Help2026 NAMI-NYC Gala Celebrates Hope
New York, NY – The National Alliance on Mental Illness of New York City (NAMI-NYC) will host its 2026 Gala at the iconic Ziegfeld Ballroom on Tuesday, October 13, 6-10 PM. Law and Order actor and NAMI Ambassador Jamie Gray Hyder will host the event.
Each year, this event convenes distinguished individuals and organizations who have made significant contributions to mental health advocacy, raising awareness, and reducing stigma. Our honorees include:
- Ari’el Stachel, Breaking the Stigma Award
- NYS Senator Erik Bottcher, Mental Health Champion Award
- Michelle Tenzyk, Ending the Silence Award
- Kevin Lord, Corporate Leadership Award
“Congratulations to our honorees, Ari’el Stachel, NYS Senator Bottcher, Michelle Tenzyk, and Kevin Lord for elevating their mental health stories and creating mentally healthier communities,” shared NAMI-NYC’s CEO Maggie Mortali. “We are able to reach even more New Yorkers with free mental health support thanks to their generous support and advocacy.”
Jamie Gray Hyder will host NAMI-NYC’s Gala. She is a classically trained, Lebanese-American actor, known for her work on iconic TV shows, such as Law & Order: SVU, in cult-classic video games such as Call of Duty, and as crowd-favorite animated characters for Netflix and DC. When not on set, Jamie works as a cook in professional kitchens and as an advocate with Giving Kitchen, Student Veterans of America & NAMI.
Ari’el Stachel is the recipient of NAMI-NYC’s Breaking the Stigma Award. He is a Tony Award® and GRAMMY® Award–winning actor, singer, and writer. His new solo play OTHER premiered Off-Broadway and received Lucille Lortel and Drama League Nominations. Stachel received the 2018 Tony Award® for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for originating the role of Haled in The Band’s Visit on Broadway, a performance that also earned Lucille Lortel and Drama Desk nominations. On screen, he stars in the upcoming feature Death Do Us Part and has appeared in Olivia Wilde’s Don’t Worry Darling (Warner Bros.) and A24’s Zola. His television credits include Law & Order: SVU, Billions, Jessica Jones, Blue Bloods, and The Night Agent.
NYS Senator Erik Bottcher is the recipient of NAMI-NYC’s Mental Health Champion Award. He represents New York State Senate District 47, striving to make New York a better place to live for everyone. Growing up in a small town in the Adirondack Mountains as the only gay person he knew, Erik’s personal struggles with depression sparked in him a lifelong dedication to helping the most marginalized members of society. As a Council Member, Erik authored and passed landmark legislation expanding mental health services in family homeless shelters and strengthening suicide prevention resources for students. As a Senator, Erik helped secure the passage of Francesco’s Law — legislation requiring the safe storage of firearms in an effort to help prevent suicide and accidental shootings. Senator Bottcher lives in Manhattan and remains deeply committed to building a more affordable, sustainable, and inclusive New York for all.
Michelle Tenzyk, recipient of NAMI-NYC’s Ending the Silence Award, is a NAMI-NYC Board Member and the founder of East Tenth Group, Inc., an executive coaching and leadership firm. For more than 30 years, Michelle has partnered with CEOs and executive teams to strengthen leadership and culture. Her advocacy is deeply personal: having lived with clinical depression and anxiety, Michelle understands the cost of silence—and the power of speaking openly. She is committed to reducing stigma, especially in workplaces where struggle is too often hidden behind success. Today, Michelle is in full recovery and grateful for a life filled with Joe, her Bernese Mountain Dogs, meaningful work, running, and travel. The life Michelle has rebuilt—and the experience she carries—continue to shape how she works with leaders, helping build cultures where people can speak up, be heard, and do important work without leaving their humanity at the door.
Kevin Lord is accepting the Corporate Leadership Award on behalf of FOX. He is Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer for Fox Corporation. In this role, he oversees the Company’s talent acquisition, colleague development, culture and belonging, compensation and benefits and employee volunteering strategies. Earlier, Mr. Lord served as the Executive Vice President of Human Resources for NBC News and was the HR Integration leader during NBCUniversal’s extensive transition from General Electric (GE) to Comcast ownership. Before his time at NBC, Mr. Lord held several HR leadership positions with General Electric. Mr. Lord began his career in human resources at Burlington Industries, later moving on to similar positions at Hewlett-Packard, Colgate-Palmolive and Roche. A graduate of State University of New York (SUNY) at Brockport with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Mr. Lord also received his Master’s Degree in Human Resources from the University of South Carolina.
As a peer-led, peer-run organization, NAMI-NYC will also recognize its extraordinary Volunteers of the Year, who serve as class instructors, support group facilitators, family mentors, and much more.
A selection of supporters includes: FOX Corporation, Shelley and Steven Einhorn, Jeff Schoenfeld & Matt Holbein, and Stacy and Jason Helfstein. For more information, please visit www.naminyc.org/gala.
If you would like to attend the Gala for press coverage, please contact: jdasilva@naminyc.org.
About NAMI-NYC:
Guided by lived experience and evidence-based practices, NAMI-NYC helps families and individuals affected by mental illness build better lives through education, support, and advocacy. NAMI-NYC’s services are free of charge and accessible to anyone who needs them. Learn more at www.naminyc.org.
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