Our Leadership

Preston J. Allen is a native of Kansas City, Mo. He currently serves as the Principal for AllenConsulting which provides consultative services to nonprofit sectors in management, administration, fund development, board relations, social services, and mental health.

Currently, Preston is working with the National Alliance on Mental Health Greater Houston (NAMI GH)/and the BeyGood Foundation project that seeks to improve the level of utilization, access and treatment for Mental Illness for the African American and Latinx communities in Houston. Preston also consults with St. John’s United Methodist Church’s Bread of Life Nonprofit in developing opportunities to develop psychotherapy and supportive resources to those suffering from Mental Illness. Preston also leads a Community Partner and Advocacy Leadership Council that focuses on Mental Health delivery to underserved communities in Houston. He also host the Diaspora Dialogues on Mental Health Equity that airs every third Thursday (monthly) with the Amazing KMAZ 102. 5 in Houston, TX.

Preston previously served as the as the Director for Non-Profits and Community Development at Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church (WABC). In that capacity, he was responsible for overseeing and managing three primary non-profit affiliates as the Executive Director (WATMI, WA5C’s and WAICV). These non-profits were established by WABC in an effort to address many of the social challenges that citizens of Houston faced. These individuals face many challenges in one or more of the following areas: housing and homelessness, prenatal education, mental health education, financial insecurities, the lack of poor educational resources and limited economic opportunities.

Additionally, Preston served in several administrative and operational management opportunities within several Hospitals throughout the United States over 25 years.

Preston was licensed and ordained as a Gospel Minister by the Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church in Houston, Texas. Preston lineage is from that of two distinguished Pastors in Kansas City, Mo., the late Rev. Preston Allen Sr., and the late Rev. Preston Allen Jr.

Preston holds degrees from Houston Graduate School of Theology, Central Michigan University and Morehouse College.

He is married to the Rev. Regina P. Allen who serves as the Director for Chaplaincy and Values Integration at the Methodist Hospital System in Houston. They are the proud parents of two adult children Porscha R. and Julian M. Allen.

Aastha Sharma is a global public health and social impact specialist with over a decade of experience in research, program design and implementation across health systems issues. Currently Director of Impact & Evaluation at National Alliance on Mental Illness (Greater Houston), Aastha focuses on measuring and evaluating impact of community based mental health programs, and facilitate learning and sharing among our 200+ program leaders. Previously, Aastha led the policy development, implementation and monitoring of the National Urban Health Mission (NUHM) as Program Lead at National Health Systems Resource Center, a technical advisory body to the Ministry of Health, India. In the past, Aastha researched the social and economic implications of reproductive health technologies on women’s health in rural India. Aastha has worked with non-profits, policy think tanks, UN agencies and governments across India, US and Nigeria. Aastha holds an MS (Global Health and Population) from Harvard School of Public Health, MSW from Delhi University.

In her free time, Aastha loves to be outdoors to explore nature with her husband and three year old son.

Elizabeth Lewis, LBSW is our Director of Communications. Ms. Lewis carries an impressive mental health background with her Social Work degree, previous employment in a youth Psychiatric Treatment Facility, as well as time serving as the CEO/Cofounder of upLIFTed Movement.  As such, she is a valuable asset to our work at NAMI-Greater Houston.

Her personal mission is to turn mental health stigmas into physical strengths. Through decades of disordered eating and unhealthy relationships with exercise, bouts of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation,  Elizabeth has chosen to take what could be a stigma and spin it to a strength through her dynamic approach to wellness. From encouragement to transparency, she is a team player, leading from the front in the areas of mental and physical wellness.

This native Kansan believes we need more hospitality and the Jayhawk is the most excellent of all.  You can find her bossing around the barbell at Crossfit Elevate, shopping for new sneakers, and baking the roof off any kitchen. She brings a nuanced approach to a lifestyle of healthy living that recognizes the need for consistency in exercise, self care, advocating for others while taking time to stop for truffle fries with those she adores.

