Ms. Jessica E. Martinez brings over two decades of leadership and expertise in advocating for the safety and health of workers across the U.S. Her commitment to workers' rights is at the heart of her work. Currently, as Executive Director of the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (National COSH), Ms. Martinez leads a dedicated team and spearheads national organizing, public policy, and education initiatives. A nationally recognized movement leader, she champions language justice to ensure that National COSH’s programs are accessible and inclusive for diverse worker populations. Trilingual in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, Ms. Martinez has built groundbreaking coalitions that empower workers to secure critical workplace safety improvements.
Before joining National COSH, Ms. Martinez served as Program Specialist for UCLA’s Labor Occupational Safety and Health (LOSH) Program and the Southern California Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health (SoCalCOSH), where she led educational programs and advocacy efforts for worker safety. She has also worked as a labor organizer in California and Illinois and supported international human rights and public health initiatives.
In 2014, Ms. Martinez was appointed by U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez to the National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health under the Obama Administration, representing safety professionals. She has received numerous awards, including the Peace and Social Justice Award from IDEPSCA, the Lorin Kerr Activist Award from the American Public Health Association (APHA), and the New Labor Honoree Award.
A respected strategist in economic and racial justice movements, Ms. Martinez has appeared on the Rachel Maddow Show, CNN en Español, National Public Radio, among other media outlets. She is frequently quoted in major media outlets and is a sought-after speaker at conferences and events.
She holds a B.A. in International Development Studies from UCLA and a Master of Public Health from the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health.