NAMI in the News
- ATX Together: Mental Health During a Year of CrisisMarch 18, 2021Crisis after crisis in 2020 and 2021 has eaten away at our community’s resilience. Deputy Director Dr. Quevarra Moten joined Judy Maggio (Austin PBS) and panelists Wendy Salazar (Integral Care) and Dr. Art Markman (Two Guys on Your Head) to talk about the effects of the last year on our [...]
- Mental Health: Hope and RecoveryMarch 17, 2021Valerie Milburn and Helen Sneed came to NAMI for the same reason—a way to voice their difficult stories. Both Valerie and Helen live with — and nearly lost everything to — serious mental health challenges. By the time each found NAMI, they were well along their recovery journey and were ready to [...]
- NAMI on Campus Saved My LifeMarch 11, 2021by Mackenzie Ulam, volunteer and president of NAMI On Campus NAMI On Campus saved me my freshman year. Upon arriving at the University of Texas at Austin, I began having panic attacks for the first time and was soon diagnosed with 3 different anxiety disorders. I had known there was something up [...]
- Texas Winter Storm RecoveryFebruary 24, 2021While sunshine and warmth have returned to Texas, the physical and mental health toll of last week’s storms on our community did not melt away with the snow. If you or your family are feeling stressed or anxious, it is vitally important you know three things: It’s normal to not feel “back to [...]
- NAMI Welcomes Dulce GruwellFebruary 11, 2021NAMI Central Texas, the local affiliate of the National Alliance of Mental Illness, has announced the hiring of Dulce Gruwell to serve as the organization’s first Peer Program Coordinator. “We are thrilled to welcome Dulce to the NAMI Central Texas family,” said Executive Director Karen Ranus. “Her [...]
- Mental Health Champions: How Karen Ranus and NAMI Central Texas Are Supporting People Living With Mental Illness and Their FamiliesJanuary 28, 2021Authority Magazine – Yitzi Weiner Asa part of my series about “Mental Health Champions” helping to promote mental wellness, I had the pleasure to interview Karen Ranus. Karen Ranus is the Executive Director of the Central Texas affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI [...]
- Blue Christmas: How the holiday season and COVID-19 pandemic are fueling a rise in lonelinessDecember 14, 2020AUSTIN (KXAN) — Social distancing and self-quarantining amid the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted the impact that loneliness can have on people of all ages. While the holiday season may provide comfort and solace to some who have struggled this year, for others it can be the toughest time of year [...]
- 2020 Board CandidatesNovember 19, 2020NAMI Central Texas is pleased to welcome our new slate of board members, elected by the membership. A Nominations Committee comprised of Board Members Julie Almendral, Manuel Quinto-Pozos, Leo Paterra as well as Executive Director, Karen Ranus, interviewed several qualified candidates to fill two [...]

Awards and Recognition
2020
Schwab Local Heros Award - Karen Ranus, executive director
2019
Dell Medical School Award Transformational Leader nominee - Karen Ranus, executive director
Austin Young Chamber ChangeMaker Award winner - Karen Ranus, executive director
Henry McMahon Children’s Advocacy Award - Nidia Heston, volunteer
2017
Central Texas African American Family Support Conference Richard Hopkins "Torch” Awards
- Consumer – Meredith Stacy Jones, volunteer
- Community Leader – Karen Ranus, executive director
Media Inquiries
For media inquiries, please contact Jocelyn VerVelde at [email protected]