ALINE HOLZWARTH
CURRICULUM VITAE
ABOUT ME
I'm an applied behavioral scientist specializing in digital health research and scientifically informed product design. My training in psychology and business, and experience in research and healthcare, have given me an interdisciplinary lens that helps me appreciate the complexity of decision-making in the real world, particularly when it comes to the thorny domain of health. I am passionate about sharing behavioral insights with anyone who'll listen.
I am currently leading behavioral science for Health AI at Apple.
EDUCATION
MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Duke University, The Fuqua School of Business, Durham, NC
2015
BACHELOR OF ARTS, PSYCHOLOGY
2009
Reed College, Portland, OR
Advised by Professors Enriqueta Canseco-Gonzalez (Reed College), Carey Morewedge (Carnegie Mellon University), and Daniel Oppenheimer (Princeton University)
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
6 years leading behavioral design in a growing digital health startup
13 years managing behavioral science programs, projects and products
Skilled director of strategy, operations and communications for a research center of 50+ personnel
Creative, analytical mind that pairs high-level strategic planning with systematic reasoning and meticulous detail
BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE LEAD, HEALTH AI, APPLE
July 2022-Present
Using AI and behavioral science, I work to help people make better health decisions.
Through Apple’s AI/ML Residency Program, I am supported by machine learning and AI courses, mentorship and training, and collaboration with seasoned experts on high-impact projects.
HEAD OF BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE, PATTERN HEALTH
2018-2022
Designed digital health platform features to engage and motivate users
Developed programs with customers to help users reach their health goals
Created internal materials and teachings to scale behavioral science within the company
Shared how the platform leads to better outcomes through published articles, talks and presentations
PRESIDENT, THE BEHAVIOR SHOP
2017-2022
Responsible for financial governance, including the design of management systems and oversight of daily operations
Created client materials and presentations for talks and workshops
PRINCIPAL, CENTER FOR ADVANCED HINDSIGHT AT DUKE UNIVERSITY
2017-2022
Governed strategic planning among leadership, including the creation of a business model, balanced scorecard, competitive landscape analysis, and development of strategic initiatives
Led transformation of operations through iterative process of organization-wide surveys, assessments, discussions, piloting, implementation and analysis
Managed a rebranding initiative, including logo redesign, brand strategy, organizational assets, and website overhaul
Cultivated a culture of research dissemination through writing workshops, measures of accountability, and the creation of an interdisciplinary Marketing Team
Served as Head of the Marketing Team, leading strategy and operations, establishing procedures for efficient content creation and collaboration, and overseeing special ops. Upheld organizational interests such as fundraising goals, unified messaging, external partnerships, and content strategy
Designed and implemented a comprehensive fundraising program at all levels of the organization. Identified and evaluated prospects and coordinated fundraising efforts among researchers
Launched the Behavioral Design Podcast in collaboration with Habit Weekly, interviewing leading experts on behavioral science and design. Frequent appearances on other behavioral science podcasts
Shared insights as a contributor for Forbes to apply the findings of behavioral science to work and well-being
BEHAVIORAL ADVISOR FOR STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH PATTERN HEALTH
2016-2018
Launched a novel research-industry partnership between Center for Advanced Hindsight and Pattern Health
Advised on behavioral science, using existing research as a basis for product justification and conducting original research to test hypotheses relevant to the product. Conducted 5 online surveys, 4+ patient focus groups, and 3 large-scale randomized controlled trials in patient and non-patient populations
Inspired product vision and design, with respect to user experience (capturing attention, reducing frictions, increasing engagement) and the application of behavioral insights to the product (i.e., via adherence features and personalization).
