Kendra Markle

Building tools for healthy behavior change

As an entrepreneur and founder of AlterActions, I build technology tools for healthy behavior change. My tools use the latest neuroscience research with persuasive, mobile and social technology to coach people through a series of achievable behavior changes. My techniques produce lasting changes in lifestyle in people struggling with obesity, anxiety, chronic conditions and emotional health issues.

I also do research with Stanford Prevention Research Center on innovative ways to use stealth health and social media to improve health outcomes. I'm a frequent speaker at health tech conferences, including Web 2.0 Expo, Games for Health, Healthcare Unbound, Mobile Health and others.

We are in the midst of a growing health care crisis. An alarming number of people are suffering from obesity, chronic conditions and degraded mental health, many of whom know what they need to do differently and are unable to make change in their own behavior and lives to turn their health around. Many endure painful health problems and costly, invasive medical procedures that are entirely preventable with big lifestyle changes. This is truly a time to better understand the use of technology to motivate, incentivise and coach behavior change. This is my mission.