In this episode of the Authentic Leadership Podcast, I sit down with Dave Burnside — a lived experience leader whose story spans addiction, incarceration, and recovery, to becoming a national voice for peer support and prison reform. Dave shares how one pivotal moment in a prison cell sparked a journey of transformation, leading him to champion lived experience in education, policy, and leadership. We discuss the power of peer support, the challenges of working within systems that often silence marginalised voices, and the urgent need to empower communities to lead change. Dave’s courage to turn inward, reimagine identity, and use his story for collective transformation is both humbling and inspiring. If you’ve ever wondered how lived experience can truly reshape systems, spark hope, and create movements for justice and wellbeing, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.