2020-2021 Board Members

We would like to welcome and introduce our new and returning board members.

Mary Harrington, President and Oxford Affiliate Representative

Mary Harrington recently retired from the University of Mississippi, where she served as Director of Institutional Research, Effectiveness, and Strategic Planning. She has been a member of the United Way Board of Directors for the past 10 years, and is active in many other community projects. Mary has taught Family-to-Family classes, served as Walk Captain for the NAMI Oxford Affiliate (the state’s top fundraiser), and is a regular participant in the NAMI Oxford support group.

Mary is the mother of an adult daughter living with mental illness, and has firsthand experience of the stigma, the challenges and the heartbreak of mental illness. NAMI has been a source of support, strength and inspiration to Mary as she deals with her daughter’s illness. As a board member, Mary will remain firmly committed to NAMI’s goals to educate, advocate and support in order to improve lives for those living with mental illness in our state.

Megan Hamm, Vice President and Four Rivers (MS) Representative

Megan Hamm, Ed.S, LPC-S, RPT is the Owner & Therapist at Time For A Change Counseling, LLC; a private practice in Brookhaven, MS. Megan has over 12 years working in the behavioral health field. In addition to her professional responsibilities, Megan has a broad exposure to many facets of mental health and wellness. She shows leadership skills through her volunteer work and in her career. Megan is active in her community through board memberships and service to others. She is an active member with NAMI Four Rivers; being on the steering committee and serving as Affiliate Representative on the MS NAMI’s Board of Directors. She also serves as an adult advisor for Open Up Mississippi. She is an active member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated. She also serves a board member, executive committee member, and coach for Dr. A. L. Lott Youth Sports. Megan enjoys attending trainings and conferences to help her develop, personally and professionally.

Megan’s life’s work and passion is to help erase the stigma associated with mental

illness and to increase access to quality mental health services for those in rural, lower socioeconomic, and underprivileged communities in Mississippi. She has a passion to help children and youth in being empowered to live healthy and productive lives.

Harriette Mastin, Secretary and At Large

Harriette Mastin is a longtime NAMI member and supporter, and she has served on several board committees such as the Executive Committee, Bylaws Committee, and the Chartering Committee. She is a State Teacher Trainer for Family-to-Family, Basics, and Provider Education. She is also qualified to facilitate the Family-to-Family and Basics Support Groups. For her work, she was recognized with the NAMI Mississippi Volunteer Award in 2011.

At the affiliate level, Harriette is a member of the Governing Committee of NAMI Vicksburg and has served for several years on the Warren- Yazoo Mental Health Advisory Council. She is also a longtime member of the DMH Planning Council and has additional certifications.

Marcus Ginn, Treasurer and At Large

Sherry Bouldin, At Large

Sherry Bouldin is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Certified Mental Health Therapist. She has a successful private practice in psychotherapy where she treats a range of disorders with the application of practical modalities. She has held major roles in promoting the transformation of the state’s mental health system into a recovery and oriented system of care along with the development and sustainment of the Peer Specialist Program. With ten years plus as a mental health professional, she has held positions through the ranks as a Division Director, Program Administrator, Mental Health Therapist, Suicide Prevention Specialist, Wellness Recovery Action Plan Facilitator, Consultant, Presenter and an Advocate of mental health. Sherry holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in Counseling/Human Resources.

Sharon Turner-Davis, Secretary

Sharon Turner-Davis holds both a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in sociology and criminology from Mississippi State University. Throughout her professional work both in and out of the classroom, she has developed an astute awareness and understanding of the social, racial, economic, health and educational needs of diverse populations within society. Having been born and reared in one of the most economically stagnated, educationally challenged and racially oppressed areas of this country, the Mississippi Delta, she is aware of the need to provide essential mental

health support services, community organization and planning for diverse populations.

Sharon has served as a full-time or adjunct instructor of sociology for more than 10 years at several institutions of higher learning throughout the state of Mississippi. She is a full-time instructor of sociology at Hinds Community College and an independent research evaluator for various federally-funded projects. As a research evaluator for more than 20 years, Sharon has conducted evaluation research and analysis on an array of community, educational and social issues including health and wellness, early childhood development, parental engagement and involvement, teenage pregnancy prevention, community engagement in early education and family social problems.

Christiane Williams, At Large

Christiane Williams has been in law enforcement/corrections for 20 years. She has extensive training in all aspects of law enforcement/corrections. She is certified in law enforcement with an educational background in criminal justice. She is active in the behavioral health community in the area of law enforcement/corrections, a Certified Mental Health First Aid Public Safety Instructor, and also currently serves as a Priority 7 Committee Member of the Mississippi Urban Research Center (MURC). In the last four years, she has been very active in the mental health community assisting persons with a mental illness get the help they need when they become a part of the criminal justice system. In May 2015, she gave a presentation at the statewide NAMI conference entitled, “Mental Health and Probation.” She is involved in various community organizations involving adults and youth, serving as president and a board member. Christiane currently works as an agent with the Mississippi Department of Corrections. She resides in Jackson, Mississippi and has one son.

Thomas Carson, Peer Leadership Council Representative

Thomas is a Certified Peer Support Specialist at Warren-Yazoo Behavioral Health in Vicksburg, working in housing services. He has been active in NAMI since 2003 and has served as a trainer, mentor, facilitator and presenter in several of its educational programs, including Peer-to-Peer, In Our Own Voice and NAMI Connection Recovery Support Group.

Auvergne Williams, Central Mississippi Affiliate Representative

Shan Abbott, Coastal MS Affiliate Representative

Diane Sellers, Meridian Affiliate Representative

Mavis Creagh, Pine Belt Affiliate Representative

Stephanie Stout May, Tupelo Affiliate Representative

Jenny Drake, Vicksburg Affiliate Representative

NAMI Mississippi’s Mission

The families and members of NAMI Mississippi are here to help! We offer understanding to anyone concerned about mental illnesses and the treatment of mental illness.

Mental illnesses are brain disorders that are biologically based medical problems. Untreated, they can cause severe disturbances in thinking, feeling and relating. This results in substantially diminished capacity for dealing with the ordinary demands of life. Mental illness can affect persons of any age and occur in any family. They are not caused by bad parenting and not evidence of weakness of character.

MISSION Dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with mental illness and their families through support, education, and advocacy.

OUR GOALS Advocate at the county, state and national levels for non-discriminatory access to quality healthcare, housing , education and employment for people with mental illness.

• Educate the public about mental illness.

• Work to eliminate the stigma of mental illness.

• Advocate for increased funding for research into the causes and treatment of mental illness.

OUR VISION In our envisioned future mental illness will no longer thwart a person’s fulfillment of his or her potential. With early pinpoint diagnoses, interventions and targeted medications and services there is no pervasive disability. Ultimately, we envision a day when prevention or a cure is found.

Committee descriptions at namims.org/committee-descriptions.