AREVA MARTIN is one of the nation’s leading voices in the media. A USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, award-winning civil rights attorney, advocate, legal and social issues commentator and talk show host, Areva is an audience favorite on a long list of shows from Dr. Phil, The Doctors to Good Morning America. She is a Legal Analyst and Contributor whose television credits include cohosting CBS’ Face the Truth and the Emmy Award-winning show, The Doctors, Areva is currently the host of the web-based in-depth current affairs talk show, The Special Report with Areva Martin and the opinion-based news show Areva Martin Out Loud on KBLA Talk Radio.
Areva is a serial entrepreneur. She is the founding member of Martin & Martin, LLP, one of Los Angeles’ premier African American female-owned law firms. Areva has been identified as a California Super Lawyer for the last five years, an honor bestowed on the top five percent of California’s attorneys.
She is also the Founder and President of Special Needs Network, Inc., one of the nation’s leading disability, children’s health, and social justice nonprofits. The organization has provided services to hundreds of thousands of children and families through its innovative ABA intervention and advocacy initiatives. Under Areva’s leadership, Special Needs Network has been the lead sponsor of critical legislation that impacts millions of individuals with disabilities and provides for increased services and resources, including California’s insurance laws that mandate coverage for autism therapies. Areva has raised millions of dollars for autism and related causes.
The next phase of her autism advocacy is the opening of California’s first-ever state-of-the-art comprehensive medical and developmental center in the heart of South Los Angeles, one of the state’s most vulnerable communities. This 15,000-square-foot facility will provide comprehensive medical and developmental services to thousands of autistic children and a plethora of essential services to their families including job and financial literacy training, mental health counseling, home ownership preparation, and free legal services. It will also serve as a training and research facility for public health professionals and neurodiversity scientist.
Butterflly Health, Inc. extends Areva’s health advocacy work. As Founder and CEO of this first-of-its-kind mental health digital platform for underserved Medicaid populations. Areva and Butterfly are on a mission to eliminate the barriers and stigma that prevent millions of individuals from seeking and obtaining critical mental and behavioral health services while substantially reducing the cost of such services.
A USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Areva’s books include The Everyday Advocate: Standing Up for Your Child with Autism; Make It Rain: How to Use the Media to Revolutionize Your Business and Brand; and Awakening: Ladies, Leadership and the Lies We’ve Been Told. Areva is a regular contributor to multiple publications including Ebony, CNN.com and Thrive Global. Her opinion pieces on racial and gender equity, leadership, success principles, mentorship and disability rights are read regularly by millions.
She has been featured in Know Your Legacy Virtual Black History Museum, Power Magazine, Redbook, Essence, Gladys and CEO Mom. In 2022, Areva was identified as a CORE Magazine Top 100 Influential Blacks. She has won myriad awards including the L’Oreal Paris’ Women of Worth, California Black Caucus Leadership Award, Los Angeles County Women of the Year, Ford’s Living Legend Award, Hollyrod Foundation Angel on the Path, James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award and Union Bank’s Neighborhood Hero Award.
Areva graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the University of Chicago and Cum Laude from Harvard Law School.
