Arlington, Va. – September 15, 2026 -- Daniel H. Gillison, Jr., CEO of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), has been named to The NonProfit Times 2026 Power & Influence Top 50 list, an honor tied to a $59 million gift secured from donor MacKenzie Scott. Gillison will be recognized at the 20th Power & Influence Top 50 Gala on September 17 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.
NPT credits Gillison with modernizing NAMI's crisis infrastructure
The NonProfit Times stated that Gillison "modernized the nation's largest grassroots mental health nonprofit, built cross-sector coalitions and secured investments from donors, including MacKenzie Scott, who gifted $59 million." Under his leadership, NAMI launched the National Collaborative for Crisis Systems Innovation, a hub designed to align and strengthen behavioral health crisis care, including the 988 Suicide and Crisis helpline program.
Gillison joins 51 honorees spanning major U.S. nonprofit sectors
The 2026 list includes leaders from AARP Foundation, National Council on Aging, American Humane Society, Rotary International, NAACP, American Heart Association, Habitat for Humanity International, and YMCA of the USA. This marks Gillison's second appearance on the list; he was previously recognized in 2022 as part of NPT's 25th annual Power & Influence Top 50.
Gillison said the recognition reflects coalition-building across sectors. "The nonprofit sector is at its best when we bring people together, build partnerships across sectors and turn shared purpose into meaningful change,