Press Release

CorStone Executive Director Wins 2019 International Positive Psychology Award as Most Outstanding Practitioner

Melbourne |Australia
July 25, 2019

CorStone , a nonprofit organization providing resilience-based training to empower marginalized youth around the world to “bounce back” and thrive despite significant adversity, announced that Steve Leventhal, Executive Director, was awarded the Most Outstanding Practitioner Award by the International Positive Psychology Association. This award is given bi-annually to a practitioner who has shown outstanding excellence and impact in advancing the practices of positive psychology in ethical and evidence-based ways.

Steve Leventhal received the award during the 6th World Congress on Positive Psychology in Melbourne, Australia, a global gathering of leading researchers and practitioners focused on the latest research and best practices in positive psychology, where he presented one of the welcoming keynote addresses.


“It is a tremendous honor to be recognized by the International Positive Psychology Association for CorStone’s work in global development, and I’m grateful to them for the work they are doing to promote evidence-based and ethical practices in positive psychology around the world,” said Steve Leventhal.

“We’ve documented extensive evidence supporting our unique approach towards transforming the emotional resilience, mental and physical wellbeing, and education of youth in some of the most challenging and oppressive circumstances,” Leventhal added.

“I’ve gotten to know many of the participants in our programs, and their stories about the changes they are able to catalyze in their own lives and the lives of people and communities around them are as powerful as the data. During my keynote presentation, I shared the story of Nitu, a participant in our Girls First program in India, who used what she learned to break free from an abusive marriage, continue her education and set an example for her daughter and her family. For me, this award is not only about the work of our organization in helping marginalized youth in need, but also about the tremendous transformation young people are bringing about in their communities.”


About CorStone
CorStone is a global non-profit organization that works ‘from the inside out’ to improve well-being among vulnerable youth worldwide. CorStone’s resilience-based approach teaches the skills that empower youth to thrive—not just survive—when faced with significant adversity. Studies, including large-scale randomized controlled trials, have documented the powerful impact the organization's programs are having on the mental and physical wellbeing and education of youth. Founded in 1975, CorStone is headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Its subsidiary, CorStone India Foundation, has offices in Delhi, Patna and Darbhanga, India. To learn more, please visit CorStone online.