Lead the Fight

Dr. Burke Harris is an award-winning physician, researcher, and public health leader who has spent her career on the front lines of some of our world’s most pressing public health challenges.

As California’s first-ever Surgeon General, Dr. Burke Harris successfully launched a first-in-the-nation statewide effort to train over 20,000 primary care providers on how to screen for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and respond with trauma-informed care.

As the featured speaker at our 2024 Celebrate Babies event at The Breakers, Dr. Harris' key message was “You don’t have to boil the ocean, you just have to play your position.” If you missed the event, click here to view it. February's in-person event will build on this message to catalyze systemic change in how our community addresses childhood trauma.

Paul and Kathy Leone, Honorary Chairs

We are honored to announce Paul and Kathy Leone as the Honorary Chairs for our 2025 Lead the Fight event!

Mr. and Mrs. Leone have been unwavering champions in the fight against ACEs and trauma, lending their support to our mission to build resilience and promote well-being for children and families. Over the years, their generosity and leadership have been instrumental, including hosting pivotal educational events with experts like Dr. Gabor Maté, at The Breakers to raise awareness and inspire action within our community.

Mr. Leone serves as CEO of the 128-year-old, privately held Breakers Palm Beach, Inc. and its parent company, Flagler System, Inc. Mrs. Leone has been actively involved in our community as a passionate advocate for foster care reform for over thirty years. Their dedication is making a profound impact in our community, helping to pave the way for a brighter future for all children in Palm Beach County and Florida. CLICK HERE to read their bios.

Ashley Glass, Emcee

Our Lead the Fight Emcee, Ashley Glass, anchors "Today on 5" on weekdays and produces regular, in-depth reports across all WPTV platforms.

Throughout her two decades as a journalist, Ashley has covered many significant news events across Florida, including the Surfside condo collapse, the Gulf oil spill and recovery, the Casey Anthony trial, the final launch of Shuttle Discovery, and the case against George Zimmerman. She covered the Florida execution of a man convicted of murder decades prior and shared compelling stories from family and friends of the victims in the WPTV true crime special "Bad Things Can Happen to Good People."

As a mother, Ashley is a strong advocate for children in our community and during the pandemic, Ashley joined us as the emcee for several of our Lead the Fight events, bringing attention to the profound impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and trauma on the health of children, families, and communities. CLICK HERE for Ashley's bio.

About Dr. Burke Harris

Research shows that unbuffered ACEs and childhood trauma are at the root of many problems and crises families and communities face today. Gun violence, domestic abuse, overflowing jails, homelessness, child abuse, addiction, chronic disease, and mental illness--compounded by adverse community environments, are often the adult results of early childhood trauma. 

 “As a society, we simply can't afford to wait for children to fall apart emotionally before we do something. From ACEs science, effective strategies have emerged. It’s time to invest in them. NOW.” --Renée Layman, CEO at Center for Child Counseling.