Two decades after his mother’s death led to the creation of the Monique Burr Foundation for Children, Austin Burr is carrying on his mother's legacy by joining the board of directors.
A senior audit associate and certified public accountant at KPMG in Jacksonville, Austin will join his father, MBF founder Edward E. Burr, on the board. Ed Burr established the Monique Burr Foundation in 1997, on the one-year anniversary of his wife’s death. By then, Austin Burr was 6 years old, and his brother Garrison was 3. Monique Burr was, at the point, already revered as a compassionate children's advocate and the founder of a nationally recognized nursing and day-care program for sick and disabled kids, the PALS Center.
“On numerous occasions, I've gotten to listen to my dad talk about the dash, the time in mom’s life between the year she was born and the year she died in which she lived life to the fullest and loved everyone around her, and most of all loved taking care of children,” Austin Burr said.
"I'm so proud of what this foundation has accomplished over the last 20 years, and I can't wait to see what the future holds,” he continued.
Austin and his younger brother Garrison grew up attending events for the Monique Burr Foundation for Children, which provides research-based, comprehensive child abuse and bullying prevention education programs for schools throughout Florida and across the nation. Austin earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance and a master’s degree in corporate accounting from Florida State University, and Garrison is earning his master’s degree in accounting from Florida State University as well.
Lynn Layton, executive director of the Monique Burr Foundation, said Austin's service to the board represents a new chapter of the work that started when he was a child.
“It represents the continuation of the Foundation – younger professionals getting involved to better protect children," Laydon said. “He brings a new level of understanding of the digital world and how that impacts children."
Supported by the Florida Legislature, The Foundation’s MBF Child Safety Matters™ and MBF Teen Safety Matters™ programs are delivered year-round to schools across Florida (and select communities across the country) and are designed to educate and empower students and adults with information and strategies to prevent bullying, cyberbullying, digital abuse and all types of child abuse and exploitation.
