2026 Awards

Daniel Gillison

Founders · Talent

CEO, NAMI

Daniel H. Gillison Jr. is chief executive officer of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization. Known for his clarity, compassion, and conviction, Gillison is a national leader working to make mental health more visible, more accessible, and more understood. Since stepping into the role in 2020, Gillison has helped guide NAMI through a period of tremendous growth and relevance—expanding HelpLine services to include texting, launching the organization’s first youth advisory group, and overseeing the release of You Are Not Alone: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Mental Health and You Are Not Alone for Parents and Caregivers: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Your Child’s Mental Health. Both books have been widely embraced for their storytelling and guidance rooted in lived experience. He also founded the CEO Alliance for Mental Health, which brings together the heads of leading organizations to align on priorities and push for smarter, more person-centered systems of care. Gillison is the host of Hope Starts With Us, NAMI’s flagship podcast—now ranked in the top 25% of all shows on Buzzsprout. Whether through the podcast, his keynote speeches, or his writing, he is known for connecting deeply with people and centering lived experience in the conversation. At events across the country, it’s not unusual to see a line of attendees waiting to speak with him—offering stories, gratitude, and ideas. His leadership isn’t just strategic—it’s personal. Before joining NAMI, Gillison served as executive director of the American Psychiatric Association Foundation and held senior leadership roles at the National Association of Counties, Xerox, Nextel, and Sprint. He currently serves on advisory boards for the National Institutes of Health, Lululemon, and the National Health Council. A proud native of Washington, D.C., Gillison holds a B.A. from Southern University and A&M College and has completed executive education at Harvard and the University of Richmond. He lives in Virginia with his wife and stays closely connected to his now-grown children.

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