Developed digital health programs motivated by behavioral science and adapted for clinical use
Informed business strategy through industry analysis and report of strategic positioning
DIRECTOR OF THE STARTUP LAB, CENTER FOR ADVANCED HINDSIGHT
2015-2018
Created iterative pilot program for year 1; worked jointly on its evolution with Program Coordinator who I oversaw
Developed 3-year growth strategy for expansion beyond trial phase. Identified strategic goals to create a sustainable incubator focused on high-impact startups utilizing behavioral science
Selected startups admitted into the program each year. Identified and recruited firms developing digital tools addressing critical problems in health and finance; selected 3 teams per year for 3 years out of ~50 applicants per year.
Facilitated research collaborations between Center for Advanced Hindsight researchers and startup founders, and advised admitted startups on applying behavioral science findings and methods to their technologies
Taught experimentation methods to help entrepreneurs integrate rigorous testing in all parts of their new ventures, informing their system for designing randomized controlled experiments, collecting data, analyzing results, and sharing them with the public. Research insights based on these processes support both broad feature improvements and personalization (per-user optimization) for startups
Created a Master Class on the Udemy platform with Dan Ariely and +Acumen, on Changing Customer Behavior: How social entrepreneurs can harness the principles of behavioral change to reach more customers and create impact
PRODUCT MANAGER OF CAH APP SUITE, CENTER FOR ADVANCED HINDSIGHT
2011-2018
Managed the creation and development of apps produced by the Center for Advanced Hindsight. Conceptualized, designed, and oversaw 6 apps to help consumers utilize behavioral science in their daily decision-making
For each app, acted as product manager. Responsible for creating requirements, communicating with client project managers, organizing internal and external testing teams, and managing the project plan
Developed organizational structure of each app, including wireframing and creative design
CREATOR OF A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO IRRATIONAL BEHAVIOR ON COURSERA
2012-2014
Developed a massively open online course (MOOC) with Dan Ariely through coursera.org, working closely with the Fuqua multimedia team, planning and editing course content, conducting research, and running the course. The class was consistently rated as one of the top 5 MOOCs available, and taught over 300,000 students over two years (2013-2014)
Led instructional design and content creation for the course, ranging from storyboarding and video production to a curated readings, quizzes, and assignments. Planned and implemented course communications.
Managed student interactions as well as relationships between Duke, coursera, Dan Ariely, TAs and Community TAs, guest lecturers, as well as other internal parties at the Center for Advanced Hindsight
SENIOR BEHAVIORAL RESEARCHER, CENTER FOR ADVANCED HINDSIGHT
2009-2018
Project Manager of $750,000 grant from Google (Applying behavioral economics to health monitoring technology to improve medication and exercise adherence, 2015). Oversaw all aspects of the project, managing internal research associates and external development teams, designing and planning experiments, developing materials and final report
Wrote and received NIH grant for $431,750 (“Altruism in Research,” 2013), managed associated research. Performed an extensive literature review of past research, experimental design, budget calculation, and compiled written proposal
Led research projects (on average, 3 large projects and 10-15 smaller projects per year) ranging from digital health interventions conducted with patient populations to field studies in the natural environment. Performed all facets of research projects. In addition to overseeing Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval for human subjects research conducted in the CAH Research Lab, was responsible for independently managing a wide range of projects. Responsibilities included research design, material development, programming and distribution of surveys, conducting of experiments, data management (cleaning, coding, analyzing, interpreting), and reporting of study results
Nominated Digital Health Research Team for Duke Teamwork Award for interdisciplinary work, was awarded (2017)
COURSES AND PROGRAMS
A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO IRRATIONAL BEHAVIOR
CHANGING CUSTOMER BEHAVIOR
STARTUP LAB INCUBATOR
ULYSSES LAB
On April 1st 2018, we announced the launch of an exciting new initiative, the Ulysses Lab. Endorsed and advised by many of the top behavioral science experts around the world, it promised to get you to your goals with perfect certainty. It seemed almost too good to be true – and it was. In case the outrageous punishments suggested by our tool didn’t give us away, the April 1st launch surely did.
