Chief Strategy and Impact Officer
National Alliance on Mental Illness
Arlington, Virginia
Sherman Gillums serves as chief strategy and impact officer for the National Alliance on Mental Illness, where he’s responsible for executing the organization’s youth, cross-cultural and justice system diversion initiatives. The focus of his work involves championing efforts to destigmatize mental illness and universalize timely access to appropriate mental health care for underserved communities.
He previously served as executive director for Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) and chief strategy and advocacy officer for AMVETS, two of the nation’s most influential congressionally chartered veteran service organizations. In those roles, he had testified before Congress as an expert witness and appeared on national media as one of the most influential leaders in veteran advocacy, particularly on the issue of veteran and first responder suicide.
While at PVA, he led the organization’s national advocacy efforts to monitor and improve health care for catastrophically injured veterans. Prior to serving as executive director, he created the PAVE program to curb rampant veteran unemployment. The program received the U.S. Chamber’s Hiring Our Heroes Foundation award for leadership in veteran employment in 2016.
He was also responsible for launching AMVETS' HEAL program with a focus on holistic intervention for veterans at risk of suicide, as well as legislative efforts on a host of issues. The HEAL program received an award in 2020 from the Academy of United States Veterans for leadership in mental health and was praised as a model program by The White House during the organization’s annual convention in 2019.
For his work, he was recognized by The White House for noteworthy “service to our nation” and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for “exceptional leadership”
Gillums currently serves as vice chairman on the Federal Advisory Committee for Veterans’ Family, Caregiver & Survivor. He is a member of America’s Warrior Partnership’s board of directors and sits on an advisory committee for the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention. He is also a gubernatorial appointee to the Fair Housing Board for the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Gillums served in the United States Marine Corps for 12 years, joining at age 17, and received an honorable discharge at the rank of chief warrant officer 2 after suffering severe injury while in uniform. He holds a master’s degree from University of San Diego’s School of Business Administration, and he completed his executive education at Harvard Business School. Sherman is currently pursuing his Doctor of Education at the University of Dayton.
Disclosure information not submitted.
Monday, April 11, 2022
2:45 PM – 3:45 PM
Wednesday, April 13, 2022
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
