The Science of
FRIENDSHIP
AT WORK
Shasta Nelson teaches the science of friendship at work—helping organizations build the trust, connection, and collaboration that drive thriving cultures and high performance.
FRIENDSHIP EXPERT
TRUSTED BY LEADERS AND ORGANIZATIONS WORLDWIDE
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Meet Shasta
Shasta Nelson is a leading voice on friendship, belonging and human connection at work.
She serves as the Chief Friendship Officer of the U.S. Chamber of Connection, an initiative focused on reversing the decline in social connection and trust.
She is also the author of three books on relationships, including The Business of Friendship: Making the Most of the Relationships Where We Spend Most of Our Time.
Long before connection became a workplace priority, Shasta was already studying it—serving as CEO of one of the first friendship-matching platforms and researching what actually builds meaningful relationships.
Today, her research-backed frameworks help organizations strengthen trust, collaboration, and engagement through the science of connection.
Relationships Matter
AT WORK
Organizations are investing heavily in leadership, strategy, and performance.
But research consistently points to a different driver of success: the quality of our relationships at work.
Employees with a best friend at work are 7x more engaged (Gallup)
Strong workplace relationships increase retention, collaboration, and trust
Professionals with close friends at work are 2.4x more likely to stay with their company
Yet this is the one factor most organizations leave to chance...
And that's where
SHASTA COMES IN
The Upside of Friendship at Work
Harness the Science Behind Trust,
Collaboration, and Performance
Why it works:
Grounded in over 15 years of research, Shasta Nelson reveals how friendship—not just trust—is the hidden chemistry behind thriving teams. Through her The 3 Requirements of Relationship™ frame- work, she breaks down the three measurable dimensions of relational health that predict performance: positive emotion, consistency, and vulnerability.
Leaders and teams walk away with a new understanding of how to intentionally cultivate trust.
Why it matters:
Shasta’s work bridges what Gallup has long shown — that people with a best friend at work are seven times more engaged — with the deeper science explaining why: friendships boost employees’ health, happiness, and job satisfaction while also increasing retention, collaboration, and trust across the organization. In other words, real connection fuels performance for everyone.
For organizations ready to rehumanize the workplace, Shasta Nelson delivers the missing metric of organizational health: friendship.
Connection isn't soft.
IT'S STRATEGIC.
"Shasta is a powerhouse speaker and educator!"
Shasta hosted an incredible virtual session on the business of belonging & relationships for my Marketing team at Google. She left the team with incredible insights & thinking tools that are just so valuable for a mindset change. Our event with Shasta felt like a warm but productive hug with a focus on being intentional about the experiences people are creating for each other.
SUPRIYA GUJRAL
Senior Director, Global Partner Marketing at Google
Most Popular
KEYNOTES
Shasta’s most requested topics are typically delivered as 45–90 minute keynotes, but can also be customized into half or full-day interactive sessions.
BUILDING CULTURE
The Six Points of Connection
A Research-Backed Framework for Building a Culture People Don’t Want to Leave
COMING SOON
"That is the best keynote I have ever heard."
Conference Connection Experiences
For conferences that want to go even further, Shasta also offers facilitated connection experiences such as
Speed Friending Sessions.
Want to go further?
Speed Friending Sessions
A structured networking experience that helps attendees meet many new people quickly through guided prompts and meaningful conversation in a way that feels fun.
These sessions are perfect for:
opening receptions
leadership cohorts
early-career groups
networking-focused events
BEYOND THE KEYNOTE
Create a More Hands-on
Experience for Your Team
Looking to strengthen connection and trust within your team?
Harness the Science Behind Trust, Collaboration, and Performance
OFF-SITE TEAM AND ORGANIZATION BELONGING
This off-site experience is designed to help employees reflect on their sense of belonging and improve the quality of their relationships at work.
Through a pre-assessment, each participant privately evaluates their own experience across the three requirements of all healthy relationships—creating a safe and insightful starting point for growth.
The results roll up into a “team score,” giving leaders and team members a clear snapshot of where they’re thriving and where there’s room to grow. From there, Shasta facilitates a dynamic, interactive session that guides the group in building the specific skills needed to create more trust, positivity, and vulnerability.
Ideal for groups of 6–20 (and scalable for larger gatherings with small team breakouts), this session typically runs 3–6 hours and can be tailored to fit your goals and group size.
Want to make the most of your next
All-Hands or off-site?
ALL-HANDS GATHERINGS
This full-team experience blends strategic content with energizing connection—so your employees leave feeling more aligned, more motivated, and more connected to each other and the mission.
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Whether you’re gathering to kick off the year, navigate change, or boost morale, Shasta weaves her signature speed-friending activities and relationship-building strategies into an experience that’s both meaningful and memorable.
The session is customized to reflect your goals and culture, combining keynote-style inspiration with hands-on interaction. Your team won’t just listen—they’ll engage, reflect, and leave with real tools to build trust, communication, and collaboration moving forward.
Perfect for mid-size to large groups, this offering is typically run as a half- or full-day session and is co-created to maximize impact across your entire organization.
5 REASONS TO
HIRE SHASTA
01
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Can't Ignore
A Topic the Workplace
Nearly 60% of employees report feeling disconnected at work, hurting engagement, loyalty, and collaboration. Shasta helps leaders and teams strengthen the relationships that make workplaces healthier, more resilient, and more human.
02
A Rare Expertise in
Human Connection
As Chief Friendship Officer for the U.S. Chamber of Connection, previous CEO of a friendship matching company, and author of three books on relationships, Shasta brings more than 15 years studying the science of friendship and connection.
03
Research that Actually
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Changes Behavior
Shasta has a gift for turning complex relationship science into clear, practical insights audiences immediately recognize—and can start applying the very next day.
04
She Builds Connection
in the Room
Many speakers talk about connection. Shasta helps people experience it. Through thoughtful interaction and shared moments, audiences often leave already feeling more connected to each other.
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05
Audiences Feel it.
Not Just Hear it.
Blending research, storytelling, humor, and genuine warmth, Shasta delivers keynotes that are both meaningful and energizing—often becoming the conversation people are still having long after the event ends.
Speaking for
YOUR INDUSTRY
While the science of connection is universal, every industry experiences it differently. Explore how Shasta’s work addresses the unique challenges facing different audiences.
"Shasta brings powerful, energizing, and impactful expertise around relationships!"
I had the amazing opportunity to ask Shasta to return for a second year in a row to host a session on Building Friendships for our employee culture day here at LinkedIn! I would highly recommend working with her at your organization to bring powerful, energizing, and impactful expertise around relationships!
SAM MURPHY
Sr. Customer Success Manager, LinkedIn
Resources for
EVENT PLANNERS
Shasta is...
Easy to work with—responsive, reliable, and collaborative
Ready to customize every talk for your audience and goals
Focused on bringing high energy and high impact to the stage
Always blending heart + strategy: audiences will leave inspired and equipped
Infusing every keynote with meaningful audience participation—because connection doesn’t happen by listening alone
