For more than 20 years, Lesley Richardson has dedicated herself to closing the gap for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. When you speak to her about this enduring belief in building a brighter future—it comes across as both pragmatic and inevitable. It is also born out of her hard-won lived experiences, as a child of The Stolen Generation and devoted public servant. She embodies the maxim on empathy, about walking a mile in someone else’s shoes. "Every child should be supported to reach their full potential no matter where they come from."