Narges Zohoury Dillon (she/her) is the Executive Director of Crisis Support Services of Alameda County (CSS), which provides crisis intervention, suicide prevention education, and culturally competent mental health services to Alameda County residents. Founded in 1966, CSS serves over 75,000 people annually through its 24-hour crisis and text line, on-site and community-based counseling, health education, and other prevention programs. As the 988 center for Alameda County—a national network of suicide and crisis lifeline centers—CSS builds public safety by prioritizing human connection, effectively de-escalating 94% of high-risk calls without law enforcement intervention.
Since joining CSS as Executive Director in 2019, Narges has expanded its non-English services and added advocacy to the agency’s scope. A Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Narges has spent her career reducing barriers for communities that have been historically underserved by the mental health system. Her field leadership includes serving as the Immediate Past President of the Behavioral Health Collaborative of Alameda County, President of 988 CA: Crisis Center Consortium, and Board President of the Bridge Rail Foundation. Narges was born in Iran and immigrated to the U.S. as a teenage asylum seeker. Growing up, she saw the negative impact of stigma and shame firsthand, and providing comfort and support to those experiencing pain and trauma has given her a deep sense of purpose. “Like many colleagues in suicide prevention, it was personal loss that brought me into this work,” says Narges. “So many people hold these stories, and the work we do is about allowing the stories to come out so lives can feel honored and losses can be acknowledged.”
After years leading CSS’s organizational expansion to meet growing needs, Narges is ready for a break to “find a sustainable pace for myself.” She plans to spend a significant portion of her sabbatical in Spain immersing herself in the Spanish language. She says, “When I think about my sabbatical, I think the cognitive challenge of language acquisition, coupled with immersion in a new environment, will provide a profound form of mental respite from the constant problem-solving and emotional demands of my daily role.”