Danielle Bayard Jackson is a women’s relational health educator who speaks nationally about the science of women’s platonic connections. She is the director of the Women’s Relational Health Institute and is also the author of Fighting for Our Friendships : The Science and Art of Conflict and Connection in Women’s Relationships.

 

As a former high school teacher and academic department chair, Danielle now leverages her background in education to study the latest research on women’s cooperation, communication, and conflict. Her expertise has been featured in The New York Times, NBC News, The Today Show, Oprah Magazine, Good Morning America– and she was most recently listed as one of Mel Robbins’ Top 9 Experts of 2025.

 

As a member of the American Sociological Association, Danielle works with both individuals and organizations to share tangible, evidence-based strategies to help women create more satisfaction in their platonic same-sex relationships. Companies like TikTok, the NBA, NFL, and Etsy have all booked Danielle as a speaker to address the topic of connection psychology. She even served as the resident friendship expert and spokesperson for the global app Bumble and its has designed curriculum for Rachel Cargle’s Loveland Foundation, Hoda Kotb’s Joy 101, and for some of the largest sororities in the country.

 

Danielle shares her insight weekly on The Friend Forward Podcast, has several viral videos on social media, and has written for Insider and Harvard Business Review.

 

You can learn more about Danielle and her work by visiting www.betterfemalefriendships.com.