NAMI Membership Elects New Board of Directors During NAMICon 2024

Posted on June 17, 2024

ARLINGTON, Va. – The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) today announced the election of its new board of directors. Cathryn Nacario, CEO of NAMI San Diego and Imperial Counties, was elected to serve as board president of the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization.

Nacario, BSN-RN, PHN, MHA, previously served as the NAMI board first vice president and NAMI board secretary. She has dedicated her work with NAMI San Diego to increasing access and early intervention for all with mental health needs within the communities of San Diego and Imperial Counties. Nacario has been in the healthcare field for more than 30 years working with vulnerable rural and urban populations and has extensive local, state, and federal advocacy experience in educating their elected officials for healthcare parity and increased access to services. Her term as president will be from 2024-2025.

"I am honored and grateful to be elected as president by my board colleagues," said NAMI Board President Cathryn Nacario. "I look forward to continuing to work with my board colleagues and all of NAMI to reinforce the organization as the leading education, advocacy, and support resource in the mental health space by tackling the most pressing issues and promoting necessary policies, helping to better the lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness."

NAMI membership elected the board members during NAMICon 2024, which was held June 4–6 in Denver, Colorado. They are elected for three-year terms and may serve two consecutive terms. The board plays a central role in determining the governing policies of NAMI, helps inform official public policy positions, and establishes the budget and priorities for the national office. It also plays a key role in the development and approval of the strategic plan that guides the organization's goals and priority areas of focus.

Following are the members of the 2024-2025 board of directors:

Executive Committee:

• President: Cathryn Nacario, RN, MHA
• First Vice President: Joe Gatto, J.D.
• Second Vice President: Pooja S. Mehta, MPH
• Secretary: Amy Brinkley, CRS/CHW, CAPRCII
• Treasurer: Jeff Fladen, MSW
• Immediate Past President: Joyce Campbell, J.D.
• President Emerita: Shirley Holloway, Ph.D.

Newly elected board members (term ending 2027):

• Babu George Mathew
• Barbara Ricci, BA, MPA

Re-elected board members (term ending 2027):

• Jeff Fladen, MSW
• Ray Lay, CHW/CRS
• Lauren Simonds, MSW (Executive Directors Council representative)
• Glenda Wrenn-Gordon, M.D., MSHP

Continuing board members (term ending 2026):

• Devika Bhushan, M.D.
• Victoria Harris, M.D., MPH
• Laklieshia Izzard, Ed.D., LPC, NCC, ACS, CSC
• Sukhi Sahni, MSJ
• Dhanu Sannesy

Continuing board members (term ending 2025):

• Amy Brinkley, CRS/CHW, CAPRCII
• Joseph Gatto, J.D.
• Sheldon Jacobs, Psy.D., LMFT
• Pooja S. Mehta, MPH
• Jeremiah S. Rainville, CCHW, CPRS, CCSP (Peer Leadership Council representative)

Appointed:

• Ruth-Ann Huvane, At-Large
• Imaan Siddiqi, NAMI Next Gen
• Darien Wright, MBA, At-Large
• Davy Yue, NAMI Next Gen

The National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness

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