nami.org | Nov 21, 2025
The Not Alone Pioneer Award celebrates NAMI’s ongoing mission to ensure no one faces mental health challenges alone.
Arlington, VA — The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is proud to announce that NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison, Jr., has been named a recipient of the 2025 Not Alone Pioneer Award by the Inspiring Children Foundation. The award, presented at the Not Alone Awards during the inaugural Not Alone Summit, recognizes Gillison as a trailblazer who is “redefining what’s possible in mental health research, advocacy, and healing.”
Through his leadership at NAMI, Gillison has spearheaded groundbreaking initiatives that have transformed mental health care accessibility and advocacy. Under his guidance, NAMI established its first-ever youth advisory group and expanded vital resources, such as NAMI’s HelpLine, by introducing a dedicated HelpLine for teens and young adults. He also co-founded the CEO Alliance for Mental Health to address systemic disparities in mental health care.
“I’m deeply honored by this recognition, because it reflects who NAMI is — a community built on compassion, connection, and care,” said Gillison. “For nearly 50 years, we’ve helped people see that they’re not alone, and that together, healing and hope are possible. I’m grateful to the Inspiring Children Foundation and the Not Alone Summit for amplifying the importance of coming together around mental health and hope.”
What are the Not Alone Awards?
The Not Alone Awards, presented by Villa Bibbiani and powered by The Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation, were broadcast live on iHeartRadio’s YouTube Channel as part of the Not Alone Summit held last week in Las Vegas. The inaugural awards honored individuals and organizations transforming the global mental health conversation, through research, clinical innovation, technology, advocacy, philanthropy, and art. The summit convened experts, thought leaders, business leaders, and celebrities to explore the latest research, innovative practices, and cross-disciplinary approaches to mental health.
“Daniel Gillison and NAMI have been tireless champions for those navigating mental health challenges, offering compassion, education, and lifesaving support on a national scale,” shared Inspiring Children Foundation co-founders Jewel and Ryan Wolfington. “NAMI has long been a pioneer and trailblazer in mental health advocacy — providing resources, community, and hope at times when people in need had nowhere else to turn. Through Daniel’s vision and NAMI’s unwavering commitment, countless people have been reminded that they are not alone. We are proud to honor Daniel and NAMI for their extraordinary impact and for pioneering a more empathetic and accessible mental health future.”
In addition to receiving his award, Gillison was invited to speak on a panel about the future of mental health advocacy, joining fellow panelists Jewel (Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter; co-founder, ICF) and Jaymes Black (CEO, Trevor Project), and moderator Ryan Wolfington (co-founder, ICF).
The awards and summit are part of the Inspiring Children Foundation’s Not Alone Program — a national initiative that aims to create a more compassionate and connected system of care through science, storytelling, philanthropy, and lived experience.
For media inquiries, please contact: media@nami.org
About NAMI
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness.
Join the conversation: Instagram.com/namicommunicate | x.com/namicommunicate | Facebook.com/nami | LinkedIn.com/company/nami | YouTube.com/NAMIvideo| TikTok.com/@nami
About Inspiring Children and Not Alone Summit
For over 25 years, Jewel’s Inspiring Children Foundation (ICF) has been transforming the lives of at-risk youth struggling with anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and other mental health challenges by providing a whole human approach to physical, emotional, and mental health. ICF serves 2,500 youth in-person and millions online. 95% of students in their Leadership Program have earned college scholarships for academics & athletics (tennis) to some of the best colleges in the US. 100% of their last graduating class self-reported a full remission in their depression and suicidal ideation symptoms. Parts of the program are now being duplicated in 22 cities by other nonprofits. For more information, please visit www.inspiringchildren.org.
The Not Alone Summit, a three-day, invitation-only mental health gathering, was co-hosted by Jewel, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, Bozoma Saint John, Jason Kennedy, and ICF alumni Cherrial Odell. The summit was designed to bring together leading CEOs, artists, athletes, philanthropists, clinicians, researchers, and youth ambassadors to advance emotional and mental health.
