Ross Eugene Szabo (born Bethlehem, Pennsylvania) is the wellness director at Geffen Academy at UCLA.[1] He is a mental health speaker[2] and the CEO of Human Power Project.[3]

Ross Eugene Szabo
NationalityAmerican
OrganizationGeffen Academy

Career

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Szabo was the Director of Outreach for the National Mental Health Awareness Campaign from 2002 to 2010.[4] In that time, Szabo helped create the first nationwide youth mental health speakers' bureau in the country, called the Heard, which was later acquired by Active Minds.[5] He spoke to over one million young people and reached millions in media appearances.[6] Szabo was awarded the 2010 Didi Hirsch Erasing the Stigma Leadership Award[7] and had his work entered into the Congressional Record by Congressman Patrick Kennedy.[8]

He is known for being one of the most sought after mental health speakers in the country,[9] co-authoring Behind Happy Faces: Taking Charge of Your Mental Health - A Guide for Young Adults.[10] and creating a mental health curriculum also titled Behind Happy Faces.[11] The curriculum is being used by over 200,000 students across the country.[12] Behind Happy Faces Mental Health Curriculum received the 2016 Excellence in Education Award from the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors.[13] In 2020 Szabo authored A Kids Book About Anxiety, published by Penguin Random House and distributed worldwide. [14]

Szabo's work at Geffen Academy at UCLA is to create a comprehensive mental health curriculum that follows the milestones of adolescent development for grades 6–12.[15]

Szabo was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at age 16.[16] As a senior at Northampton Senior High School in Northampton, PA, he was hospitalized for attempting to take his own life.[17] He started talking about his experiences with bipolar disorder and the issues he faced during his senior year.[18] After numerous struggles, Szabo graduated from American University in 2002.[19] Szabo received an MA in Educational Psychology from Ball State University in 2018.[20] He is a blogger for the Huffington Post[21] and a returned Peace Corps Volunteer having served in Botswana from 2010 to 2012.[22]

References

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  1. ^ "Ross Szabo". Geffen Academy. Retrieved 2019-06-22.
  2. ^ "Stigma-Free UC webinar Wednesday: What is mental health awareness and what can we do better?". Retrieved 2019-06-22.
  3. ^ "Who We Are". Human Power Project. 2014-02-05. Retrieved 2019-06-22.
  4. ^ "Though No One is Normal". Active Minds. Retrieved 2019-06-22.
  5. ^ "Active Minds Acquires Mental Health Speakers Bureau from the National Mental Health Awareness Campaign". Active Minds. Retrieved 2019-06-22.
  6. ^ "Where Are They Now?". bpHope.com. 2010-02-01. Retrieved 2019-06-22.
  7. ^ DIDIHIRSCH (2010-11-13), Erasing the Stigma Awards 2010 - part 2 - Leadership Award to Ross Szabo, archived from the original on 2021-12-15, retrieved 2019-06-22
  8. ^ "Congressional Record". www.congress.gov. Retrieved 2019-06-22.
  9. ^ Top Youth Speakers (2017-05-16), #1 Rated Mental Health Speaker, archived from the original on 2021-12-15, retrieved 2019-06-22
  10. ^ Stewart, Sarah. "Ross Szabo Campus Wide Presentation". LiveWell, University of California at San Diego. Archived from the original on September 2, 2011. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
  11. ^ "Behind Happy Faces Curriculum Training | Counseling & Psychological Services | Oregon State University". Counseling & Psychological Services. 2015-01-28. Retrieved 2019-06-22.
  12. ^ "Experience". imis.tridelta.org. Retrieved 2019-06-22.
  13. ^ "Behind Happy Faces receives Excellence in Educational Programming…". Zeta Tau Alpha Fraternity. Retrieved 2019-06-22.
  14. ^ Szabo, Ross (2020). A Kids Book About Anxiety.
  15. ^ "Newly opened Geffen Academy promotes mental, physical wellness". dailybruin.com. Retrieved 2019-06-22.
  16. ^ Call, SONIA CSENCSITS Of The Morning (19 March 2001). "Northampton graduate discusses mental illness ** Ross Szabo returns to his alma mater as part of his quest to raise teen awareness of condition". themorningcall.com. Retrieved 2019-06-22.
  17. ^ Call, SONIA CSENCSITS Of The Morning (19 March 2001). "Northampton graduate discusses mental illness ** Ross Szabo returns to his alma mater as part of his quest to raise teen awareness of condition". themorningcall.com. Retrieved 2019-06-22.
  18. ^ Call, SONIA CSENCSITS Of The Morning (19 March 2001). "Northampton graduate discusses mental illness ** Ross Szabo returns to his alma mater as part of his quest to raise teen awareness of condition". themorningcall.com. Retrieved 2019-06-22.
  19. ^ "Ross Szabo, Keynote Speaker". Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity, Inc. 2016-04-29. Retrieved 2019-06-22.
  20. ^ "Ball State University", Wikipedia, 2019-06-21, retrieved 2019-06-22
  21. ^ "Ross Szabo | HuffPost". www.huffpost.com. Retrieved 2019-06-22.
  22. ^ Szabo, Ross; Project, ContributorCEO Human Power (2012-06-19). "Two Bags, Two Years: The End of Peace Corps Service". HuffPost. Retrieved 2019-06-22. {{cite web}}: |first2= has generic name (help)