Nadine Burke Harris
ACE Resource Network
Award-winning physician and public health leader Dr. Nadine Burke Harris will draw on her groundbreaking research and experience as California’s first Surgeon General to make the case for a paradigm shift toward prevention, early detection, and risk-based approaches to mental health and well-being. She will share lessons from building the ACEs Aware initiative, aligning Medicaid policy, provider training, and community-based networks to intervene earlier and more effectively—without overwhelming the mental health system. Dr. Burke Harris will introduce her newly launched organization and three-year strategy to help states move beyond fragmented efforts toward durable, reimbursable policy infrastructure supported from within and outside government. Grounded in emerging data from California, she will demonstrate how early screening and coordinated care improve outcomes, accelerate referrals, and expand access for children and families who would otherwise go unsupported. She will conclude by highlighting the pivotal role philanthropy can play in catalyzing innovation, sustaining cross-sector coalitions, and scaling equitable, prevention-focused systems nationwide.