Co-founder of Australia’s World Wellness Group among GWI Susie Ellis Scholarship recipients

October 11, 2023

The Global Wellness Institute has announced the recipients of this year’s Susie Ellis Scholarship for Equity in Wellness wiith Rita Prasad-Ildes, co-founder of Australia’s World Wellness Group named among the recipients.

Having received an overwhelming response, the 215 applications that arrived from 61 countries, showcased the heightened awareness and interest in global wellness equity.

In light of these numbers, and to further support deserving individuals, the GWI awarded four scholarships in 2023, doubling the number given in 2022.

GWI relied heavily on input and guidance from two of its advisory board members, Hannah Messerli, PhD, and Nicola Finley, MD, to create a shortlist from the applicant pool. Subsequently, the GWS Board of Advisors voted, resulting in the four deserving recipients. This year’s recipients are:

Rita Prasad-Ildes, co-founder of Australia’s World Wellness Group, formed with the mission of addressing health inequities for migrants, refugees and people seeking asylum.
Jonathan Imperial, a senior advisor for the Queens Borough President’s Office. His role involves providing community wellness support to the largest public housing community in the United States.
Michelle Saudan, the founder of Dubai-based Amanzi Wellbeing. Her platform, dedicated to expanding awareness of Africa’s unique wellness assets, achieves this through wellness retreats.
Theodora WarriorHealy, an Indigenous empowerment facilitator based in Canada, whose ultimate goal is to offer wrap-around care for Indigenous healing.

The scholarship fund offers invaluable opportunities for deserving individuals to participate in the Global Wellness Summit (GWS), GWI’s conference on the wellness industry. This program serves as a bridge, granting access to individuals who may not have had the means to attend the Summit independently. This year’s Summit, to be held in Doha, Qatar from November 6th-9th, promises to be a transformative event, bringing together leading experts, innovators and influencers from around the globe.

Nancy Davis, GWI chief creative officer & executive director shared “Through their unwavering passion and dedication to the wellness industry, these scholarship recipients will no doubt make a profound impact and contribute positively to the global wellness community

“This scholarship lets us offer those who have perhaps dreamt of attending the Summit an opportunity to participate in conversations with global wellness leaders, exposing them to the topics and issues that are shaping the business of wellness now and into the future.”

The establishment of the scholarship fund was made possible by the generous contributions of Katrine and Bill Formby, Rick Stollmeyer, Lynne and Victor Brick, and the Szekely Family Foundation. Since its inception, the fund has experienced remarkable growth through the annual live auction held during the GWS gala event.

The scholarship is named for Susie Ellis, GWS Chair and Chief Executive, who has been at the helm of the Summit and its sister non-profit organization, the GWI, since inception.

Ellis enthused “the doubling of scholarships awarded this year is a testament to the increased recognition of the importance of equity in wellness. We are delighted to support this exceptional group of individuals and provide them with a platform to contribute to the ongoing mission of making wellness accessible to all.”

Learn more about the scholarship, including how to donate or apply, here.

Registration for the 2023 Summit is now open.  Apply here. 

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Image (from top clockwise) Rita Prasad-Ildes, Michelle Saudan, Theodora WarriorHealy, Jonathan Imperial

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