For the 2020 Elections, the below amendment to the current NAMI bylaws has been submitted by the Executive Committee and members of the NAMI Executive Directors Council:
- Brenda Scott, NAMI Executive Director Council Chair, Executive Director NAMI Mt San Jacinto
- Jeff Fladen, NAMI Executive Director Council 2nd Vice Chair, Executive Director NAMI Tennessee
- Sue Abderholden, NAMI Executive Director Council 1st Vice Chair, Executive Director NAMI Minnesota
- Eric Welsh, NAMI Executive Director Council Secretary, NAMI Greater Orlando Florida Executive Director
- Ken Norton, Executive Director, NAMI New Hampshire
NOTE: Additions to the Bylaws are designated in RED TEXT. Text that is to be deleted or replaced is designated by a strike-through.
NAMI Bylaw change to add a dedicated Board of Director seat to the NAMI Board elected by the Executive Director Council.
RATIONALE: Executive Directors, as professionals possess critical knowledge and awareness of strategic and operational issues and how they may impact the field. Furthermore, the lack of a voting voice is a reduction of representation that does not serve our field well.
ARTICLE IV Board of Directors
Section 1. Directors. The Board of Directors shall consist of
sixteen (16) seventeen (17) in number, including fifteen (15) regular directors elected by the membership,
and one (1) Peer Leadership Council director elected by the Peer Leadership Council
and one (1) Executive Director Council executive director elected by the Executive Director Council. Any action taken by the Board of Directors in compliance with Article IV hereof during any vacancy of one or more members of the Board of Directors, shall constitute the action of the Board of Directors.
Section 2. Qualifications. The Board of Directors shall be NAMI members and consist of, at least seventy-five percent, persons who have or have had mental illness, or parents or other relatives thereof. Directors may serve no more than two consecutive full terms.
No employee of NAMI
(national staff) may serve on the Board of Directors during their tenure of employment and for one year thereafter. Any Board member who becomes a NAMI staff member during their term of office shall not continue to serve on the Board of Directors.
Executive Directors of NAMI state organizations and affiliates are eligible to serve.
Section 3. Terms of Office. Commencing in 1990 and at each annual meeting thereafter, the membership shall elect five (5) regular directors for a term of three (3) years or until their respective successors shall have been duly elected and qualified to succeed the class of regular directors whose term will expire at the end of such meeting; commencing in 1992 and at each third annual meeting thereafter, the Peer Leadership Council shall elect from its members the Peer Leadership Council director for a term of three (3) years or until his or her successor shall have been elected and duly qualified to fill the vacancy of the Peer Leadership Council director whose term shall have expired that year.
Commencing in 2021 and at each third annual meeting thereafter, the Executive Director Council shall elect from its members the Executive Director Council director, elected to serve on the national board for a term of three (3) years or until his or her successor shall have been elected and duly qualified to fill the vacancy of the Executive Director Council director whose term shall have expired that year.
Section 4. Nominating Procedure for Regular Directors. Nominations for regular directors shall be made by Affiliates and Organizations. No Affiliate or Organization may nominate more than one individual for regular director per election. Nominations shall be in writing and forwarded to the office of the president of the corporation not less than ninety (90) days prior to the commencement of the next annual meeting. The office of the president shall submit to each voting member the name, nominator, and resume of each individual so nominated.
Section 5. Vacancy.
- (1) In case of any vacancy of one or more regular members of the Board of Directors not elected in accordance with subsection (2) of this section, the Board of Directors shall elect the person or persons who shall fill the vacancy or vacancies for the unexpired term or terms.
- (2) In case of any vacancy of the Peer Leadership Council member of the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee of the Peer Leadership Council shall elect a Peer Leadership Council member to fill the vacancy for the unexpired term.
- (3) In case of any vacancy of the Executive Director Council member of the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee of the Executive Director Council shall elect an Executive Director member to fill the vacancy for the unexpired term.
Section 6. Peer Leadership Council. There shall be a Peer Leadership Council of persons who have or have had mental illness. Each state voting member, or if there is no state voting member in a state, then the local voting members of that state, by consensus, shall elect a person who has or has had mental illness to the Peer Leadership Council. The Peer Leadership Council shall serve in an advisory capacity to the Board of Directors and shall elect one of its members to the Board of Directors. All Peer Leadership Council members shall be members in good standing of a state or local voting member.
Section 7. Executive Director Council. There shall be an Executive Director Council of persons who are Executive Directors of NAMI state organizations or local affiliates. The Executive Director Council shall serve in an advisory capacity to the NAMI Board of Directors and shall elect one of its members to the NAMI Board of Directors. The Chair of the Executive Committee of the Executive Director Council will serve in an ex officio capacity to the NAMI Board of Directors.