Laklieshia Izzard

She advocates on federal and state legislative levels for those with mental health conditions to remain out of the criminal legal system and spreads awareness on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to support underserved communities.

Laklieshia currently serves on the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Development Disabilities Advisory Council and developed the first Counselor Connections Support Group, as a NAMI Georgia Program. To focus on diversity and mental health in the BIPOC community, she established NAMI Georgia’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee and moderated their first Courageous Conversation series on Diversity and Mental Health which led to hosting their first African American Male mental health symposium. She is trained in the NAMI connections support group, NAMI SMARTS and NAMI Ending the Silence.

Laklieshia has written several faith-based therapeutic publications, is a recipient to multiple awards and recognitions within her local NAMI and community, and holds a Master’s in Mental Health Counseling from North Carolina A&T State University, Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Fayetteville State University and Doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision from Argosy University Sarasota.