# NYU Hosts Panel on Mindfulness in the Workplace

Students, administrators and faculty from across NYU convened in Paulson Auditorium at NYU’s Stern School of Business this April for a panel discussion entitled, “Beyond Deep Breaths: Transforming the Workplace Through Mindfulness.” Moderated by David Gelles, financial reporter at *The New York Times* and author of [*Mindful Work*](http://www.davidgelles.com/mindfulwork/), the panel featured Dr. Amishi Jha, neuroscientist, researcher and associate professor at the University of Miami; NYU Law School alumna Janice Marturano (JD ’82), founder and executive director of the Institute for Mindful Leadership and strategic leader within General Mills for nearly 15 years; and Jeffrey Walker, former CEO of CCMP Capital and former managing partner of JP Morgan Partners.

Hosted as part of NYU Stern’s [Mindfulness in Business Initiative](http://www.stern.nyu.edu/portal-partners/leadership-development/mindfulness) and co-sponsored by the [NYU Leadership Initiative](http://www.nyu.edu/about/university-initiatives/leadership-studies-development/about.html) and [Mindful.org](http://www.mindful.org/), the panel explored the opportunities, challenges and effects of implementing mindfulness in their organizations.

![Mindfulness in Business | Panel Discussion](https://www.stern.nyu.edu/sites/default/files/assets/images/Mindfulness-in-Business_body.jpg "Mindfulness in Business | Panel Discussion")

“Attention is a scare resource,” explained Dr. Jha, who pointed to research that she has conducted with military men and women and with university students, showing that a regular mindful meditation practice has a positive effect on focus and concentration. According to Marturano, mindfulness meditation is being embraced by an increasing number of business leaders as a means to gaining more clarity, focus and compassion. Similarly, Walker underscored several additional benefits to a mindfulness practice, including pain management and improved sleep.

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*The Mindfulness in Business Initiative is a collaboration between NYU’s Stern School of Business and NYU Global Spiritual Life. The initiative aims to transform business leadership in the 21st century on a national and global level by integrating mindfulness into the core of how business schools prepare their students. The initiative is funded by a grant from the Lenz Foundation.*

Business and Policy Leader Events

— 4/14/2015

![Mindfulness in Business | Panel Discussion](/sites/default/files/styles/480w/public/assets/images/Mindfulness-in-Business_article.jpg?itok=B5Px3yAD)## Read more

- Learn more about NYU Stern’s [Mindfulness in Business Initiative](http://www.stern.nyu.edu/portal-partners/leadership-development/mindfulness)
- [Meditate Possible: MBA Student Jonathan Cook](http://www.stern.nyu.edu/experience-stern/tales-in-possible/meditate-possible-jonathan-cook)
- [Dan Harris of ABC News shares his story with MBAs at Launch of NYU Stern’s Mindfulness in Business Initiative](http://www.stern.nyu.edu/experience-stern/news-events/mindfulness-business-launch-dan-harris)
- NYU Alum & Former General Mills Exec Janice Marturano leads an MBA [workshop on mindful leadership practices](http://www.stern.nyu.edu/experience-stern/news-events/mindful-leadership-janice-marturano)