New NAMI leader works to expand reach, impact of group

Mark Mathews used to be a police officer in the 1990s in Colorado. One night, he faced a horrible situation. He was called to a motorcycle accident and was the first officer on the scene. The motorcyclist was badly injured and Mr. Mathews gave first aid to the driver. But the injuries proved to be […]

Mark Mathews used to be a police officer in the 1990s in Colorado. One night, he faced a horrible situation. He was called to a motorcycle accident and was the first officer on the scene. The motorcyclist was badly injured and Mr. Mathews gave first aid to the driver. But the injuries proved to be fatal. “He died in my arms. … It was a pivotal moment in my life,” he said. Unfortunately, his supervisors didn’t recognize that moment or the stress it caused. “I was told ‘Go home, change uniforms and get back to work,’” he said. Not long after the accident, the sister of the motorcycle driver visited him and wanted to know the details of the crash. Mr. Mathews found that he had to relive the experience. He also discovered that while he enjoyed helping people, he needed to find a different job and different ways to help. That incident helped launch his journey to helping people in a variety of ways and job experiences. For instance, he became a tutor and mentor with AmeriCorps in Davenport, and later the executive director of EveryChild (formerly Child Abuse Council) – a role he held for more than nine years. A few months ago, he started his latest journey to help people. In December,  Mr. Mathews was named the new executive director of NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) of the Greater Mississippi Valley. He replaced the retiring Angela Gallagher, who was the organization’s first executive director.  “We are excited about the future and the opportunities to further our mission of providing support, education, and advocacy to individuals and families affected by mental illness," Brandon Kutmas, NAMI Quad Cities board president, said after Mr. Mathews was named to the role. “We will continue to offer our renowned, evidence-based, peer-led support groups and programs while working to increase attendance, expand to new locations, and grow our volunteer base.” NAMI Greater Mississippi Valley is an affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness National Organization. Now located in Bettendorf, NAMI empowers people living with mental illness toward recovery and behavioral health while supporting the families impacted by offering education, advocacy and support. The local affiliate serves a six-county region in eastern Iowa and western Illinois.  Some of that focus includes weekly support groups for people dealing with mental health issues; sessions on recovery education; classes for parents and caregivers of children dealing with mental health issues; and much more. Mr. Mathew’s focus has been on training, paying bills, getting ready for NAMI’s annual meeting on Tuesday, June 3, as well as working with staff including the group’s other full-time and three part-time workers. He also engages with a group of about 40 volunteers who help the organization. “We have a passionate group that supports mental health,” he added. These days, a big part of his job also centers on NAMI’s funding, Mr. Mathew said. Currently that funding breaks down into three areas: about 30% to 40% of its funds comes from an annual NAMI fundraiser walk (this year’s NAMIWalks is Saturday, Oct. 4); another third is from local grants; and a third comes from a variety of individual donations, big and small. NAMI does not receive federal grant funding, but the ongoing federal budget cuts have become an issue on the local NAMI front. Mr. Mathew said local donors and supporters are well aware of the federal-level funding issues, but he hopes those issues will not impact the spirit of giving in the Quad Cities region. “But it is very concerning. There’s so much chaos at the federal level,” he added. Local NAMI board members said they hope that chaos doesn’t hit the local level. That’s because NAMI of the Greater Mississippi Valley and Mr. Mathews, they say, are doing a great job of helping people and  reducing the stigma often associated with mental health disorders. “I think Mark has inherited an extremely strong platform on which to build upon in our Mississippi Valley community,” Melissa Sharer, director of the Master of Public Health Department at St. Ambrose University, Davenport, and a member of the NAMI board, told the QCBJ. “NAMI services and support remain underutilized to some extent, but the building blocks are there to allow NAMI to become more relevant and useful to youth, young families, and groups that don't typically use NAMI's services and resources.” Ms. Sharer added: “Mark is a leader who can see these opportunities and will likely continue to grow NAMI's reach and impact in the future.” Mr. Mathews said he looks forward to working with NAMI staff, volunteers and supporters. He added that much of the focus of that work goes back to the lessons he learned while being a police officer decades ago and facing tragedy. “Being on the front lines helped me understand the day-to-day stress people are under,” he added.  

At a Glance

Name: Mark Mathews Position: Executive director of NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) of the Greater Mississippi Valley. Local office: 852 Middle Road, Suite 206, Bettendorf. Age: 54. Family: Wife, Mindy; two sons, Payton, 14, and Jordan,12. Home: Orion, Illinois. Past work experience: Former executive director of EveryChild (previously the Child Abuse Council); manager of operations, Solutions Management Group; a tutor and mentor for AmeriCorps; and a deputy marshal for the town of Telluride, Colorado, from 1995 to 1998. When not busy with work: Mr. Mathews enjoys playing sports and is a fan of many Chicago teams. He also enjoys going to his sons’ sports events and other activities.