Joe Rose
Nominated by NAMI Alameda County South (CA)
Member, NAMI Alameda County South (CA)
Listen to Joe's Candidate Speech

Job Title or Position:

• Executive Director

NAMI Leadership Experience:

• NAMI Alameda County South, President, 11 Years
• NAMI Alameda County South, Executive Director, 12 years

NAMI Program Leader Experience:

• NAMI Family-to-Family, NAMI Ending the Silence

Additional NAMI Involvement:

• NAMI Family-to-Family State Trainer and NAMIWalks manager for 10 years.

Board Service:

• Alameda County Mental Health Advisory Board (2011-2014), Alameda County Medical Center, Patient and Family Advisory Council (2011-2013), Mental Health Association of Alameda County Board of Directors (2009-2012), Fremont Police Department, member Community Advisory Board (2024-2025)

Public Service:

• Participate in Corporate & Government Health Fairs (2012-2024), Member, Justice Involved Mental Health Taskforce (2 years), Diversion & Alternatives Workgroup Member (2 years), Justice Involved Mental Health Taskforce (2-years), Data Sharing Workgroup Member (2 years), Alameda County Behavioral Health, Quality Improvement Committee–Family Workgroup (2 -years), Member, Member, John George Psychiatric Hospital Community Partnership Group (4 years)

Relationship to Mental Health:

• Family member or direct support of someone with mental illness

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, Banking/Trusts/Investments, Business/Nonprofit Administration, Business/Nonprofit Leadership, Criminal Justice, Financial Management/Accounting, Law, Philanthropy/Donor Cultivation, Program Research/Evaluation

The candidate indicated they have connections and networks in the following areas:

• Criminal Justice, Corporate Responsibility, Information Technology, Lobbying, Politics/Elected Officials

Candidate Leadership Style

The candidate indicated the following descriptors represent their leadership style:

• Action-oriented, Consensus Builder, Data Driven, Decisive, Devil's Advocate, Innovator, Outcome-oriented, Process Thinker, Risk Taker, Team Player

Candidate Narrative

While I have engaged in all areas outlined in the NAMI Board President’s Open Letter, my core strength is in Information Technology, with a focus on Industrial Engineering. This discipline emphasizes systems analysis, process optimization, and data-driven modeling —skills essential to improving performance in complex, multi-tier organizations like NAMI. A key aspect of this work is fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration, ensuring alignment across diverse operational units. I have successfully applied these principles in large-scale settings, including at Bank of America, where I facilitated systems-level improvements through effective coordination and communication across departments.
 
In addition to optimizing systems, I design and implement impactful programs. In partnership with the Chief Administrative Officer at John George Psychiatric Hospital, I created the Mentor on Discharge® System, managed by NAMI Alameda County South. The program pairs patients prior to discharge with trained peer mentors who provide support, resource navigation, and crisis prevention post discharge. Structured follow-up includes regular check-ins to ensure continuity of support. The program reduced psychiatric re-hospitalizations by over 70% and demonstrates the power of peer-led engagement. A scalable website is in place and well-positioned for national implementation to support our loved ones.

I personally have helped advance the NAMI mission in my community by...

Serving as a principal founder of NAMI Alameda County South, created to expand peer-led programming throughout Alameda County. In 2012, there were few NAMI peer-led programs locally and little interest in implementing them. At the recommendation of NAMI California, NAMI Alameda County South was formed to address this gap. Since then, as board president and now executive director, we have successfully implemented peer-led programs in psychiatric hospitals, schools, and the criminal justice system. Building on this success, I am now working to implement the Mentor on Discharge program nationally to improve post-hospital outcomes and reduce re-hospitalizations under the NAMI banner.
 
I work well in coordination with other leaders to accomplish goals as evidenced by...

Successfully leading the implementation of NAMI peer-led programs in psychiatric hospitals, schools, and the criminal justice system. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I focused on ensuring continued access to support by transitioning programs to virtual platforms. In partnership with more than six NAMI affiliates across California, we provided peer-led programming and training online, maintaining vital services during a time of widespread disruption. This effort not only sustained support for individuals and families but also demonstrated the strength of affiliate collaboration and the adaptability of NAMI’s peer-led model in advancing our mission during times of crisis.

• Read Joe's nomination letter
• Read the responses the nominator provided to questions posed to all candidates and their nominators
• Read Joe's resume