PBS Host and Storyteller Jay Michael Martin Jr. Named Mental Health Ambassador with Active Minds

Acclaimed media personality joins national nonprofit to champion a new era of mental health

WASHINGTON, Jan. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Active Minds, the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to mobilizing youth and young adults to transform mental health norms, proudly announces Jay Michael Martin Jr.—national PBS host, storyteller, and advocate—as the organization's newest Active Minds Mental Health Ambassador.

Known for creating safe spaces through vulnerability, healing, and truth, Martin has built a career inspiring audiences across digital and live platforms to transform personal pain into purpose-driven impact.

Born in Buffalo, New York, and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Martin began his healing journey when unfortunately after experiencing a mental breakdown in 2017. Through therapy and storytelling, he found his voice, launching The Drive Project Podcast in 2018—a six-season series dedicated to mental wellness and motivation that featured journalists, therapists, and storytellers sharing how they overcame life's hardest moments.

By 2021, Martin transitioned from podcasting to television, becoming a local PBS host and then quickly rising to the national stage. He later created Note to Self—a motivational series for KOMO 4's Arc Seattle reminding viewers that they are seen, loved, and capable of getting through difficult times. His storytelling has since reached wide audiences through branded campaigns for Amazon, Microsoft, Storytelling for Sonobello, Seattle Theatre Group, King County Library Foundation and the Telly Award–winning commercial Phillips Law Injury through Brandtegic.

"Jay Michael Martin Jr. exemplifies the power of vulnerability in a way that deeply resonates with youth and young adults," said Alison Malmon, Founder and Executive Director of Active Minds. "We are honored to welcome him as an Active Minds Mental Health Ambassador and look forward to collaborating with him to inspire the next generation to champion a new era of mental health—together."

Martin's journey has been deeply shaped by personal loss, including the passing of his grandmother—his lifelong inspiration—and his mother, who died in early 2024 after a long battle with mental health and addiction. From that pain, he created Talks with Jay, a soul-led video series offering hope, identity, and healing in under a minute.

"Storytelling saved my life," said Jay Michael Martin Jr. "Through transparency, we give others permission to heal. My hope with Active Minds is to remind youth and young adults that their stories matter, that they are not alone, and that healing is possible."

Through the support of Ti-Shea Meadows, Vice President, Operations, Channel Planning, and Culture, with Paramount-Martin was given the opportunity at The Storytellers to showcase Cooking with Jay — a live activation blending food, conversation, and mental wellness storytelling — featuring college students and advocates from Active Minds — This is where the relationship with Active Minds began.

As an Ambassador, Martin will collaborate with Active Minds to elevate mental health storytelling through various initiatives that equip youth and young adults to prioritize self-care and community support. Martin dedicates his next chapter in his career to his mother Charmaine Lynn Martin. 

To learn more about Active Minds, visit Activeminds.org.

High-resolution images of Jay Michael Martin Jr. for editorial use are available here.

About Active Minds:
Active Minds is the largest nonprofit in the United States mobilizing youth and young adults to transform mental health norms across society. For more than 20 years, we have equipped the next generation of peer mental health advocates through a variety of programs, including the Active Minds Chapter Network, A.S.K., and Send Silence Packing. Our advocacy, initiatives, and campaigns foster lasting change in how youth view and discuss mental health, encouraging them to use their voices to influence broader conversations and inform mental health supports within their communities. Together, we are building a diverse movement of champions committed to improving mental health for all. To learn more about Active Minds, visit activeminds.org.

MEDIA CONTACTS
Dante Worth ([email protected])

SOURCE ACTIVE MINDS, INC.