Dr. Suzy Harrington began her career as an Air Force nurse and has spent decades advancing health and well-being across clinical, educational, and organizational systems.

With a master’s degree in health promotion, earned before “wellness” was even a mainstream concept, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice focused on healthcare leadership and business strategy, her work has evolved from individual care to prevention education, and ultimately to system-wide transformation.

Dr. Harrington’s career has been shaped by both her military service and her experiences as a military spouse, leading to a breadth of leadership roles in diverse and dynamic settings. She served as the Air Force’s Health Promotion Subject Matter Expert and later as Director of the Department of Health, Safety, and Wellness at the American Nurses Association.

She was recruited to become the #rst dedicated CWO in higher education at Oklahoma State University, where she helped shape and embed foundational well-being strategies. !is pioneering work led to leadership roles in launching and advancing health-promoting campus movements at Oklahoma State, Georgia Tech, and the University of Houston.

Dr. Harrington has held executive roles in both higher education and healthcare, including serving as Assistant Vice President over integrated student well-being services—ranging from student health and counseling to campus recreation and disability services—and leading workforce well-being efforts within a major healthcare system. Here she oversaw strategic and operational expansion of programs supporting benefits, medical services, employee assistance, chaplaincy, and engagement initiatives.

A nationally recognized thought leader, Dr. Harrington contributed to the creation of the Okanagan Charter: An International Charter for Health-Promoting Universities & Colleges and has served on multiple national and international boards advancing whole-system well-being. Her work continues to influence wellness leaders across sectors.

Most recently, she held two high-impact interim consulting roles: first as Interim Executive Director of Student Well-Being at the University of Vermont, and then at the University of Houston, where she was invited back to elevate and realign their health promotion strategies.

Now retired from full-time leadership roles, Dr. Harrington devotes her time to consulting, teaching, and writing—supporting the next generation of well-being leaders and helping organizations embed health and well-being into their core strategy, operations, and culture.