Q. What drew you to the NAMI Minnesota leadership role?
Schmit: It starts with the mission, right? I’m really passionate about the mission. It just impacts so many people. I wasn’t looking to leave Hearth Connection … [where] we really doubled down on the important work of supportive housing, which is, you know, the housing and the services that people who have long histories of mental illness challenges really need. As I went through that process, I just realized what an opportunity it [would be at NAMI Minnesota] to apply that experience in policymaking, both as a main advocate and in nonprofit leadership, rooted in my public service background involving housing, homelessness, food security, corrections and health care. Mental health is the through line on all of this. But you know, it’s also personal experience, and I’ve had my own challenges.
Q. Do you want to say more? Sue Abderholden was candid that her own family lived with mental illness. It made her a very credible but approachable advocate.
Schmit: I’ve navigated cyclothymia, which is like a mild form of bipolar, and never really understood that this was something that wasn’t normal. It was my wife who encouraged me to look into it. And that was two years ago, so I was navigating the condition for a lot of my teen and adult years. It’s been life-changing getting medication to help me manage that. It’s made me a better husband and better dad. It’s just made me more confident and comfortable in my own skin, too.
If at the end of the day, one of the things that I’m able to accomplish by talking about it is to help bring more people into a conversation that will get them more comfortable getting the help that they need, then I will feel very proud of that.
Q. As NAMI Minnesota’s executive director, you will lead an organization that’s become a force at the State Capitol and a statewide resource. Is it daunting to step into your new role? And what can you tell people who might be worried about Abderholden’s departure?