E28 – Harnessing Lived Experience: Brandon Staglin’s Mission to Transform Mental Health

In this episode of BrainSTEM, Dr. Hilary Marusak sits down with mental health advocate and innovation leader Brandon Staglin, Co-Founder and Chief Advocacy and Engagement Officer of One Mind.

Brandon has transformed his lived experience with schizophrenia into a national movement to accelerate science-based solutions, elevate lived experience leadership, and reshape policy and workplace culture. His work sits at the powerful intersection of personal story and systemic change — showing what becomes possible when people with lived experience are not just included, but centered.

We explore Brandon’s early journey through mental illness, the turning points that shaped his recovery, and how his experiences informed the creation and mission of One Mind. From advancing early psychosis programs and statewide policy efforts to launching innovation accelerators and workplace initiatives, Brandon shares how advocacy, research, and entrepreneurship can work together to transform mental health systems.

We also discuss why lived experience leadership is essential for scientific progress, what innovations in neuroscience and mental health excite him most, and how institutions can better engage researchers and leaders with lived experience.

At its core, this episode is about possibility — and about redefining what leadership in mental health looks like.

🔗 Topics Covered

• Brandon’s early experience with schizophrenia

• Turning points in recovery and finding purpose

• The founding and mission of One Mind

• Why lived experience leadership matters in research

• Advocacy wins in early psychosis and policy reform

• Breakthrough technologies and mental health startups

• The future of workplace culture and mental health

• Supporting researchers with lived experience

• Daily practices for maintaining mental wellness

• A message of hope for individuals and families

🌿 Tune in for a powerful and deeply human conversation about resilience, innovation, and transforming systems from the inside out.

📢 Follow us on Instagram @brainstempodcast to submit your questions for future episodes.

🎧 Available now on Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts!

📄 Brandon’s recent co-authored publication on lived experience in mental health research:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s44277-025-00048-7

🔗 Learn more about One Mind: https://onemind.org/

❤️‍🩹 Help is available 24 hours/day at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255.

🧠 BrainSTEM is hosted by neuroscientist Dr. Hilary Marusak. Production and social media by Amanpreet Bhogal, Manmeet Bhogal, and Gabby Maramag.

This podcast is made possible by the generous support of the Society for Neuroscience and the Michigan Society for Neuroscience.

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