As the Vice President for External Relations at the Iowa Lottery, Mary Neubauer was already well known in the communications field when personal tragedy took her voice in a new direction. Since her 18-year-old son Sergei took his own life in September 2017, Mary has advocated for improvement in mental healthcare in Iowa and access to help for those in need. Frustrated by the lack of mental-health resources to help Sergei as he battled depression, PTSD, and anxiety as a result of his tumultuous childhood in Russia, his parents told his story in a touching obituary that went viral and became a voice for change. Mary has been part of a small army of advocates who have succeeded in their efforts to pass landmark mental health legislation here in Iowa, and now serves on the state board that oversees Iowa’s Children’s Behavioral Health System.