Steve Leventhal

Founder & CEO, WorldBeing 

Steve Leventhal is the Founder and CEO of WorldBeing, a global nonprofit advancing systems change for adolescent mental health. WorldBeing partners with governments to embed wellbeing into education systems across low- and middle-income countries, working across curriculum reform, teacher training, and national policy development to create lasting change for young people.

What began in 2008 as a grassroots pilot with 100 girls in a rural Sufi community has grown into a cross-country initiative currently reaching 1 million youth and teachers in India, Kenya, and Rwanda—with an audacious goal of reaching 30 million young people by 2030.

Steve is widely recognized for advancing ethical, evidence-based practices in adolescent mental health. Evidence of WorldBeing’s impact has been published extensively on outcomes in education, gender equity, and youth agency, shaping national strategies and global conversations on youth wellbeing. 

He holds an MPA from the University of Washington and was the 2019 recipient of the Outstanding Practitioner Award from the World Congress on Positive Psychology. A longtime practitioner of meditation and Aikido, Steve brings both strategic clarity and grounded presence to his leadership—driving a global movement to make wellbeing a public good for all young people.