Where Commitment Meets Community: Chris Lombardo’s Impact

In our beautiful town of Naples, it’s easy to live on the surface, enjoying the sunshine, the restaurants, the golf courses, and the beaches. But Chris Lombardo believes that real fulfillment doesn’t come from being entertained; it comes from taking initiative, giving back, and becoming part of the solution. For over 40 years, Chris Lombardo has been doing exactly that. As the managing partner at Woodward, Pires & Lombardo, P.A., Chris is one of Southwest Florida’s top-rated family law attorneys, known for his deep experience in civil and commercial litigation, appellate law, personal injury, and contracts. But law is only part of his story. Lombardo’s real mission, his guiding principle, is helping others, and he’s spent decades putting that mindset into action. “I tell people all the time,” Lombardo says, “you can either live in a community or live the community. I choose the latter.”

That choice is evident in his long list of community contributions and civic engagement. For 26 years, 20 of them as Chairman, Chris Lombardo has served on the Board of Fire Commissioners of the North Collier Fire Control & Rescue District. Under his leadership, the District not only improved emergency logistics, such as implementing the beach marker location system for faster rescue response but also pioneered mental health support for emergency responders. Of all his achievements, Chris believes none has been more impactful than his work to establish mental health programs for firefighters and first responders.

After learning about UCF RESTORES, a PTSD treatment program for veterans developed by Dr. Deborah Beidel of University of Central Florida, Chris championed its expansion to Collier’s frontline responders. The result? The Resiliency Command Center, the nation’s first mobile behavioral health unit tailored specifically for first responders, born in Collier County, now funded by the state. “These men and women are trained to save lives. But they don’t always know when they need help. We wanted to change that.”

In addition to writing legislation in Tallahassee for a more equitable approach for firefighters’ retirement, securing future sites for new stations, rehabbing emergency vehicles, and more, his stewardship doesn’t stop at emergency response. A true civic force, Chris has served on boards for Shy Wolf Sanctuary, Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples, and Friends of the Collier County Museum, to name a few, where his passion helped transform a tiny, one room museum into a thriving 5 acre landmark. “We raised $8 million, moved the building, and tripled the museum’s size,” Lombardo recounts. “We even tracked down vintage Everglades logging trains, brought them back on semi-trucks, and rebuilt a railbed behind the museum with the help of the retired tracklayers and marine reserves.”

Chris’s leadership extends to local beautification efforts, too. As Chair of the Pine Ridge Association, he organized neighbors to plant trees along US-41. By the time the county stepped in, the residents had already done their part and saved thousands of dollars in the process.

He’s also one of Naples’ most beloved charity auctioneers. Partnering with the late Bruce Thalheimer of Thalheimer Jewelers, “The Bruce and Chris Show” became a staple at fundraising events for the American Heart Association, Cancer Society, Chamber of Commerce, LegalAid, and countless schools and community groups.

In 2022, following Hurricane Ian, Chris joined forces with country music star Ira Dean and other local organizers to launch Boots in the Sand, a benefit concert that raised $1.2 million in just 45 days for hurricane victims. “This was about neighbors helping neighbors. That’s the spirit of Naples.”

From his beginnings as a graphic artist, to practicing law, to tending to his cattle ranch in LaBelle, Chris’s career path reflects his hands-on, purpose-driven approach. But the thread that ties it all together is his belief in people, and in the power of community.

When asked how much he’s raised over the course of his life, Chris doesn’t offer a number, despite generating an estimated $1 million in just the past six weeks. “It’s about seeing something that needs to be done and doing it.”

For Chris, making a difference isn’t about recognition, it’s about responsibility. He is inspired to step forward when help is needed, to find solutions when problems seem too big, and to bring people together when it matters most. His work reflects a lifetime of stepping up, offering support, and creating meaningful change