Dr. Funke Baffour-Awuah

Dr. Funke Baffour-Awuah is a renowned clinical psychologist and well-being strategist, currently serving as the Corporate Head of Wellbeing at GEMS Education. With over 20 years of experience, she spent the first part of her career as a practicing clinical psychologist before transitioning into education in 2013, where she has since dedicated herself to embedding psychological well-being into schools.

As Corporate Head of Wellbeing at GEMS Education, Dr. Funke leads the strategic development of well-being initiatives across 48 schools in the UAE. She works closely with school leaders, counsellors, and educators to establish system-wide frameworks that prioritise mental health and resilience. Her role is instrumental in shaping leadership engagement in well-being, ensuring it is embedded within school culture, policy, and leadership development.

One of her flagship contributions at GEMS is ‘Leadership Gemstones,’ an initiative designed to develop student leadership through values-driven personal growth. This framework aligns with GEMS' vision for cultivating essential leadership qualities such as resilience, integrity, empathy, and adaptability in students, helping them become confident and emotionally intelligent leaders.

Beyond her work at GEMS, Dr. Funke has developed several independent well-being tools and resources, including the Mood and Worry Screener and the Student Wellbeing Compass. These tools support schools in early identification of student mental health needs and provide structured approaches to fostering well-being in educational settings.

A passionate advocate for whole-school mental health strategies, Dr. Funke is also an accomplished author. Her books, including Improving Your Thinking and Love Your Authentic Self, equip readers with the psychological tools needed for self-awareness, resilience, and emotional well-being.

As a sought-after international speaker and media personality, Dr. Funke has shared her expertise on platforms such as CNN and the BBC, as well as at global conferences. She is committed to driving a culture of well-being in education, ensuring that well-being is not just an initiative but an integral part of leadership, curriculum, and school communities, shaping both student success and lifelong resilience.