MEDIA CONTACT:
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Jayme Link, [email protected], 651-275-9375
WASHINGTON — ZERO TO THREE, the country’s leading nonprofit dedicated to ensuring all babies and toddlers have a strong start in life, is proud to recognize Dr. Julie Stone with its 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s LEARN Conference. The award recognizes individuals who have made remarkable contributions to improving the lives of infants, toddlers and their families.
Dr. Stone has built an extraordinary career advancing infant and early childhood mental health worldwide. Her connection to ZERO TO THREE began more than two decades ago when she became the organization’s first international fellow in 2003. As a child and adolescent psychiatrist, she has since brought her clinical expertise to families facing some of the most difficult circumstances, including war, extreme poverty and the effects of HIV/AIDS.
“Julie’s work reflects a simple but powerful conviction: every baby needs nurturing relationships, especially when the world around them is in crisis,” said Matthew Melmed, executive director of ZERO TO THREE. “She has brought that conviction to communities facing war, poverty and HIV/AIDS, helping families and the professionals who support them respond to young children’s needs. We are proud to honor a career that shows why babies’ mental health must be a priority everywhere.”
Her impact has been felt across Australia, South Africa, South Asia and Bangladesh, where infants, families and community-based professionals have benefited from her work.
“Julie understands that supporting a baby means supporting the people who care for that baby,” said Walter Gilliam, president of ZERO TO THREE’s Board of Directors. “Across countries and cultures, she has shared her expertise and strengthened the work of clinicians and community professionals. That is the lasting power of her contribution: knowledge and skills that stay in communities, helping more children and families long after her own work there is done.”
Over the course of more than 20 years, Dr. Stone has presented to professionals in Australia, the United Kingdom and South Africa, helping expand international attention to the mental health needs of babies and young children. Her professional honors include being appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2021 for significant service to child mental health and psychiatry. She also received a Churchill Fellowship in 2001, which helped expand her international collaborations.
