Nadine Burke Harris facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dr. Nadine Burke Harris
1st Surgeon General of California
In office February 11, 2019 – February 11, 2022
Governor	Gavin Newsom
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Devika Bhushan (acting)
Personal details
Born	1975 (age 49–50) Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Citizenship	United States Canada
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Arno Lockheart Harris ​ (m. 2011)​
Education	University of California, Berkeley (BA) University of California, Davis (MD) Harvard University (MPH) Stanford University (Pediatrics)
Occupation	Pediatrician, mental health researcher

Nadine Burke Harris (born October 5, 1975) is a Canadian-American doctor for children, also known as a pediatrician. She was the first-ever Surgeon General of California, serving from 2019 to 2022. The Surgeon General is the state's top doctor who advises the government on health issues.

Dr. Burke Harris is famous for her research on how difficult childhood events can affect a person's health later in life. She studied something called "toxic stress," which is long-lasting stress that can be harmful. Because of her groundbreaking work, she is seen as a pioneer in treating this type of stress.

She founded the Center for Youth Wellness to help children dealing with these issues. Her work was also featured in the book How Children Succeed by Paul Tough.

Early Life and Schooling

Nadine Burke Harris was born in Vancouver, Canada, on October 5, 1975. Her family has roots in Jamaica. When she was four, her family moved to the United States. Her father was a scientist, and her mother was a nurse.

She went to college at the University of California, Berkeley, where she studied biology. After that, she earned her medical degree from the University of California, Davis. She then trained to be a pediatrician at Stanford University School of Medicine. She also earned a master's degree in public health from Harvard University.

A Doctor's Mission

Helping Her Community

In 2005, Dr. Burke Harris began working at the California Pacific Medical Center. Her job was to find ways to make healthcare fairer for everyone in San Francisco. She believed that everyone should have the same opportunity to be healthy.

In 2007, she started a new clinic called the Bayview Child Health Center. She wanted to provide great medical care for children in a neighborhood that needed more support.

A Big Discovery

In 2008, Dr. Burke Harris read a scientific study that changed her career. The study showed a link between difficult experiences in childhood and health problems in adults.

She realized that many of her young patients had gone through tough times. These experiences were affecting their health right now and could continue to affect them in the future. This discovery led her to focus on a new way of helping children.

Career Highlights

The Center for Youth Wellness

Dr. Burke Harris wanted to do more to help children facing stress. In 2012, she founded the Center for Youth Wellness. This center was created to study and treat the effects of what she called Adverse Childhood Experiences, or ACEs.

ACEs are stressful or traumatic events that can happen to children, like living in poverty or seeing violence. The Center for Youth Wellness uses a team approach to help kids. They combine regular medical care with mental health support to treat the effects of "toxic stress."

Sharing Her Ideas

In 2014, Dr. Burke Harris gave a famous speech at a TED event. Her talk was called "How Childhood Trauma Affects Health Across a Lifetime." Millions of people have watched it online, helping to spread her important message around the world.

In 2018, she published her first book, The Deepest Well: Healing the Long-Term Effects of Childhood Adversity.

California's First Surgeon General

On January 21, 2019, California Governor Gavin Newsom chose Dr. Burke Harris to be the state's first-ever Surgeon General. She was officially sworn in on February 11, 2019.

As Surgeon General, she worked to raise awareness about ACEs and toxic stress across California. She resigned on February 11, 2022, to spend more time with her family.

What Are ACEs and Toxic Stress?

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are difficult events that can happen to kids before they turn 18. These can include things like neglect or living with a lot of conflict at home.

When a child experiences too many ACEs without support from adults, it can lead to toxic stress. Unlike normal stress, which is temporary, toxic stress stays active for a long time. This can change a child's brain and body, and may lead to health problems like heart disease or diabetes when they grow up.

Dr. Burke Harris and the Center for Youth Wellness work to screen all children for ACEs. By identifying kids who are at risk, doctors can provide help early and prevent future health issues.

Personal Life

Dr. Burke Harris married Arno Lockheart Harris in 2011. They have four sons. She decided to step down from her role as Surgeon General to focus on her own well-being and to care for her family.

Awards and Recognition

Dr. Burke Harris has received many awards for her important work.

• 1999, The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans
• 2013, Humanism in Medicine award, Gold Humanism Honor Society
• 2014, Leadership award, James Irvine Foundation
• 2016, 21st Annual Heinz Award in Human Condition
• 2023, David G. Nichols Health Equity Award, American Pediatric Society

Selected Works

• 2011 "The Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on an Urban Pediatric Population"
• 2018 The Deepest Well: Healing the Long-Term Effects of Childhood Adversity