Ross Szabo

Ross Szabo is a social innovator who has pioneered the youth mental health movement. He is the CEO of Human Power Project, a company that designs mental health curriculum and a board member for the Flawless Foundation. He is an award winning speaker, author and Returned Peace Corps Volunteer.

Ross turned a diagnosis of bipolar disorder with anger control problems and psychotic features at age 16, into an opportunity to educate others. His natural ability to make mental health approachable for large groups of people has led to countless media appearances and articles.

Ross has spoken to more than 1.5 million people about the importance of mental health and provided a positive example to empower them to seek help. During his 8 years as Director of the National Mental Health Awareness Campaign, he created the first national youth mental health speakers’ bureau in the country that is now a part of Active Minds. The speakers’ bureau has reached millions of people.

Ross is the co-author of Behind Happy Faces; Taking Charge of Your Mental Health and a blogger for The Huffington Post. His tremendous efforts in the mental health field have led to him receiving the 2010 Didi Hirsch Removing the Stigma Leadership Award, 2012 Changing Minds Award and his advocacy work was entered into the Congressional Record by Congressman Patrick Kennedy. Ross is also featured in Scientific American’s 2014 psychology textbook.

Human Power Project’s first curriculum titled, Behind Happy Faces, is being utilized by over 70,000 students. The curriculum is used at numerous colleges including; Cornell University, the University of Pennsylvania, Duke University, Oregon State University and UC Irvine. Behind Happy Faces is also used at top private schools, public school districts and was featured at Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Retreat.