Chris Morton is the Lived Experience Director at Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV). He leads the organization in embedding lived experience as a core value, guided by his own significant experience of mental distress. Chris is a PhD student at the University of Hertfordshire, researching lived experience leadership in public services.Previously, Chris specialized in early intervention in psychosis as a social worker and a manager, driven by his personal lived experience. He has advanced CBT training in psychosis and taught recovery theory at Oxford Brookes at the master's level. Since 2016, he has focused on embedding lived experience, starting with peer support. His personal experiences have driven his efforts to be part of developing and embeding the national standards for peer support in mental health and autism. Passionate about improving mental health outcomes where the person is centre to care, Chris fosters a collaborative, compassionate, and innovative culture of learning, empowerment, and co-production.