We collaborated with +Acumen to create an online course to help social entrepreneurs make an impact – by designing products that change consumer behaviors for good. We are always getting questions about how startups can experiment within their small companies (with few resources, especially time), and this course provides the tools for entrepreneurs to take a systematic approach to experimentation.
In 2013 and 2014, Dan Ariely taught an online class through Coursera called “A Beginner’s Guide to Irrational Behavior.” The class explored some of the many ways in which we behave in less than rational ways, and how we might overcome our shortcomings. It also considered cases where our irrationalities work in our favor, and how we can harness these human tendencies to make better decisions. The topics covered were Irrationality, the Psychology of Money, Dishonesty, Labor and Motivation, Self-control, and Emotion.
APPS
POCKET ARIELY
Pocket Ariely takes Dan Ariely’s lifelong work in behavioral economics and puts it at the tip of your fingers… literally. This app seeks to provide valuable content in different formats (video, text, games) across many disciplines of interest such as: Finance, Health, Productivity, and even Romance! The goal is to educate and entertain people from all walks of life to make better decisions in life while letting out a giggle here and there.
CONSCIENCE+
Conscience+ is here to help you through life’s most perplexing moral dilemmas. Based on the latest insights about human decision making, Conscience+ gives you the excuses you need to justify doing what you want to do – whether it is something good you aspire to, OR something more shady and less moral. Think of Conscience+ as providing both an angel and devil, sitting on your shoulder and available for advice at the flip of a switch.
ATTABOY
“A fool flatters himself, a wise man flatters the fool.” We humans believe the kind words of complimenters, even when it is clear that the flatterer is disingenuous (or non-human!). But the benefits of compliments don’t end with getting; your mood improves when giving compliments, too! That’s why attaboy exists.
MORAL MINDER
We are interested in how Dan Ariely’s research on cheating and dishonest behaviour relates to an academic medicine environment.
ACADEMIC PUBLICATIONS
Dimant, E., Pieper, D., Clemente, E. G., Dreber, A., & Gelfand, M. J. (2021). Politicizing Mask-Wearing: Predicting the Success of Behavioral Interventions Among Republicans and Democrats. Available at https://ssrn.com/abstract=3915256
Schwartz, J., & Holzwarth, A. (2021). Insights from behavioural economics for effective leadership during the pandemic. BMJ Leader, 5, 214-218.
Ariely, D. & Holzwarth, A. (2018) How Much Money Will You Really Spend in Retirement? Probably a Lot More Than You Think, Wall Street Journal.
Holzwarth, A. (2018). The Real Reason You Shouldn’t Text While Driving, Behavioral Scientist.
Ariely, D. & Holzwarth, A. (2017). The choice architecture of privacy decision-making, Health and Technology, 7(4), 415–422.
Ariely, D., Trower, M. & Grüneisen, A. (2016). Irrational Attachment (Why We Love What We Own) in Critical Mindfulness: Exploring Langerian Models edited by Sayyed Mohsen Fatemi, Springer, Cambridge MA.
Ariely, D. & Grüneisen, A. (2013). The Price of Greed: How Economic Selfishness Harms Us All. Scientific American Mind, 24, 5, 38-41.
Ariely, D. & Grüneisen, A. (2013). How To Turn Consumers Green. McKinsey on Society, Vol. 4.
Grüneisen, A., Schwartz, J., & Ariely, D. (November 2011). Does What Happens at the Party Stay at the Party? Examining the Influence of Peers and Context on Attitudes and Behaviors. Presented at the Annual Conference of the Society for Judgment and Decision Making, Seattle, WA.
Oleson, K.C., Booth, M., Grueneisen, A.M., Lynch, S., & Yen, T.Y. (February 2009). Concern for Performance of Ability: Differing Contingencies of Self-Worth for Subjective Overachievers and Self-Handicappers. Paper accepted for the 10th Annual Meeting of the Society of Personality and Social Psychology, Tampa, FL.
