Roger Bland has been instrumental in advancing public policy changes to mental health care. As executive director of Alberta Mental Health Services, he promoted a community-based approach that integrated mental health care with primary health care services. As a professor at the University of Alberta, he has researched the epidemiology and long-term outcomes of psychiatric disorders, increasing our understanding of mental illness and how to support those affected by it. He is an inspiration to his colleagues and to advocates working in this field.