NAMI - The National Alliance on Mental Illness

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Announcing 2013 Canddiates for the NAMI Board to date - Nominations are open until March 31

• Michelle "Shelly" Redd, M.B.A., nominated by NAMI Missouri

• Elicia M. Goodsoldier, nominated by NAMI Boulder County, Colorado

• Sue Soriano, nominated by NAMI PA Montgomery County

• Linda Welsch Jensen, nominated by NAMI Nebraska

• Alicia Smith, nominated by NAMI Montana

• Joyce Burland, Ph.D., nominated by NAMI Santa Fe

• Dana Foglesong, CRPS-A, nominated by NAMI Lee County, Florida

• Lacey Berumen, Ph.Dc., MNM, CAC III, nominated by NAMI Aurora Colorado

• Gary Mihelish, D.M.D., nominated by NAMI Helena

2013 Voting Resources

Nominations for the 2013 NAMI Board of Directors are now open.

An Open Message from the NAMI Board

The NAMI Board is an all-inclusive board and seeks highly qualified leaders from NAMI State Organizations and NAMI Affiliates to serve on the national board of directors to steward NAMI’s mission and commitment to build better lives for the millions affected by mental illness.

NAMI Board service demands experience, knowledge, commitment, and time to help others.  Board members must be passionate about NAMI’s goals, values, and beliefs.  Service on the board of a large nonprofit organization and understanding of the complex and varied legal and fiduciary decisions a board struggles with on a routine basis are also critical to good NAMI Board service.

This year, five candidates will be elected to serve for three-year terms.  Five current Board members’ regular terms will expire and their seats come up for general election; three have served ably and with great dedication for two terms and cannot seek re-election; two have served a single term and may or may not seek re-election.  In addition, this year the Consumer Council will elect one person from among its ranks to serve on the NAMI Board.

What Expertise and Experience Are Needed

Beyond their critical passion for the NAMI mission, Board members should have some high-level decision-making experience and knowledge in one or more of the following areas: 

• Public Policy and Grassroots Advocacy, to shape critical systems that affect those whose lives are affected by mental illness
• Nonprofit and Change Management, to steward NAMI in a rapidly changing environment
• Fund Raising and Donor Cultivation, to ensure NAMI’s future and ongoing viability
• New Media and Technologies, especially in service of education and peer support
• Marketing, Outreach and Communications,  to grow the organization and increase visibility
• Financial Management and Investments, to ensure sound fiscal health
• Membership Development and Volunteerism, to cultivate and honor the backbone of the NAMI movement.

NAMI Board Service Commitment

NAMI Board service is an honor and a privilege. For those who earn the opportunity, NAMI Board service is and must be the top volunteer priority.  NAMI Board members must:

• Serve a three year term; with the opportunity to serve two consecutive terms if re-elected
• Attend quarterly meetings of two to three days duration in Arlington, Virginia
• Dedicate between six to ten hours/week to NAMI Board service, including:
  • service on three or four standing committees
  • frequent conference calls
  • other work groups as may be needed
  • travel for Board and other meetings
• Represent the organization before the general public, NAMI members, professional service providers, and public officials
• Understand and protect the fiduciary health of the organization
• Understand and adhere to the legal and fiduciary responsibilities of a non-profit board
• Understand and support NAMI’s programs and public policies
• Make what the individual believes to be a significant financial contribution to NAMI, on an annual basis.
• Make NAMI service the primary volunteer commitment.  Board members are encouraged to remove themselves from other volunteer obligations to allow their focused attention to this important work.

NAMI Board members must be NAMI members and must be nominated by NAMI State Organizations or NAMI Affiliates in good standing. 

The NAMI bylaws require that a minimum of 75 percent of the board be comprised of persons who have or have had mental illness, or parents or their relatives, including civil and domestic partners. In order to ensure compliance with this requirement, all board candidates are asked to identify if they have had a lived experience of serious mental illness. (Candidates’ statements to this effect will be published in the special election mailing along with their campaign statements.) We currently have no board members who do not self-identify under this definition. 

When Considering a Nomination

If you have questions about the election process, contact Governance@nami.org or visit www.nami.org/voting 

Service on the NAMI Board is a fulfilling experience. We are honored and humbled to represent the members who elected us and we want only to do the best job possible for NAMI and its vital mission. We invite able and experienced leaders from all walks of life to join us in this remarkable journey—and we thank the thousands of NAMI members who inspire and focus us in our work. 

We encourage those who are considering seeking election to contact us. Thank you for all that you do, every day, to support NAMI!


Related Files

Open Letter to Candidates 2013 (PDF File)
Election Information 2013 (Word Document)
Candidate Certification Form 2013 (Word Document)
Candidate Nomination Form 2013 (Word Document)
Call for Nominations 2013 (Word Document)
Why Vote? (Word Document)

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