Lacey Leonard
Lacey Leonard is a Keynote Speaker, Founder and Chief Executive officer at Tackle Health, a licensed Behavioral Health Outpatient Clinic in Tempe, Arizona. Wife to former NFL Defensive Tackle, Louis Leonard, Lacey knows first-hand the plight of former athletes and their families struggling with mental health, chronic pain, and symptoms of CTE.
Born in Fresno, California Lacey Leonard is the oldest of 4 and was raised in a close-knit family. She attended Fresno State on a track scholarship where she met her husband their freshman year of college.
With her down to earth personality, it only takes a few minutes of connecting with her to understand why people instantly engage. Sought after for her witty, transparent, and inspirational message, Lacey is a powerful keynote speaker and continues to use her voice at various speaking engagements. Most recently, Lacey spoke at Off the Field’s Lunch & Learn sponsored by Honor Health and Hall of Fame health. She’s also been the keynote for the Women of the NFL conference as well as California’s largest female institution, CCWF.
Prior to opening Tackle Health, Lacey worked 15 years in medical, clinical, and fiscal operations at University California, San Francisco. There, she was instrumental in the development of the first ever student-run clinic which brought equal health care services to targeted and underserved communities in Fresno, California.
In 2022, Lacey took a leap of faith and left her corporate career to open their first Behavioral Health Outpatient facility focusing on healing those suffering with mental health and substance abuse. At Tackle Health, their goal is to deliver quality behavioral health services and provide services for the lack of care for mental health and addiction. Having the unique advantage of being married to a former NFL player and coupled with understanding what these families deal with, Lacey wanted to destigmatize mental health and addiction, especially as it relates to sports. Having a son who lost a teammate to suicide only fueled her passion and she knew creating a confidential therapy program tailored to understanding how the whole person must be treated, not just the substance misuse or mental health condition was imperative to delivering the right care.
Active in the community, Lacey is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., Off the Field Player Wives’ Association and serves on the Players Advocacy Committee, which ensures retired players have more access to information concerning their rights under the NFL Concussion Settlement. Passionate about advocating for justice, Lacey has been featured on numerous media outlets including ABC News, NBC, Good Morning America, and News Nation.
Although Lacey is grateful for all that she’s accomplished, nothing compares to the joy of her life, her husband Louis and their two children, Landon and Lleyton.
To stay connected, Lacey’s official IG is @Lacey Leonard or www.LaceyLeonard.com
