Mia Sundstrom is the Director of Play Transformation at the National Institute for Play, the organization founded by her grandfather, Dr. Stuart Brown, to champion the science of play across the lifespan. She also serves as Project Manager for Character Education in the Chancellor’s Office at the University of Denver, where she’s helping shape how values and play intersect to build stronger, more resilient learners.

Mia’s work is rooted in lived experience. She grew up in Boulder, Colorado, attending alternative, play-based schools that reflected her grandfather’s research. She credits that upbringing—and her grandfather’s pioneering work—with helping her build a meaningful, joyful, and purpose-driven life. Movement is her play style. It has been a consistent thread in her life, from her childhood adventures to her success as a student-athlete and beyond.

Mia was an NCAA Division I gymnast and team captain at the University of Denver, where she helped lead the program to a historic fourth-place national finish while earning her Bachelor’s in Business Information & Analytics magna cum laude and her Master’s in Public Policy. She returned as an assistant coach for DU’s nationally ranked top-10 gymnastics team, and is now a competitive mountain bike racer, completing the legendary Leadville Trail 100. Her experiences and subsequent research have inspired her to share the message with the world to enliven her grandfather’s legacy.

A dynamic speaker and facilitator, Mia has appeared on podcasts, delivered keynotes, led workshops, and consulted with organizations on how play and character can serve as powerful drivers of well-being, leadership, and competitive advantage.