What does it take for a neuropsychologist deep in brain science, assessments, and clinical research to step into statewide leadership, shaping services for millions? Professor Sarah Wilson shares her personal journey: from pioneering music neuroscience at the University of Melbourne to Co-CEO (Clinical/Academic) of the Victorian Collaborative Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing. She’ll unpack the skills that bridged worlds – from translating complex mental health research data into policy wins, forging clinician-researcher partnerships, to ways of championing lived experience alongside scientific evidence. Attendees will explore pivotal mindset shifts, like prioritising scalable impact over perfect papers, and gain practical tactics to amplify neuropsychology’s voice in reform: influencing care models, workforce training, and data tools that stick. This presentation blends memoir with roadmap, showing how brain experts can lead system change without losing clinical roots.