Angelina Hudson has served as NAMI Greater Houston’s Vice President, Programs & Partnerships since 2011. In this capacity, Angelina supports earlier identification of those facing a mental health condition, removing barriers to mental health services & supports, and de-criminalizing those living with mental health conditions by advocating for appropriate treatment options. Angelina leads the operations of the psychoeducation programs servicing family members of loved ones diagnosed with a serious mental health condition, parents of children diagnosed, military family members reeling from deployment-related challenges, and those searching for their own recovery path. Angelina also oversees the organization’s support groups for peers in recovery, family members, veterans, and signature program training opportunities.

In addition, she serves on the national NAMI training team as a trainer for the signature NAMI Family Support Group model and as a state trainer certifying new NAMI Basics teachers for parents and caregivers of children. Angelina also contributes to the team as a Director for the organization’s warm line service and cultivates partnering organizations who refer clients searching for mental health service linkages. Under her direction, the program offerings throughout Greater Houston have grown from four locations in one county to more than 29 program sites located in three counties with additional fee-for-service contracts serving 3 area school districts. In her latest endeavor, she launched an initiative to raise awareness and promote mental health interventions targeted toward our society’s youth and young adults. Currently, Angelina collaborates with Texas’ Workforce Commission to connect adults disabled by their mental health diagnosis to supported-employment opportunities, cross-training, and entrepreneurial development.

Carmen Martinez is a graduate of the University of Houston with a concentration in business management and marketing. In 2013; Carmen was introduced to Latrece Bell while attending North Harris Community College. Over the years, the 2 developed an unbreakable friendship. In 2011, Latrece died due to suicide after her battle with bipolar disorder. After her best friend’s passing, she found NAMI GH and started dedicating her time as a volunteer and a family to family teacher facilitator. Ms. Martinez continues as an advocate on suicide prevention and mental health awareness, sharing the story of her bond with Latrece and provides education and support with women with some similar experiences. In her spare time, Carmen enjoys modeling, acting and has competed in local and national bodybuilding shows. She is a caregiver to her mother and enjoys spending time with close friends and family.

Kern F. Vanderburg manages NAMI Greater Houston’s Warmline/Sea Center and brings to NAMI Greater Houston a background of 35 years of dual diagnosis counseling as an LCDC along with recovery and community advocacy in Texas and also around the country.

Kern is currently a state certified Mental Health Peer Specialist. Acting as peer support specialist to bring “lived experience” and training in supporting those who struggle with mental health, psychological trauma, or substance use. My personal experience of these challenges provides me with empathy, understanding, and insight that professional training alone cannot duplicate. I promote and encourage resilience along with SEA Center Peer staff to engender that innate capacity people possess to recover from difficulties and challenges in today’s very difficult times.

My ideals flow from cultivating mindfulness that is essential in the effort to see myself and others clearly and to bring compassion and caring to my efforts to be of service. I am an artist of life and a proud loving father and brother. A song I have on repeat is “Ain’t No Cure for Love”

-Coordination of our SEA Center operators and resource directory

NAMI SEA Center: The Support Education & Advocacy (SEA) Center is a peer-run operation dedicated to providing support, education, and advocacy through opportunities and resources for individuals to help them find their own path to mental health recovery.

Brenda Broussard-Maatsch comes to NAMI GH as Program Manager of Community and Education. Brenda has a long history, 20+ years, of developing and maintaining partnerships and programs, event implementation, and supervising volunteers and interns in the non-profit sector. Brenda has an innate ability to create programs, solicit partnering organizations and community businesses participation, ability to coordinate conferences, and implement events. She is very passionate about helping others. Brenda resides in Baytown, Texas. Her joys include road trips with her husband, entertaining at the lake, refabbing furniture, and spending time with her daughter, currently a senior at Texas State University. Brenda is very excited about the prospective impact she can contribute to NAMI GH and has hit the ground running…. WALKING…as she is excited for the upcoming NAMI WALK on May 22.