MHA-NYC Names Kimberly Williams New President
NEW YORK, Dec. 15, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Mental Health Association of New York City, a national leader in mental health services, advocacy and education, today announced that Kimberly Williams has been named the new President of the organization. The appointment is effective January 1, 2017. Williams takes over from Giselle Stolper, the President and CEO of MHA-NYC who shared with the board her desire to retire at the end of the year.
"We are thrilled that Kim is taking the reins at MHA-NYC," said Chairman of the Board Kevin Danehy. "We had big shoes to fill following Giselle's tenure during which MHA-NYC experienced years of unprecedented growth and success. After an extensive and extremely thorough search process we found that the best person to move us forward was right here on our team."
"Kim's vision, knowledge and commitment are just what MHA-NYC needs for its next generation of leadership," Stolper, who is retiring after serving for almost 27 years said. "As the health and behavioral health care systems continue their rapid transformation I am thrilled that our organization has the perfect person at the helm to manage that change and continue our outstanding track record as an innovator in the field."
Williams first joined MHA-NYC in 2004 working on the Geriatric Mental Health Alliance of New York (GMHA) of which she then became director. She has since become one of New York State's and the nation's foremost leaders in mental health advocacy. She is the chair of the National Coalition on Mental Health and Aging, and a member of the New York State Interagency Geriatric Mental Health and Chemical Dependence Planning Council. At MHA-NYC Williams has most recently served as Vice President of the Center for Policy, Advocacy and Education and then as Executive Vice President of Integrated Policy and Program Services. Williams has been recognized for her talent and leadership by being named one of the 40 under 40 Rising Stars by NYN Media in 2015 and in receiving the Staff Leadership Award from the Mental Health Association in New York State in 2013.
Williams, who received her Master of Science in Social Work from the Columbia University School of Social Work, has been an adjunct lecturer at the NYU Silver School of Social Work, the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College and at Columbia University on mental health policy. She resides in Brooklyn with her husband Dan and son Jackson.
"It is an honor to be elected President by the Board of Directors of MHA-NYC and I thank them for their trust and confidence in me," Williams said. "I have always been so proud of the work we do every single day and I am excited about the tremendous possibilities that exist to build and expand on that work to meet the new challenges ahead and continue to provide help and hope to the millions of people in this City and across the Nation who need us."
About the Mental Health Association of New York City (MHA-NYC):
MHA-NYC is a non-profit organization with local roots and a national reach that for over 50 years has been leading the way in mental health with our three-part mission of service, advocacy and education. Our mission is to identify unmet needs and develop culturally sensitive programs to improve the lives of individuals and families impacted by mental illness while promoting the importance of mental health. We break down barriers by providing care directly to those who need it, with state of the art telephone, text and web based technologies to respond to community needs where and when that help is needed. We work every single day to save lives and assist those in crisis while providing millions more with the help they need before a crisis can occur. www.mhaofnyc.org
SOURCE Mental Health Association of New York City
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