Sharyn Tenn: A Champion for Sustainable, Human-Centered Innovations for Human Flourishing

Flourish51 bridges the gap between intention and impact by turning passion into action.

Sharyn Tenn is the Founder, CEO and Design Lead at Flourish51, a human-centered design studio dedicated to social impact, equity and well-being.

Sharyn’s roots are deeply embedded in rural Jamaica where, during childhood visits to her grandparents, she absorbed the realities of resilience and hardship in underserved communities, profoundly shaping her worldview and purpose.

These early life experiences ignited a deep-seated desire to honor local wisdom while addressing the systemic barriers impeding the growth and prosperity of communities and nations alike. Over her 25-year career, Sharyn has engaged in multi-sector collaborations with communities in over 35 countries around the world to develop solutions that address their challenges.

Through her work she became acutely aware of a universal truth: thriving communities require access to good quality health, housing, education, and work; freedom from oppression and discrimination of all forms, and wellness of mind, body and spirit. Driven by these insights, Sharyn created Flourish51—a social enterprise utilizing design to foster thriving communities, advance equity, and nurture the holistic well-being of individuals.

Flourish51’s mission is to support human flourishing by helping organizations, communities, and individuals overcome challenges by sparking creativity and generating innovative, lasting solutions. By integrating the strengths-based ethos of positive psychology, Flourish51 aspires to contribute to the field’s ambitious goal of having at least 51% of the global population flourishing by the year 2051.

Prior to launching Flourish51, Sharyn’s career highlights include:

• Consulting and senior leadership positions at the International Partnership for Microbicides (IPM) where she led external affairs, global policy advocacy, human-centered design and market access programs for IPM’s portfolio of innovative multipurpose prevention technologies for women, including the first long-acting HIV prevention product for women—the PrEP ring.

• Serving as a steering committee member and founder & co-chair of the Equity Working Group at the Global Health Technologies Coalition where Sharyn co-led and continues to lead a human-centered design process to advocate for a more equitable global health research and development (R&D) sector.

• Advancing cardiovascular disease prevention worldwide as the director of the first international affairs department at the American College of Cardiology (ACC). There, in partnership with cardiologists worldwide, she co-created an innovative program aimed at enhancing the global practice of cardiovascular medicine through collaborative research and education initiatives.

• Leading women’s empowerment and economic growth initiatives in resource-limited countries when she served on the executive leadership team at the Small Enterprise Education and Promotion (SEEP) Network. Working in close collaboration with organizational leaders from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Latin America, Sharyn co-designed and co-led an innovative peer learning program aimed at strengthening community-based microfinance associations serving small and micro entrepreneurs, primarily women.

• Managing financial inclusion, humanitarian relief and social justice programs in Asia and Latin America at Catholic Relief Services (CRS). Additionally, she served on the team responsible for designing a global partnership initiative aimed at fostering strengths-based organizational practices across CRS’ country offices.

Sharyn holds a Master of International Affairs degree from Columbia University; a Bachelor of Arts dual degree in International Studies and Spanish and Latin American Studies from American University; an Executive Certificate in Innovation and Human-Centered Design from Johns Hopkins University; and a Certificate in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University. She is a Fellow of the University of Denver and the Aspen Institute’s ICAP program which aims to achieve greater diversity in the field of International Affairs.

Sharyn is also a certified coach, educator and practitioner of Applied Positive Psychology and became a certified National Geographic Educator for designing a character strengths-focused global leadership program for youth.