Brandon Combs, MNA Executive Director

Brandon Combs is a forward-thinking nonprofit executive serving as the Executive Director of Erika’s Lighthouse. Driven by a commitment to student well-being, he leads the organization’s mission to scale mental health prevention and education programs across school communities. Under his leadership, Erika’s Lighthouse has experienced significant expansion—growing programming reach by more than 10x and revenue 4x. He drove this growth by developing and delivering vital, scalable, and accessible curricula that empower educators and students to navigate mental health challenges effectively and build more inclusive school cultures. Recognizing technology’s transformative potential in the social impact sector, Brandon operates at the intersection of philanthropy and modern innovation. As an AI champion, he advocates for the responsible integration of artificial intelligence, ensuring that enhanced organizational efficiency and data-driven decision-making remain grounded in a strong commitment to AI ethics and digital safety. His expertise in leveraging cutting-edge tools to maximize nonprofit impact—while fiercely protecting student well-being—was recently highlighted when he was featured as a panel speaker at Google Cloud Next 2026. Dedicated to sustainable growth and operational excellence, Brandon focuses on leading a staff of 22 and building scalable frameworks that amplify community impact. His visionary leadership continues to push the boundaries of traditional nonprofit models, ensuring that Erika’s Lighthouse remains at the forefront of school-based mental health advocacy and prevention – especially in this time of crisis.