On Sunday, February 6, 2022, Chris Bouneff, the Executive Director of the Oregon chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) was the guest speaker at Bethel UCC as part of their Mental Health Awareness Sunday. Please click here to download various behavioral health support resources for Oregon and Southwest Washington.
In addition to being the Executive Director, Chris oversees NAMI’s statewide public policy and education efforts, among his other duties. Chris previously served as board president of NAMI Oregon and was active in public policy issues.
NAMI Oregon is a grassroots, membership-governed organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for individuals living with mental illness and their families and other loved ones through education, support, and advocacy. NAMI is composed of members with direct lived experience with mental illness — people who live with illness, family members with a loved one who lives with illness, or people who are often both. NAMI members and leaders use their lived experience and expertise to spread acceptance and to improve services for all people affected by mental illness.
Prior to his current position with NAMI Oregon, Chris served as director of marketing and development for De Paul Treatment Centers, an addiction treatment provider for adults, youth and families located in Portland. Chris has spent a career in communications, marketing and advocacy with various agencies, including Trillium Family Services, one of Oregon’s largest children’s mental health care providers. He also served in similar positions with the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association and Boise State University. Prior to that, Chris worked as a reporter covering public policy and enterprise stories for various newspapers and magazines across the West.
He was born and raised in Portland and attended the University of Oregon, where he graduated with a degree in journalism.