On episode 52 of A Chat with Uma, I sit down with my dear friend & role model, Brandon Staglin—co-founder & Chief Advocacy & Engagement Officer of One Mind, the world’s leading brain health nonprofit. For nearly three decades, Brandon has transformed lived experience into leadership: co-creating a global organization, raising hundreds of millions for brain health research, & pushing society toward a future where mental health is prioritized like physical health. But behind the impact is a deeply personal story—one that began with a diagnosis of schizophrenia at 18 & a fight to reclaim his life, voice, & purpose.
Brandon opens up in this honest conversation with rare depth. We walk through his journey from Napa Valley childhood to the terror of psychosis, through recovery & relapse, to the discovery of meaning in advocacy. He shares the cost of stigma, the reality of treatment, the lifeline of family, & the radical belief that worth is inherent—not earned. If you’ve ever wondered what it means to turn survival into legacy, this episode is a testament to courage, connection, & the possibility of healing at scale.
Topics Discussed (+ Timestamps):
(00:00:00) Introduction & welcome to Brandon Staglin, M.S.!
(00:09:28) Who is Brandon behind the titles & roles? His upbringing, childhood, & early influences
(00:17:48) Early cracks in reality: existential questions, “something’s wrong,” & the first shifts in self
(00:29:10) Dartmouth years: When he experienced his first harrowing episode of psychosis
(00:39:16) The team that held him: family, early clinicians, & how early intervention saved him
(00:50:04) 6 years until the word “schizophrenia”: why “thought disorder” landed better at first
(00:51:22) A kitchen table intervention of love: “There’s a lot of love coming from here, Brandon” & choosing to engage in recovery
(01:11:00) Setbacks & recalibration: medication side-effects, suicidality, & rebuilding around values
(01:28:08) How One Mind was cofounded with his parents to accelerate brain-health solutions
(01:37:16) Naming the schizophrenia stigma: what people still say & the cost of silence
(01:41:26) The One Mind ecosystem at a glance: Accelerator (mental-health startups), One Mind at Work (workplace mental health), Rising Star Academy (funding & training scientists), & Lived Experience Initiative (Council & Community Advisory Network)
(01:45:14) How Brandon built the Lived Experience Initiative: giving lived expertise real power alongside scientific & governance bodies
(01:48:26) The Council's profound success thus far: consulting for & advising startup founders, research scientists, & Fortune-level leaders
(01:55:26) The annual One Mind Music Festival for Brain Health: raising hundreds of millions for brain health research & innovation, bringing together leaders & stakeholders across all fields
(02:00:02) Closing reflections, guidance, & inspiration from Brandon
Connect with Brandon!
Connect with me!