2026 NAMI California Annual Conference
October 8 & 9, 2026
Anaheim, CA
We gather at conference to have meaningful conversations about the issues that impact those who are living with mental illness and the individuals and organizations who support their journey. Through a mix of presentations, table talks and social networking, attendees create connections and participate in shared learning opportunities that drive hope, collaboration, and collective action.
Plan Your Schedule
Read About Our Speakers
Keynote Speakers
Day 1 (Oct. 8): Daniel Gillison
Daniel H. Gillison, Jr.
NAMI NationalChief Executive Officer
Dan Gillison is chief executive officer of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization, serving more than 650 communities across the country. A nationally recognized mental health advocate and nonprofit leader, Dan brings more than 30 years of leadership experience across the nonprofit, public, and private sectors, along with a deep passion for mental health advocacy fueled by lived experience with mental illness and its impact on families.
Since joining NAMI in 2020, Dan has led the organization through a period of significant growth and expanded impact. Under his leadership, NAMI has received two transformative unrestricted gifts from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, helping accelerate the organization’s mission and long-term impact. NAMI also published two You Are Not Alone books—one focused on helping individuals navigate their own mental health journey and another designed to support parents and caregivers navigating their child’s mental health.
Dan is a sought-after speaker and thought leader on mental health, workplace well-being, health equity, and the future of mental health care. He serves on the National Institute of Mental Health’s National Advisory Mental Health Council, the lululemon Global Wellbeing Advisory Board, and the National Health Council Board of Directors.
Prior to joining NAMI, Dan served as executive director of the American Psychiatric Association Foundation and held leadership positions with the National Association of
Counties, Xerox, Nextel, and Sprint.
Day 2 (Oct. 9): Dr. Gary Tsai
Gary Tsai, MD, DFAPA, FASA
Gary Tsai, M.D. is a physician executive board certified in both psychiatry and addiction medicine. He is the Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Telecare Corporation. In this role, he provides executive leadership for clinical strategy, quality, innovation, and medical affairs across one of the nation’s leading behavioral health organizations. His focuses include advancing person-centered, recovery-oriented care for individuals with complex behavioral health needs, as well as improving outcomes, strengthening the workforce, and supporting Telecare’s continued growth across California, Washington, Oregon, Arizona, and Nebraska.
Dr. Tsai most recently served as the Director of the Substance Abuse Prevention and Control (SAPC) within the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. In that role, he led more than 600 staff and oversaw an annual budget of approximately $760 million, overseeing a full spectrum of substance use prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery services for Los Angeles County’s 10 million residents. He led the transformation of the specialty substance use system through the implementation of payment reform and value-based payments, federal waivers including the Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System and California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) initiatives, an electronic health record system that moved the substance use system from a primarily paper-based to an electronic system, passage of legislation to strengthen the substance use counselor workforce and lower barriers to care, and the development of award winning tools to improve access to services, such as the mobile-friendly http://www.RecoverLA.org platform and the Service and Bed Availability Tool (www.SUDHelpLA.org), among other systems-level innovations.
Dr. Tsai also serves as a Governor-appointed Commissioner on the Behavioral Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission, a member of the Board of Directors of NAMI California, and on the California Health and Human Services Agency Behavioral Health Task Force.
Having experienced firsthand the stigma and criminalization that often accompany serious mental illness as the son of a mother with schizophrenia, Dr. Tsai is a passionate advocate for improving behavioral health services and systems. In pursuit of meaningful change, he founded Forgotten Films, a production company focused on social impact storytelling in behavioral health. Its first film, Voices (www.VoicesDocumentary.com), premiered on public television during Mental Health Awareness Month in 2015 and received a SAMHSA Voice Award. He is also the award-winning author of Against All Odds: A Practical Guide to Successfully Navigate Psychosis and Behavioral Health Systems (www.AgainstAllOddsToday.com), published in 2022.
Dr. Tsai completed his medical training at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine and his residency training at the San Mateo County Psychiatry Residency Training Program. His professional interests include severe mental illness and addiction, public and cultural psychiatry, behavioral health policy, and media/technology in behavioral health.
Conference Tracks
Youth and Young Adults
Sessions that explore strategies and best practices for early identification, intervention, reducing stigma and/or discrimination related to mental health conditions impacting those age 24 and younger.
Criminal Justice & Mental Health Policy
Address the impact of mental health policies and those involved in the crisis intervention and justice systems such as law enforcement, medical professionals, prosecutors, social workers, and other professionals connected to those living with mental illness who are justice-involved.
Dual Diagnoses (Co-Occurring Disorders)
Discuss the interconnectedness of serious mental illness (SMI) and Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and strategies to improve prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation services for those living with, or at risk of developing, co-occurring substance-related and mental health disorders.
Caregiver Resiliency & Self-Care
Provide practical strategies, best practices and education for caregivers on ways to maintain their physical, emotional, and/or overall mental well-being.
Innovation
New or evolving strategies, methodologies and/or technology-based solutions to improve access to mental healthcare, particularly in underserved communities.
Thank You to Our Sponsors!
2025 NAMI California Annual Conference Recap
October 16 & 17, 2025
Thank you to all who joined us for an incredible two days at the 2025 NAMI California Annual Conference!
This year, we were proud to come together with hundreds of family members, educators, mental health professionals and advocates in Sacramento.
Together, we listened, learned, networked and stood united under one goal — reducing the stigma of mental illness through community, education and advocacy.
From inspiring keynote speeches by former Major League Baseball player and mental health advocate Drew Robinson and Former U.S. Representative Patrick J. Kennedy to meaningful discussions and powerful moments of connection, this year’s conference reminded us of the strength found in community and hope.
Thank you to our incredible speakers, attendees, and partners for making this year’s Annual Conference unforgettable.