Myisha R. Rodrigues '00

Executive Director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Massachusetts

Graduated:

2000

Colleges:

Emory University, Boston College, Lesley University

Individuals who received support from NAMI Mass last year:

100,000+

Invested for life

Dr. Myisha R. Rodrigues ’00 proudly hails from a family of confident, Caribbean women. So when she arrived at Dana Hall, she was delighted to find her school provided an additional source of female mentors and peers that inspired her to be her best. “It was a learning environment that never dissuaded my classmates and me from taking on challenges, but actively encouraged us (as young women) to face any obstacle head on and with grace,” she says.

Dr. Rodrigues went on to major in dance and movement studies in college, later earning advanced degrees in mental health counseling—her love of the arts continues to shape her narrative as a practitioner, leader, and scholar. Today, she is the executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Massachusetts and the CEO/Founder of Third Veil Consulting™, LLC.

“Early in my career, I knew I wanted to help people, but I needed to figure out how,” she says. “My passion for healing and developing individuals grew to include healing communities, systems, and organizations, and that’s what led me to get my doctorate and start a consulting practice. Now, at NAMI, my mission is to improve the lives of those impacted by mental health conditions as well as their families, care givers, and loved ones, and increase public awareness of this critical issue.”

With nearly two decades of experience in the mental health, education, and non-profit sectors, she still enjoys a deep connection with her alma mater. “Though it's been 23 years since I graduated, I still appreciate the connections I have with my fellow alumnae and former teachers,” she says. “I continue to invest in Dana because they never stopped investing in me.”