Jennifer Mathis

Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law

Jennifer Mathis is Deputy Legal Director and  Director of Policy and Legal Advocacy of the Judge David L. Bazelon  Center for Mental Health Law where she engages in litigation and policy  advocacy to promote community integration of individuals with mental  disabilities, other non-discrimination work under the ADA and Section  504, and the Medicaid rights of adults and children with disabilities.  Ms. Mathis helped coordinate the amicus briefs filed in the Supreme  Court in the case of Olmstead v. L.C.  She also served on the team of  disability community negotiators who worked with the business community  to craft what became the ADA Amendments Act of 2008.  Ms. Mathis left the Bazelon Center for one year to serve as special  assistant to EEOC Commissioner Chai Feldblum in 2010-2011; in that role,  she helped draft regulations implementing the ADAAA. Before joining the  Bazelon Center, Ms. Mathis conducted litigation involving ADA, Section  504, the Fair Housing Act, and Title XIX claims with the Disabilities  Law Project in Pittsburgh.  She also practiced with a private law firm  where she pursued litigation on a broad range of civil rights issues.  Ms. Mathis holds an A.B. from Harvard University, an M.A. from New  York University, and a J. D. from Georgetown University Law Center.