ALEXANDRIA, VA -- The following information was released by the Mental Health America:
Mental Health America has elected Pender McElroy as the new Chair of its Board of Directors beginning this month. In this role, McElroy will provide direction and leadership to the organization and its more than 300 affiliates nationwide.
'Mental Health America has been at the forefront of the mental health movement in our country for over 100 years,' McElroy said. 'Mental Health America is uniquely poised to continue its leadership role in meeting the significant challenges which lie ahead for mental health services and funding and for consumers and their families. It is an honor to serve as Chair of the Board of Directors and be a part of responding to those challenges. I pledge to work diligently for Mental Health America to help all people live mentally healthy lives, to support the visibility of our cause at the national, state and local levels and to blend the great work of our affiliate network so that our united voice is heard across America.'
'It's a pleasure having such a talented and impassioned leader as the head of Mental Health America's Board of Directors,' said David L. Shern, Ph.D., president and CEO of MHA. 'We're very excited to have Pender on board and we eagerly anticipate working with him and our partners across the country to advance our mission of improving the mental health and well-being of all Americans.'
Mr. McElroy is a mental health advocate and attorney practicing corporate and commercial law in Charlotte, NC. He served as a member of the Mental Health America Board and as Secretary/Treasurer from 1998-2004 and chaired it Affiliate Relations Committee. He rejoined the Board in 2006 and served first as Secretary/Treasurer and then as Board Chair-Elect.
In 2004, he was the recipient of the Sandy Brandt Award from Mental Health America as Volunteer of the Year.
Mr. McElroy serves as a board member and past Board Chair of the Presbyterian Samaritan Counseling Center in Charlotte. He was a board member and Board Chair of the Mental Health Association in North Carolina and the Mental Health Association of Central Carolinas, both affiliates of Mental Health America. Mr. McElroy served for 13 years as a member, and seven years as Chair, of the North Carolina Commission for Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services. Mr. McElroy has also served as president of the Mecklenburg County Bar, on the Board and as Board Chair of Legal Aid of North Carolina, and as a board member of Legal Services of Southern Piedmont, United Way of Central Carolinas and the Mecklenburg County Area Mental Health Authority.
Mental Health America is the country's leading nonprofit dedicated to helping ALL people live mentally healthier lives. With a century of service and our more than 300 affiliates nationwide, we represent a growing movement of Americans who promote mental wellness for the health and well-being of the nation - everyday and in times of crisis.
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