Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
This panel brought together Laurie Schott, Kristen Bride, and Marlon Peterson (Civil Society Fellowship), three people whose lives were upended by trauma and loss, and who have transformed those experiences into a commitment to healing and service.
Laurie and Kristen, both mothers who lost teenage children to harms linked to social media, described the grief that nearly broke them and the advocacy work that emerged from it, from meeting the former US Surgeon General to confronting Meta at its headquarters, calling for accountability. Marlon reflected on surviving childhood trauma and years of incarceration, describing the lifelong work of cultivating internal safety and reframing his wounds as evidence of what's possible. Together, they explored love, power, and action as forces for reclaiming humanity in the face of unimaginable loss.
Speakers:
Kristin Bride, Executive Director, The Carson J. Bride Effect
Marlon Peterson, Executive Director, College & Community Fellowship (Civil Society Fellowship)
Lori Schott, Co-Founder & Parent Advocate for Child Online Safety
Moderated by: Heather Sonn, MD, Gamiro Investment Holdings (Africa Leadership Initiative – South Africa)
About the Resnick Aspen Action Forum
Each summer, the Resnick Aspen Action Forum offers the opportunity for the Aspen Global Leadership Network to come together to reflect, refresh, and recommit to confronting some of society’s greatest challenges.
More than a conference or a reunion; the Action Forum is a space where AGLN Fellows gather to search, challenge, and inspire one another. It’s where timeless questions spark bold commitments — and where we move together from thought to action.
About the Aspen Global Leadership Network (AGLN)
The Aspen Global Leadership Network develops authentic, high-integrity leaders committed to proactively confronting societal challenges, individually and collectively, in order to create a more just, free, and equitable society. The network has fostered a worldwide community of more than 4,200 high-integrity, entrepreneurial leaders from business, government, and the nonprofit sector in more than 62 countries. Because of their demonstrated accomplishments and abilities, they have been selected to join one of 16+ geographic or sector-specific AGLN Fellowships around the world. Through Fellowship programs, global gatherings, and direct capital support, the AGLN equips exceptional individuals with the support to address humanity’s greatest challenges — working to create a world where everyone thrives.
AGLN’s website: aspeninstitute.org/agln
Instagram: instagram.com/aspenagln
Linkedin: linkedin.com/showcase/aspen-global-leadership-network
This panel brought together Laurie Schott, Kristen Bride, and Marlon Peterson (Civil Society Fellowship), three people whose lives were upended by trauma and loss, and who have transformed those experiences into a commitment to healing and service.
Laurie and Kristen, both mothers who lost teenage children to harms linked to social media, described the grief that nearly broke them and the advocacy work that emerged from it, from meeting the former US Surgeon General to confronting Meta at its headquarters, calling for accountability. Marlon reflected on surviving childhood trauma and years of incarceration, describing the lifelong work of cultivating internal safety and reframing his wounds as evidence of what's possible. Together, they explored love, power, and action as forces for reclaiming humanity in the face of unimaginable loss.
Speakers:
Kristin Bride, Executive Director, The Carson J. Bride Effect
Marlon Peterson, Executive Director, College & Community Fellowship (Civil Society Fellowship)
Lori Schott, Co-Founder & Parent Advocate for Child Online Safety
Moderated by: Heather Sonn, MD, Gamiro Investment Holdings (Africa Leadership Initiative – South Africa)
About the Resnick Aspen Action Forum
Each summer, the Resnick Aspen Action Forum offers the opportunity for the Aspen Global Leadership Network to come together to reflect, refresh, and recommit to confronting some of society’s greatest challenges.
More than a conference or a reunion; the Action Forum is a space where AGLN Fellows gather to search, challenge, and inspire one another. It’s where timeless questions spark bold commitments — and where we move together from thought to action.
About the Aspen Global Leadership Network (AGLN)
The Aspen Global Leadership Network develops authentic, high-integrity leaders committed to proactively confronting societal challenges, individually and collectively, in order to create a more just, free, and equitable society. The network has fostered a worldwide community of more than 4,200 high-integrity, entrepreneurial leaders from business, government, and the nonprofit sector in more than 62 countries. Because of their demonstrated accomplishments and abilities, they have been selected to join one of 16+ geographic or sector-specific AGLN Fellowships around the world. Through Fellowship programs, global gatherings, and direct capital support, the AGLN equips exceptional individuals with the support to address humanity’s greatest challenges — working to create a world where everyone thrives.
AGLN’s website: aspeninstitute.org/agln
Instagram: instagram.com/aspenagln
Linkedin: linkedin.com/showcase/aspen-global-leadership-network
