Vance Meyer

President

As a former corporate communication executive, Vance is now promoting and advocating for mental wellness and acquiring skills to be of service to others in the future. These efforts are inspired by 30 years of personal and family experience with chronic depression and anxiety, as well as by more recent significant progress in managing his symptoms through lifestyle change.

Dr. Linda Pittenger

Vice President

Dr. Linda M. Pittenger is a leading expert and thought leader on Human Capital and certified executive coach. She has had a successful career as an executive in academic and large corporate environments, and conceptualized, launched and sold her business to a Fortune 100 company. Currently, Dr. Pittenger is a tenured Associate Professor of Organizational Leadership at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and consults with executives of Global 100 companies.

Camp Davis

Treasurer

Camp, a Jacksonville native and Certified Financial Planner and Vice President of Investments with Raymond James, earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the College of Charleston. He is a dedicated supporter of his community, serving on the boards of the 200 Club of Jacksonville and the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Additionally, Camp is a supporter of numerous causes, including Family First, The City Rescue Mission, Downtown Ecumenical Services, and Feeding America. In his spare time, he enjoys fishing, hunting, and golf.

Dr. Laura Lane

Secretary

Laura Lane worked for Jacksonville Community Council Inc. for 15 years. In 2013, she managed Unlocking the Pieces, a 3-year initiative to improve community mental health services in Northeast Florida. Her commitment to improving community mental health and eradicating homelessness began then. She served as Chief Operations Officer at Mental Health America of Northeast Florida and now works on contract with local human services agencies. Laura is currently working toward becoming a Certified Recovery Peer Specialist and volunteers with Changing Homelessness.

Dr. Colleen Bell

ex officio

Dr. Colleen Bell, a Board Certified Psychiatrist, has dedicated her career to working with the underserved. She completed a fellowship for Community Psychiatry in at the Center for Public Service Psychiatry in Pittsburgh, PA. She is the Medical Director, Integrated Health at the Sulzbacher Center in Jacksonville, where she manages a diverse staff in terms of licensure, is engaged in homeless outreach as well as clinic visits, and administrative functions that includes growth and development of psychiatric and medical programs and services. She is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and a graduate of Leadership Jacksonville.

Toni Callahan

Toni is currently the Physician & Provider Relations Director of the Mental Health Division for Memorial Hospital of Jacksonville. She earned her Bachelor of Science at Voorhees College, and her M.Ed. at the University of Phoenix.

Thelmecia Cason

Thelmecia is currently employed with Novitas-Solutions, a subsidiary of Florida Blue and has been employed there for 32 years. She is currently a Senior Operations Analyst. Her position requires her to lead meetings, train and develop work instructions for the users. She, too, is deeply concerned about the stigma that keeps individuals and their families from seeking the help they need.

Tracy Dixon

Tracy has an MBA and a BS in Computer Science and Engineering from UNF. She works as a manager and technology consultant for Centric Consulting and is a graduate of Leadership Jacksonville and is also on the board of the Child Guidance Center. She is willing to use her technological skills to work on reducing the stigma of mental illness.

Michelle Pargman

Michelle, an active member of her community, received her Masters and Specialists degrees from the University of Florida in Counselor Education. Since 2012, she has been serving as the New Directions EAP & Wellness Clinician, dedicated to Florida Blue employees and their household members. As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Michelle recognizes that mental health support and treatment is not a one size fits all and that there are many different pathways and entry points to assist each individual's personal journey. From the time she learned about NAMI, she has amplified NAMI's programs in professional and personal settings as an important support option that can change lives for the better and help people recognize that they are not alone and there is hope.

Mandi Stewart

Mandi is the Regional Business Development Director for First Light Home Care.  Mandi is passionate about raising awareness about the importance of mental health while advocating to correct the stigma too often associated with mental health challenges.  Mandi has over 20 years of community relations and business development experience with 8 years in the mental health field.  Mandi graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a bachelors degree in Sociology and Regis University with a MBA in Management.   

Leigha Tipley

Leigha earned her MBA from Jacksonville University and a BA in Business Administration from Westminster College. She works as a Talent Acquisition Lead and SME in Strategic Workforce Planning at Mott MacDonald. As a presenter for our Ending the Silence program, she has been able to reach many of our youth with her message of recovery. She is looking forward to expanding her role with NAMI Jacksonville. In addition, she is an active volunteer and Board member of the Junior League of Jacksonville.

