Juan Martinez Joins Hopelab as Head of Strategic Communications

Growing the Hopelab Team 

As Hopelab continues our work supporting youth mental health and well-being, we are excited to announce the growth of our team with the hiring of Juan Martinez as Hopelab’s head of strategic communications. Juan has more than 25 years of leadership experience across different sectors including journalism, politics, and national and international nonprofits. He joins us after serving as chief communications and marketing officer at the Legal Defense Fund (LDF) and before that as GLSEN’s chief communications and advocacy officer. Juan’s dedication to advocacy efforts that ensure safe and affirming spaces for LGBTQ+ youth, his leadership roles with organizations bolstering the resilience of communities of color, and his policy efforts in the healthcare and education sectors bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the Hopelab team.

Hopelab CEO, Margaret Laws, sat down with Juan to talk about Hopelab’s vision for the future and learn more about his lifelong personal and professional commitment to working on issues that support resilient communities.

Meet Juan Martinez

Margaret: Juan, you have an extensive background working on policy efforts to ensure safe environments for LGBTQ+ students. What do you hope to bring from your experience to Hopelab to support young people?

Juan: I’ve been fortunate in my career to have worked on a wide range of issues, including mental health, education, LGBTQ+ advocacy, youth services, and racial justice. At each stop along the way, the power of storytelling and lifting up the voices of those we serve has proven the most effective way to move the needle on critical issues that require reform. My hope is that I can bring these same strategies to Hopelab and our partners as a way of redefining and investing in mental health in our nation, especially as it relates to youth. To move us away from seeing youth as being “in crisis” and instead see the opportunities that exist for them and working alongside them. To have them be active participants in creating better pathways for their well-being and the generations that will follow – and to do so in a way that centers equity, cultural awareness, and intersectionality.

Margaret: The Hopelab Discovery team is exploring how purpose can help young people thrive. Times of transition often can make us reflect on purpose. What are you feeling particularly purposeful about right now?

Juan: I am personally and professionally passionate about improving the lives of young people, especially BIPOC and LGBTQ+ youth. Growing up, mental health resources were hard to come by and within my community, the stigma was so intense that issues of mental well-being were never discussed. It left me and many other adolescents struggling to find both support and outlets for how we could shape what we needed to live healthier lives. Decades later, while the platforms may have changed, the challenges continue for young people in underinvested communities. Life often comes full circle and, as such, I am feeling quite purposeful now that I’m at Hopelab to be able to do for young people what was never done for my community – acknowledge the challenges, provide meaningful support, and empower the voice and agency of BIPOC and LGBTQ+ youth to drive solutions.

Margaret: I’m excited about our initial conversations about your experience, your ideas, and your passion for helping to shape a future where young people can thrive. What is your hope for the future of youth mental health?”

Juan: My hope is that we can evolve the current systems of care to be more responsive to the mental health needs of BIPOC and LGBTQ+ youth and that those same young people have access to the resources needed to build new systems of support that will allow them to thrive. And by thriving, they can live up to their potential as leaders in all fields – from artists and entrepreneurs to policymakers and academics, and everything in between. When you feel safe and healthy and supported, the sky’s the limit.