Rebecca Kiessling
Nominated by NAMI Northern Virginia
Member, NAMI Northern Virginia
Listen to Rebecca's Candidate Speech
Job Title or Position:
- Executive Director, NAMI Northern Virginia
NAMI Leadership Experience:
- NAMI Northern Virginia, Executive Director, April 11, 2022-Present
NAMI Program Leader Experience:
- NAMI Basics, NAMI Provider, NAMI Ending the Silence, NAMI In Our Own Voice, NAMI Sharing Your Story with Law Enforcement
Board Service:
- Fairfax County Family Advisory Board – 2022-Present; Commissioner, Arlington Partnership for Children, Youth and Families – 2025-Present; Executive Committee, Board Suicide Prevention Alliance of Northern Virginia (SPAN) – 2024-2025
Public Service:
- Member, CSB Service Delivery Oversight Committee (SDOC) (2022-Present); Member, Fairfax Commission on Women Member (2024-Present)
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:
- Advocacy, Business/Nonprofit Administration, Business/Nonprofit Leadership, Criminal Justice, Mental Health Service/Support, Philanthropy/Donor Cultivation, Risk Management
The candidate indicated they have connections and networks in the following areas:
- Criminal Justice, Lobbying, Marketing/Public Relations, Military/Veterans, Politics/Elected Officials, Social Media, Traditional Media
Candidate Leadership Style
The candidate indicated the following descriptors represent their leadership style:
- Action-oriented, Consensus Builder, Decisive, Devil's Advocate, Innovator, Outcome-oriented, Process Thinker, Risk Taker, Team Player
Candidate Narrative
The candidate indicated specific skill areas identified as high priority for the 2025-2026 Board where they excel and additional skill areas that would be an asset to the NAMI Board:
I’m a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist with lived experience and a strong background in peer support. I serve on the Delivery Oversight Committee for two Community Services Boards, the statewide Partnership for Children, Youth and Families, and the executive team of the Suicide Prevention Action Network. I'm also a trained Lay Counselor through the Lay Counselor Institute, helping me connect with faith communities. With a career in strategic and crisis communications for national nonprofits, I’ve crafted messaging strategies, led media efforts, and coached leaders on how to effectively share their message.
I bring experience in nonprofit leadership, strategic communication, and advocacy, which I believe makes me a strong fit for the NAMI Board. Over the past three years leading NAMI Northern Virginia, I’ve supported growth, fundraising, and sound financial management. I’ve helped build strong boards and engage volunteers to strengthen governance. My background in messaging, organizing, and policy work supports NAMI’s mission. I’ve spoken on NAMI’s behalf to Congressional staff, contributed to national initiatives, and mentored emerging leaders. I am a huge supporter of the NAMI Alliance and am passionate about working side by side to achieve shared goals - Stronger Together.
I personally have helped advance the NAMI mission in my community by...
Since April 2022, I’ve worked to grow NAMI Northern Virginia’s peer and family support programs, build stronger partnerships, and expand mental health education. In 2024, we made over 11,000 meaningful connections through our free services. I’m committed to advancing mental health equity, launching support groups for underserved groups like LGBTQ+ individuals and communities of color. NAMI was recently chosen as a Community Health Equity Alliance expansion site. In response to recent tragedies and political changes, I’ve helped lead a coalition supporting impacted communities by creating new groups and sharing vital resources.
I work well in coordination with other leaders to accomplish goals as evidenced by...
I believe in leading through collaboration and connection, both within my state and across the NAMI Alliance. As a member of NAMI’s Executive Directors Council, I helped plan the 2024 Executive Directors Leadership Exchange. I regularly mentor executive directors in Virginia and beyond, and recently created a mentorship plan to support new leaders across the Alliance. I also contributed to NAMI’s New Affiliate Leaders Handbook, helping to strengthen leadership tools nationwide. Supporting others and building strong partnerships is central to how I lead and how I help move NAMI’s mission forward.