Jerry Weedon

Jerry Weedon has practiced law with Marks Gray since 1976. He is a member of the Jacksonville Bar Association, The Florida Bar, the American Bar Association, and the Florida Defense Lawyers Association, where he served as a member of its Board of Directors from 1995-2002 and as President of the organization from 2000-2001. Mr. Weedon was appointed by Governor Jeb Bush to the Board of Trustees of the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind in 2007 and reappointed by Governor Charlie Crist in 2009. He has served on numerous Boards of Directors to include the Ronald McDonald House. Mr. Weedon has been named a Best Lawyer by U.S. News & World Report and one of Florida magazine’s Super Lawyers® consecutively since 2006. He attended the University of Florida where he received his J.D., with honors in 1976. Mr. Weedon is a Distinguished Naval Graduate from the Naval O.C.S. He served as a U.S. Navy Aviation Intelligence Officer from 1971 to 1974 and as an active reservist in the U.S. Navy Reserve until 1996.

Suzanne Mailloux

Executive Director

Suzanne Mailloux is an attorney with over 20 years of experience in business and technology law, graduating from the University of Florida with a JD and a Bachelors of Science in Psychology. She is a mother of 2 loving girls and wife to a good and supportive husband. During her life journey she was faced with a mental health crisis with a loved one who struggles with mental illness leading her to redirect her passion, career, and caregiving to support her loved one and others challenged with mental illness. She is now the Executive Director for the non-profit organization the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Jacksonville Florida, promoting education, support, and awareness to those living with mental health conditions. Through her compassion for others, sharing of her life experiences, and bringing awareness to all the challenges of mental health care, she hopes 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.

Deanna Brown

Family Navigator

Deanna Brown has recently accepted the Family Navigator position with NAMI Jacksonville. She is a mother of three active boys and a wife to a supportive and loving husband. Accompanied by several years of professional and personal experience with mental health conditions, Deanna is an influential leader within her community. Making a large impact on local non-profit youth sports organizations, her passion for mental health advocacy has led her to recently earning a bachelor’s in science in Human Services with a concentration in Mental Health. She understands the importance of mental health advocacy, and the need for services and resources not only for individuals living with mental health conditions but for their families as well. In this role, she plans to work with individuals and their families to provide additional information about NAMI Jacksonville Family / Peer Programs. Deanna will strive to end the stigma surrounding mental health and advocate for knowledge expansion of mental health programs and services available to the local community, including the surrounding rural areas.

Wendy Weissmueller

Peer Coordinator

Wendy has recently accepted a position with NAMI Jacksonville in the role of Peer Program Coordinator. She has been involved with NAMI since she was nineteen and has appreciated the sense of community over the years. Wendy received her Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology with a focus in Counseling in 2019 from National University in Los Angeles. She is passionate about ending the stigma and providing mental health advocacy. Wendy has specialized training in trauma and dual diagnosis. Wendy got her start working at a mental health nonprofit in Los Angeles and has worked in various roles in mental health over a span of eight years. Wendy credits NAMI as a big part of her successful recovery and knowing she is not alone. Wendy specifically hopes to reach individuals early in their recovery. Her recent move from California to Florida has brought her closer to family and loved ones. Wendy has many roles in her life as a daughter, sister, aunt and friend that are all valuable. Wendy is looking forward to continuing to build an amazing sense of community at NAMI Jax.

Daja Hall

Youth Coordinator

DaJonah Hall aka Daja, joined NAMI Jax in Spring of 2023 as a transplant from Seattle WA with a passion for mental health advocacy. She coordinated the Teen Link program at Crisis Connections/211 in King county. There she was instrumental in creating a sustainable volunteer-led crisis line for adolescents throughout the entire coronavirus pandemic. After moving to Jacksonville, Daja knew she wanted to continue working to help make mental health resources and education more equitable for youth. As a peer and mentor, Daja knows just how important stigma free resources are for children and young adults who are struggling mentally. Committed to her mission to bring awareness of NAMI’s programs and services to young people in Jacksonville, her goal is to model empathy when meeting an individual where they are in their mental health journey. She takes pride in providing a safe place to receive information or advocate for themselves and others.

Beata Hunter

Office Administrator

Beata Hunter has been the NAMI Jacksonville Affiliate Administrator since Summer 2021. Beata is a seasoned military spouse and proud parent of two. An immigrant herself, she is concerned with the stigma and challenges that keep those in immigrant communities from seeking mental health services. She enjoys providing support to the NAMI Jacksonville team and brings back to her community much of what she learns about mental health. She advocates for individuals who reach out for help with resources and mental health services. Beata plays an integral role to the NAMI Jacksonville organization.