounding lie detection and delve into the science behind it.
You’ll discover evidence-based techniques for asking strategic questions that expose inconsistencies and learn how to accurately interpret the subtle nonverbal and verbal cues that people often reveal unconsciously.
Keynote by Dr. Abbie Maroño:
Gaining the Upper Hand: The art and science of influence
While "influence" is a common term, most people only understand it at a surface level. This shallow understanding limits effectiveness. To influence effectively, we need to understand how people make decisions.
This presentation will introduce five core truths about human behavior, represented by the principles of The Upper Hand, a behavioral science framework for dignified, effective influence. Each principle is symbolized by a digit of the hand, emphasizing that while each can work alone, they are most powerful together. This framework will equip the audience with tools to build trust, grounded in the psychology of decision-making and mindful of both universal and cultural factors.
This keynote is also available as a 3 hour workshop.
Keynote by Dr. Abbie Maroño:
The Trust Advantage: Using Nonverbal Communication to Build Credibility and Influence
Dr. Abbie reveals how trust, credibility, and influence are shaped before words fully land.
Attendees will learn how to:
- Build trust and credibility through face, voice, body language, attention, and presence
- Understand the two questions people instinctively ask: “Can I trust you?” and “Can you deliver?”
- Recognize shifts in comfort, engagement, and resistance
- Read the room without relying on misleading body language myths
- Adapt communication in meetings, pitches, negotiations, and difficult conversations
How Can You Recover from Emotional Trauma? - Dr. Abbie Maroño - Bright Talks
Watch Dr. Abbie Maroño in action!
How to Turn Your Personal Shame Into a Source of Strength | Abbie Maroño | TEDxManchester
Watch Dr. Abbie Maroño in action!
Body Language Experts Break Down Job Interview Etiquette | WIRED
Watch Dr. Abbie Maroño in action!
Books by Dr. Abbie Maroño
Work in ProgressThe Road to Empowerment, The Journey Through Shameby Dr. Abbie Maroño
The Upper HandMastering Persuasion and Getting What You Want with the Science of Social Engineeringby Dr. Abbie Maroño
