The Neuroscientists Behind the Framework
The Brain-Based Leader was founded by Jessica Payne, PhD and Christine Payne, PhD, two neuroscientists whose complementary research spans the full range of brain science relevant to leadership. Together, they translate cognitive, affective, and social neuroscience into practical tools that organizations can scale.
OUR STORY
The Science Leaders Actually Need
The neural systems behind decision quality, emotional regulation, and sustained performance under pressure are measurable, trainable, and well-documented in peer-reviewed research. Most of that research never reaches the leaders whose daily performance depends on it. We built The Brain-Based Leader to change that.​
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Our proprietary B.R.A.I.N.™ framework maps directly to our founders' combined research expertise across five pillars. This is not science translated through intermediaries. It comes directly from two PhD neuroscientists working in partnership, with 40+ combined years of research between them.
THE FOUNDERS
The Researchers Behind the Work
Jessica Payne, PhD
Founder & CEO
Jessica Payne, PhD is a Harvard-trained cognitive neuroscientist and Professor of Psychology at the University of Notre Dame, where she directs the Sleep, Stress, and Memory (SAM) Lab. Her 20+ years of research on how sleep and stress influence cognition, decision-making, and creativity forms the scientific foundation for the B.R.A.I.N.™ framework's Biological Balance, Relational Resilience, and Neuroplastic Renewal pillars. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Bloomberg Businessweek, and Scientific American. She is a Kavli Fellow with the National Academy of Sciences.
B.R.A.I.N.™ PILLARS:
Biological Balance
Relational Resilience
Neuroplastic Renewal
Harvard Medical School & Harvard University postdoctoral fellow
Ph.D. in Psychology/Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Arizona
h-index: 44 | 9,318+ citations | ~$5M in NSF/NIH grants
15+ years corporate consulting on sleep, stress, and performance
Christine Payne, PhD
Founder & President
Christine Payne, PhD is a social/affective neuroscientist who completed her postdoctoral fellowship at NYU Langone Medical Center's Child Study Center, where she served as Research Assistant Professor. She is a Lecturer in the Psychology Department at the University of Notre Dame and Lead Instructor for the NeuroLeadership Institute. Her research expertise in social cognition, empathy, perspective-taking, and emotion regulation forms the scientific foundation for the B.R.A.I.N.™ framework's Relational Resilience, Affective Attunement, and Interpersonal Integration pillars.
B.R.A.I.N.™ PILLARS:
Relational Resilience
Affective Attunement
Interpersonal Integration
NYU Langone Medical Center (NIMH/NIDA) postdoctoral fellow
Ph.D. in Psychology/Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Arizona
Lead Instructor, NeuroLeadership Institute​
10+ years translating neuroscience for business audiences
WHO WE WORK WITH
Organizations We've Partnered With
Fortune 500 companies, healthcare systems, and financial institutions trust our science-backed approach to leadership development.
FINANCIAL SERVICES
Morgan Stanley, AQR Capital Management, D. E. Shaw, Fiera Capital
HEALTHCARE
Keck Medicine of USC, Ohio Health, Northwell Health, Intermountain Health, Genentech, Astellas Pharma
CORPORATE
BorgWarner, Meta, Allegis Group, Blizzard Entertainment
See What This Looks Like for Your Organization
We'll send you a content preview showing what your leaders will experience, including sample lessons, self-assessments, and the science behind each module.