McGee, A.J., Kominsky, J.F., Briggs, K.E.L., Grueneisen, A.M., Orbach, T. & Brand, R.J. (April 2009). Structure in Mothers’ Demonstrations to Infants of Objects With and Without a Salient End-Goal. Presented at the Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Denver, CO.
Currie, P.J., Grueneisen, A.M., Wall, D.G., & Sarkodie, K.A. (July 2008). Anxiogenic, orexigenic and metabolic effects of hypothalamic ghrelin. Appetite, 51, 360. Presented at the annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior, Paris, FR.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Member of professional organizations: Applied Behavioral Science Assoc (ABSA), Global Association of Applied Behavioral Scientists (GAABS), Society for Behavioral Medicine (SBM), Society for Judgment & Decision Making (SJDM), American Psychological Association (APA), Social Psychology Network (SPN), Society for Personality & Social Psychology (SPSP)
Faculty Advisor for Duke Master’s student in the Bio Ethics, Tech Ethics and Science Policy graduate program (2016-2017)
Certificates from Coursera (2018): Healthcare Innovation and Entrepreneurship, The Science of Well-Being, Introduction to Public Speaking, Speaking to Inform, and Speaking to Persuade.
Duke Human Research Training (Biomedical Research with GCP; Vulnerable Subjects - Research Involving Prisoners; Vulnerable Subjects - Research Involving Children, Vulnerable Subjects - Research Involving Pregnant Women; Fetuses and Neonates; History and Ethical Principles; Informed Consent; Internet-based Research).
Career at Duke Workshop (2018, Managing at Duke Workshop (2014). Leadership Excellence Certificate (in progress); courses taken: Leader as Coach, Emotional Intelligence: The Emotionally Effective Leader, Managing from the Middle (2017).
OP-ED Workshop, Duke Office of News and Communication (2012) and National Association of Science Writer’s conference, Raleigh, NC (2012). Sponsored by Karl Bates (Director of Research Communications at Duke).
Audited Peter Ubel’s Decision Making MBA course (2011): Irrational Choices, Unconscious Decisions and Market Failure.
Research Assistant for Carnegie Mellon’s Center for Behavioral Decision Research for Professors Carey Morewedge and George Loewenstein (2008). Attended intensive workshop for Cognitive Science and Neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania’s Institute for Research in Cognitive Science (2008).
SPEAKING APPEARANCES
Society for Personality and Social Psychology talk for Beyond Academia: Psychology in Applied Settings (2023)
Behavioral Insights Team talk for Leveraging Behavioural Science to Promote Health & Wellness (2022)
Blue Cross Blue Shield Tech Summit Speaker (2021)
University of Pennsylvania’s Master of Behavioral & Decision Sciences (MBDS) workshop speaker, served on panel for its consulting class, and collaborated with students on a design challenge
Special Guest Speaker at Duke course Googlization of Knowledge: Information, Ethics, and Technology (2021)
Habit Day Conference Speaker on Digital Behavior in Health with Jennifer LaGuardia of Omada Health (2021)
Aetna-CVS General Management Leadership Development Program Speaker (2020)
BE Guide Launch Speaker on Framing in Health, Financial and Environmental Decisions (2020)
NeuroU Conference Speaker on Digital Tools (2020)
Behavioral Science in Policy and Association Conference Speaker on Digital Tools for Behavior Change (2020)
Society for Behavioral Medicine Conference Seminar on A Practical Guide to Creating Effective Digital Health Programs with Behavioral Science (2019)
Duke Digital Health Speaker on Using Behavioral Science to Drive Digital Health Engagement & Outcomes (2018)
Health Experience Design Conference Speaker on Digital Tools for Behavior Change: Findings from Research (2018)
HOBBIES
Sous vide and other forms of cooking, gardening and other means of getting hands dirty, traveling the world (committed to visit a new country each year unless there is a pandemic preventing travel)