As Executive Director for NAMI Jacksonville, Suzanne is responsible for coordinating all aspects of NAMI Jax that enable us to fulfill our mission: advocating for, and providing education and support to those living with mental health conditions.
Suzanne is an attorney with over 20 years of experience in business and technology law. During her life journey, Suzanne was faced with a mental health crisis involving a loved one who struggles with mental illness, which lead her to redirect her passion, career, and caregiving to support her loved one and others challenged with mental illness.
Through her compassion for others, sharing of her life experiences, and bringing awareness to all the challenges of mental health care, Suzanne works to break down the stigma surrounding mental illness and bring awareness for the need of communities to help those living with mental health conditions to lead valuable and rewarding lives.
Suzanne is the mother of 2 loving girls, and wife to a good and supportive husband.
Cheryl joined the NAMI Jax team after working as an attorney for almost 30 years. Due to her passion for mental health advocacy and supporting families, she feels truly blessed to have a position at NAMI Jax.
As Operations Manager, Cheryl’s organizational and legal skills ensure that the office runs smoothly and efficiently. As NAMI Jax Advocacy Liaison, she uses her legal skills to advocate for better mental health laws and resources that help people with mental health conditions.
Cheryl discovered NAMI Jax through the Family Support Group. She became a support group facilitator, and currently leads Family Support Group meetings, which are designed for family members of teens or young adults with a mental health condition.
She is passionate about advocacy. Cheryl helped start, and lead, the Northeast Florida Mental Health Advocacy Group, which works to improve mental health at the federal, state, and local levels.
Cheryl has a Juris Doctorate from the University of Florida and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Tampa. She has two amazing children.
As the Program Manager at NAMI Jacksonville, Deanna supports individuals and their families with essential information about NAMI Jax Family and Peer Programs.
As a result of several years of professional and personal experience with mental health conditions, Deanna understands the importance of providing services and resources not only for individuals living with mental health conditions but for their families as well. She works to end the stigma surrounding mental health, and advocates for knowledge expansion of mental health programs and services available to the local community and surrounding rural areas.
Deanna’s passion for mental health advocacy has led her to pursue her Masters of Science degree in Mental Health and Wellness with an emphasis in Mental Health Administration.
Deanna is an influential leader in her community, making a significant impact on local youth organizations, and shares the importance of mental health awareness at any age.
She is the mother of 5 and a wife to a supportive and loving husband.
Wendy is passionate about building a strong sense of community, ending the stigma around mental illness and advocating for mental health. She feels strongly about supporting individuals early in their recovery.
She has been involved with NAMI since she was 19, and appreciates the sense of community it has given her over the years. She credits NAMI with having played a big part in her successful recovery and helping her understand that she is not alone.
Wendy received her Masters in Clinical Psychology with a focus in Counseling from National University in Los Angeles in 2019. She also has specialized training in trauma and dual diagnosis.
She began her career working at a mental health nonprofit in Los Angeles, and has worked in various roles in mental health since then.
Her recent move from California to Florida has brought her closer to family and loved ones. Wendy values her roles in her life as daughter, sister, aunt and friend.
Ethel brings 25 years of experience in the social services and mental health industries, in both the public and private sectors, to NAMI Jax. The need to support mental well-being for everyone is at the core of her belief system.
Ethel has a passion for developing and growing programs that focus on self-sufficiency outcomes related to independent living, employment, and community inclusion, for diverse populations with unique abilities.
She has worked as an inmate counselor/instructor in the prison system, preparing inmates for re-entry back into the community, and in the mental health field as a counselor for adults, providing and monitoring case plan goals and objectives for mental health treatment.
Ethel’s family has been touched by PTSD, anxiety, dementia, and bulimia. She has had first-hand experience trying to navigate various social systems to ensure that she and her loved ones received the services needed for healthy, sustainable, and productive lives.
Ethel, a native Floridian, received her undergraduate degree from Bethune Cookman College (now known as Bethune University), and her graduate degree from the University of Central Florida, where she studied legal studies and criminal justice. She has a doctorate degree in Organizational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University.
Ethel is a mother, a happily married wife of a disabled veteran, and a proud grandmother.
Carlin has a strong passion for supporting individuals facing mental health challenges.
Graduating with a bachelor's degree from Florida State University in 2022, Carlin has a deep commitment to fostering well-being and resilience, focusing on empathetic and effective support.
She is dedicated to making a positive impact in the lives of those struggling with mental health issues.
Casey has worked in the mental health and social work fields for more than 17 years, providing guidance to families navigating the mental health and legal systems.
In 2005, Casey became involved with NAMI after her diagnosis of a serious mental illness. During that difficult time, NAMI served as a beacon of hope for her.
Casey now shares that hope with others, serving as a presenter and state trainer for the "In Our Own Voice" program. As NAMI Jacksonville's Peer Outreach Coordinator, she focuses on helping peers navigate and become Certified Recovery Peer Specialists.
Casey, born in Virginia Beach, Virginia, received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Counseling Skills from Toccoa Falls College.
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