notMYkid, a non-profit dedicated to supporting the behavioral health needs of Arizona’s youth, has announced Emily Anne Gullickson has joined the organization’s board of directors.

The founder/CEO of A for Arizona contributes her background of executive, advocacy, legal, and teaching experience as a Teach For America – Phoenix alumna to the organization, according to a press release.

In her role with the organization, she is noted to have championed first-in-the-nation policies and initiatives focused on opportunity, access and innovation, and oversaw a $22 million dollar Expansion & Innovation Fund for new approaches to K-12 education.

“Many of us have worked with Emily Anne on youth and education issues for years, bringing her expertise and passion on children’s education and mental health to our organization is a huge boon for notMYkid as well as our community,” said Board Chairman Seth Leibsohn in a release.

She was also responsible for growing an entrepreneurial School Leadership Collective that has increased the number of low-income students attending high-quality schools and learning environments; leads sister political advocacy organization Great Leaders Strong Schools as president and founder, the release said.

Before launching A for Arizona as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Gullickson served as the chief executive officer at the Arizona Chamber Foundation overseeing initiatives including A for Arizona, Chamber Business News, and the Arizona Industry Fellows.

Under her direction, the foundation published critical policy briefs and research on topics dedicated to expanding economic opportunity in Arizona such as K-12 education reform, water and the Drought Contingency Plan, and trade with a focus on the USMCA and its impact on Arizona.

Gullickson has been recognized by several publications as an education leader and activist known nationally by her peers through PIE Network this year as Breakthrough Advocate finalist and for leading a Gamechanger Campaign for her team’s work on modernizing K-12 transportation options.

She was recently recognized by the Arizona Capitol Times as an Inaugural Women Achievers of Arizona – Nonprofit Leader and 2019 Breakdown Breakout, which is awarded to “the sharpest political minds in Arizona under 40,” the release noted.

notMYkid has a 21-year history of providing prevention and early intervention programs to more than 3 million Arizonans in more than 200 schools after opening in 2000.

Since the global pandemic, the organization pivoted to respond to an urgent mental health crisis impacting youth and their families as Arizona experiences record levels of youth substance use, depression, anxiety, and suicide risk among teens and more.

For more information or to donate: notMYkid.org.