The 16 members of NAMI's National Board of Directors are elected by NAMI members to provide strategic guidance in the fulfillment of NAMI's mission to eradicate mental illnesses and improve the quality of life of all whose lives are affected by these diseases. NAMI National Board Members have broad responsibility to govern the organization. Together and with input from all members, they make policy to govern NAMI, determine NAMI's official position on matters of public policy, set the budget and priorities of the national office, and develop strategic plans to guide organizational development.
Keris Jän Myrick, M.B.A., M.S., Ph.Dc., President
Keris is the president and CEO of Project Return Peer Support Network. She serves as a systems leadership team representative and stakeholder delegate in the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health planning process for the Mental Health Services Act.
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Kevin B. Sullivan, First Vice President
Kevin found NAMI through efforts as Connecticut’s State Senate President Pro Tem and Lt. Governor to expand rights, health care, housing and supportive services for people living with mental illness.
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Jim Payne, J.D., Second Vice President
Jim comes from Falls Church, Va., where he has served as president of NAMI Northern Virginia. He previously served on the board of a nonprofit organization that promotes research and awareness for borderline personality disorder, where he also led family education courses.
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Clarence Jordan, M.B.A, Secretary
Clarence is the director of recovery and resiliency services of Tennessee at ValueOptions Behavioral Health Services. He is a former Navy commander and previously served as operations officer and director of the multicultural outreach initiative at NAMI Tennessee.
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Ralph E. Nelson, Jr., M.D., Treasurer
After several years as president of NAMI Tulare County, Ralph was elected to the NAMI California board of directors. He chaired the NAMI States Presidents’ Council for two years.
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Moe Armstrong, M.B.A., M.A., C.P.S., R.S.S.
Moe is a founder at Vet to Vet. and was previously the director of recovery at Vinfen Corporation in Boston. He served as a medical corpsman in the U.S. Marine Corps.
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Kym Bolado
Kym Bolado is a member of NAMI San Antonio. She is the president of Advanced Childhood Learning. As a member of the Board of Directors, Bolado hopes to help NAMI grow in infrastructure and strengthen the standards of excellence.
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Carol Caruso, M.C.A.T.
Carol Caruso is a member on the NAMI Board of Directors and is the executive director of NAMI PA Montgomery County Lansdale, Penn. She was previously the director of the Montgomery County Crisis Residential Program in Norristown, Penn.
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Janet M. Edelman, M.S.
Janet is the current president of NAMI Howard County and the NAMI Maryland public policy chair. As an individual directly impacted by the support NAMI can give she would like to strengthen NAMI at the national, state and local levels through the successful implementation of the Standards of Excellence.
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Victoria Gonzalez
Victoria Gonzalez is a member on the NAMI Board of Directors and a retired real estate broker.
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Linda E. Jensen, Ph.D., R.N., M.N.
Linda is an associate professor of graduate nursing at Clarkson College in Omaha, Neb. She served on the Behavioral Health Oversight Commission for Behavioral Health Reform in Nebraska and the Nebraska State Mental Health Planning and Evaluation Council.
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Ron Morton, M.A.
Ron was instrumental in the creation of the National Council of Urban Indian Health and its first president. He is a member of the Psi Chi Psychological Academic Honor Society and the Society of Indian Psychologists.
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Clarice Raichel, M.Ed.
A native of Southwest Louisiana, Clarice has served as NAMI Southwest Louisiana’s executive director since 2003. She is a member of the SWLA Homeless Coalition, Catholic Charities, United Way and the Calcasieu Parish School Board “Positive Connections” program.
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Marilyn Ricci, M.S., R.D.
Marilyn Ricci serves on the NAMI Board of Directors and is president and a consulting dietician at Cornucopia Food Service, Inc. Marilyn is a serving her second year as President of NAMI Farmington Valley in Connecticut, which she helped found in 2004.
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Gloria M. Walker, M.B.A. Gloria Walker is a member on the NAMI Board of Directors and executive director at NAMI Urban Greater Cincinnati Network on Mental Illness in Cincinnati.
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Michael Weaver, M.S.Ed.
Mike is an expert on recovery and peer education and is the Director of the NAMI Consumer Council. He is a member of the National Association of Peer Support Specialists. He is also a trainer for Crisis Intervention Teams.
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