Jade Ellis Mathis, also known as “The Resilient JEM”, is an attorney, public speaker, and mental health advocate located in the Washington D.C. area. While following the footsteps of her father, host of the nationally syndicated Emmy award- winning Judge Mathis Show, Jade experienced several obstacles and setbacks on her challenging road to becoming an attorney. After receiving a life-changing mental health diagnosis while in college, Jade was determined to change the way the world views mental health. Her bold, authentic, unapologetic, and unashamed approach to addressing mental health is admired and respected by many. In 2016, she captured the attention of millions across the world by sharing her story of resilience and perseverance in her Don’t Quit, Anything Can Happen viral testimonial video, changing countless lives. 

An attorney by trade and a former non-traditional prosecutor, Jade observed firsthand the disparities and deficits in the criminal justice system and felt compelled to make a difference. She created and operated diversion programs as alternatives to incarceration. Dubbed the “Expungement Guru”, she now serves as an influencer and criminal justice reform proponent providing organizations with information and strategies to foster rehabilitation and reform.