A passionate advocate
Jessica experienced life in group homes and the juvenile justice system. Today, she speaks up for youth and families who deserve better resources and advocacy.
Jessica Chandler spent much of her adolescence bouncing between group homes and Juvenile Hall. After emancipating at 18, Jessica took charge of her path and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Master’s of Social Work from Cal State University Northridge. Today, Jessica is a national advocate for children and families involved in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. She sits on the Board of Education Coordinating Council (ECC) on behalf of probation youth; The Nehemiah Project LA, supporting transition-aged youth in the LA area; and previously served on the California State Council (SYC) as the Los Angeles County Ambassador for Child Welfare.
“Jessica has visited our county on several occasions, speaking to both youth in care and the adults who serve them. Her articulate, honest depiction of both her own time in care and her work within child welfare left us all with a complex mixture of hope, renewal, motivation to succeed, and courage to change what’s broken. Jessica gets ‘real’ with folks and is willing to expose her raw vulnerability in order to grab the hearts and minds of her audience. Jessica’s appearance in the FOSTER documentary gives the viewer an introduction to her brilliant mind and passionate cause, but witnessing the captivating message she shares as a speaker adds an entirely new dimension to the person we meet on film. We look forward to future events with Jessica!”
Laura Welbourn, Ventura County Office of Education
Jessica was selected to be a lead subject of the award-winning feature film about foster care that shows what can be achieved when dedication and practice are coupled with the implementation of best practice and policy.
The film premiered on HBO in May 2019 and is available on HBO, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, and other digital platforms!
“Jessica brought an incredibly valuable perspective to an audience of policy makers. Drawing on both her life and work experience, she gets to the heart of the matter and has insightful views on changes that need to be made to better support children and families. Jessica can expertly discuss so many aspects of the child welfare and foster care system, ranging from the needs of youth, to the challenges for families, to the commitment of individuals who work in this field. She is an inspirational speaker who brings humor, wisdom, and a passion to help children and families into everything that she does.”
Justin Garrett, California State Association of Counties
