Professor Sharon Goldfeld is a paediatrician, public health physician, Theme Director Population Health and Co-Group Leader of Policy and Equity at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute and Director of the Centre for Community Child Health at The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne. She has a decade of experience in state government as senior policymaker in health and education, including holding the role of Principal Medical Advisor in the Victorian Department of Education and Training. Her unique career has seamlessly straddled research, policy and practice with her cross-sectoral approach ensuring her research is robust and of high policy and practice utility for greater translation success. Over the COVID-19 pandemic, Prof Goldfeld has led the public advocacy effort at MCRI leveraging existing and new studies to provide a unique understanding on the experiences of children and families during the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring we can inform its aftermath.