Glenda Wrenn Gordon
Nominated by NAMI Georgia
Member, NAMI DeKalb (GA)
Listen to Glenda's Candidate Speech
Job Title or Position:
- Chief Clinical Strategy Officer/Associate Professor of Psychiatry
NAMI Leadership Experience:
- NAMI National Board of Directors, 3 years
Additional NAMI Involvement:
- I was a CIT Trainer prior to joining the National Board and was engaged in collaborative parity enforcement policy efforts with National and NAMI State Leaders.
Board Service:
- I was the first psychiatrist to join the Board for NCQA (quality accreditation) - 6 years, I served on the Board Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law for 5 years, served on MHA GA Board for 3 years. I currently serve on the Scattergood Foundation Board; I have served for the past 4 years on the Council on Quality for the American Psychiatric Association and will assume the role of Chair in May.
Public Service:
- I served on Congressman Fattah's Service Academy Selection Committee for 4 years, I was also on the Veteran Administration Secretary's Advisory Committee for Minority Veterans for 3 years and was a member of the HHS Secretary's Advisory Committee for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (Healthy People 2030). I served 4 years active duty in the Army and 10 years of service as a provider in the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Relationship to Mental Health:
- Individual with first-person experience of mental illness, Family member or direct support of someone with mental illness, Provider/mental health professional/employee in the field, Non-profit advocate
Candidate Strengths Assessment
The candidate indicated they have experience in the following areas that will help NAMI achieve its mission and strategic goals:
- Adult Education, Advocacy, Business/Nonprofit Leadership, Criminal Justice, Medicine, Mental Health Service/Support, Philanthropy/Donor Cultivation, Program Research/Evaluation, Research/Academia
The candidate indicated they have connections and networks in the following areas:
- Military/Veterans, Philanthropy
Candidate Leadership Style
The candidate indicated the following descriptors represent their leadership style:
- Action-oriented, Data Driven, Decisive, Innovator, Outcome-oriented
Candidate Narrative
The candidate indicated specific skill areas identified as high priority for the 2024-2025 Board where they excel and additional skill areas that would be an asset to the NAMI Board:
I am a proud African American woman veteran with a proven track record of donor cultivation in previous roles as founding director of the Kennedy Satcher Center for Mental Health Equity and in my current role as a health care executive of a multi-million dollar behavioral health start up. I have leveraged by skills and networks during my current term on the National Board to engage funding partners and introduce new potential donors to strengthen the Alliance and further the mission of NAMI.
I have experience supporting the transformation of an established advocacy organization that was facing financial crisis. Currently, NAMI is facing a crisis/opportunity to steward existing resources and structurally equip and sustain State organizations and local Affiliates. This is both a strategic and relational challenge/opportunity that benefits from knowledgeable and experienced servant-leaders to advise and help direct the organization to a strong, united, collaborative future. My listening, leadership, and engagement skills can be helpful in those efforts.
I personally have helped advance the NAMI mission in my community by...
As a psychiatrist I incorporate NAMI into every patient's recovery plan. As a mother of a son with serious mental illness, I equip those within my sphere of influence with the knowledge of NAMI's signature programs when needed. As a friend, I have helped those whose loved ones have died by suicide connect with resources to turn their tragedy into triumph. My efforts implementing the Sequential Intercept Model in Fulton County reflects my passion for correcting the inhumane treatment of individuals with mental illness who interact with the justice system-ensuring that our systems of care do not violate human dignity.
I work well in coordination with other leaders to accomplish goals as evidenced by...
I mindfully leverage my professional credentials to bring mental health to the forefront of health care policy debates. I am a change from within leader who works within existing systems to find opportunities to take strategic steps in a better direction. I leverage my privilege and power to elevate voices that are unheard. This requires servant-leadership that is not motivated by selfish ambition or needing to get the credit. In policy advocacy, I helped build coalitions to bring the collaborative care billing codes to fruition. I believe that the pleasure of a job well done is its own reward.