Global Nonprofit Teaches People How to Use Their Strengths to Boost Well-Being
CINCINNATI — The VIA Institute on Character (VIA®), the global leader in advancing the science and practice of character strengths, welcomes Jeffrey Levy, M.D., as its new Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Levy is an author, educator, entrepreneur and internationally recognized expert in e-learning. His decades of experience with positive psychology companies is a natural fit for VIA’s mission to help people discover their best qualities—and use these strengths daily to improve their lives.
“I have known the founders of VIA for nearly 20 years, and am proud of their work that has touched the lives of over 21 million people in every country in the world,” said Dr. Levy. “I am so pleased to have this incredible opportunity to work with the talented VIA staff and to help lead this organization to achieve its mission and expand its reach, research and impact.”
Character strengths are the positive parts of personality that are instrumental in helping people flourish. Applying their greatest strengths makes individuals feel authentically engaged in all areas of their life, including at work, at home and in their community. Adults and youth can discover their unique character strengths profile with the free VIA Survey, then receive expert guidance on how to apply their strengths with reports, courses, books, coaching and webinars.
“Dr. Levy is uniquely qualified to support VIA’s next chapter of growth, which includes deepening the scientific knowledge and broadening evidence-based applications,“ said Dr. Neal H. Mayerson, founder of VIA. “We are very fortunate he chose to lead VIA into the future.”
An OB-GYN by training, Dr. Levy expanded his interests into the well-being industry in 2004, when he founded and was CEO of one of the first positive psychology companies that empowered people to build skills that foster resilience and breakthrough thinking to take control of life’s challenges, thrive, and flourish. Since that time, he has had the privilege to work with some of the top positive psychologists in the world, develop a dozen online well-being programs, create a new comprehensive wellness assessment tool, and write a book about his experiences.
Dr. Levy’s signature strengths are love, creativity, gratitude, fairness and curiosity. Discover your own top character strengths by taking the free VIA Survey at viacharacter.org.
About the VIA® Institute on Character
Established as a non-profit organization in 2001, the VIA Institute on Character (VIA) is dedicated to bringing the science of character strengths to the world to help people and communities flourish. VIA creates and validates surveys of character; supports research studying the science of character; and develops practical strengths-based tools for individuals and professionals, such as therapists, managers and educators. The free VIA Character Strengths Survey has been taken over 21 million times by people in 195 countries who want to learn and apply their best qualities to improve their lives. Discover your unique strengths at viacharacter.org.