Susan F. Stevenson is the Founder and Director of the FREEDOM Wellbeing Institute and the New Zealand Curriculum Design Institute. Over more than three decades, she has led research and practice in wellbeing education, culminating in the creation of the Universal Wellbeing Model (UWM) and Universal Wellbeing Evaluation Tool (UWET) — evidence-based frameworks now used internationally across education, health, and organisational systems.

Her work is grounded in the belief that “Wellbeing = Freedom.” She champions the idea that every individual and organisation can develop the capacity to recognise strengths, minimise harm, and create conditions for long-term success through systemic wellbeing design.

Susan has taught, advised, and led projects spanning policy, education, leadership, and community practice. Her career combines academic research with real-world application, bridging the gap between theory and practice to achieve equitable outcomes through prevention and capability building.