Benjamin Houltberg, Ph.D., LMFT

“All kids have something to offer this world. They have that spark, that thing that can make a difference in the community they are in right now. We want to be able to bring out those things over time, but we also have to believe that youth can transform the present as well.”

Dr. Benjamin Houltberg, a developmental scientist, former tenured faculty member and experienced marriage and family therapist, has been president and CEO of Search Institute since 2021. He feels strongly about the role of youth development work and has a sense of purpose around investing in a generation that will have tremendous impact not only on the future, but the here and now.

As CEO, he works to amplify the voices of marginalized communities, while also inspiring Search Institute to always have the organization’s vision in mind. He works closely with Search Institute’s many partners and is focused on recruiting a diverse group of talented individuals to address the needs of the communities that the organization serves. He believes that innovation and ideas can change the world, and wants to leverage innovation in nonprofit and historically under-resourced organizations in order to close the gap between science and practice and provide practitioners with the highest quality tools and resources in order to do their work and ensure that young people thrive.

He is widely published on topics such as adolescent social and emotional competencies, resilience through relationships, and character and identity development through sports. As a licensed counselor, Ben has worked extensively with youth living in socioeconomic disadvantage. Having served as a youth practitioner, he has a unique perspective on both research and practice. He has successfully led large research teams, consulted with several high-performance organizations to create thriving cultures, and developed tools and resources aimed at promoting resilience through relationships.

He has served as a family support specialist, adolescent group counselor, vocational counselor and therapist, and practicum and internship clinical supervisor. He has held academic positions at Purdue University–Fort Wayne, Fuller School of Psychology, and the University of Southern California where he continues to hold an appointment of Associate Professor of Research and often guest lectures in the classroom and advises on data-informed approaches to creating a high performing culture in the Athletic Department. Ben is also a former NCAA Division I athlete and ran professionally after college. He holds a Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies from Oklahoma State University and an MA in Marriage and Family Therapy/Counseling from Oral Roberts University.

“We have to acknowledge that youth aren’t defined by the deficits in their lives, but by their strengths and who they are right now. We also have to understand that there’s a bidirectional influence when we’re working in youth development, and relationships are at the heart of that. It’s the vehicle for growth.”

He is a founding member of Hope Sports and True North and continues to serve in an advisory role to both organizations. He also serves on the Youth Development Strategy Table. He previously served on the board of directors for Harambee Ministries, an out-of-school time organization in California, and was part of a working group for the Page Amendment in Minnesota. Recent publications include a chapter in the Handbook of Research on Student Engagement, Developmental Relationships and Student Motivation: Current Research and Future Directions, Effects of developmental relationships on the well-being of youth in high-stress families for Family Relations, Interdisciplinary Journal of Applied Family Science and Facilitating Relationship-Building Online for Positive Adolescent Development in the Journal of the Association for Consumer Research.