Mental Health Advocate & Co-Founder, Bring Change to Mind
Jessie Close: Biography at a Glance
- Mental Health advocate Jessie Close wants to change how people talk and think about mental illness.
- Jessie and her sister, actress Glenn Close, founded Bring Change to Mind, which creates multimedia campaigns, curates storytelling movements, and develops youth programs to remove the stigma around mental health.
- Her own struggles with bipolar disorder and alcoholism provide the backbone to a courageous story and an enlightened perspective on the state of mental health in America.
Videos
Biography
Mental Health advocate Jessie Close wants to change how people talk and think about mental illness. An ambassador for Bring Change to Mind, a not-for-profit organization founded by Jessie’s sister, actress Glenn Close, Jessie fights stigma and misunderstanding to create a clearer picture of mental disorders. Her own struggle with bipolar disorder and alcoholism provides the backbone to a courageous story and an enlightened perspective on the state of mental health in America.
Life has been a whirlwind for Jessie, who lived with anxiety, confusion, and paranoia. As a teenager, she dropped out of high school and contemplated suicide. Jessie recalls, “I lived many years without medication, then, at age 45, I was put on two medications for bipolar disorder. One medication caused me to develop Steven-Johnson’s Syndrome. I stopped that medication and took only an anti-depressant which caused a manic state. I drank to calm the mania.” She was an alcoholic and mentally unstable. Then her eldest son, Calen, was diagnosed with schizo-affective disorder, a form of schizophrenia.
Jessie asked her sister, Glenn, to help battle the stigma and misunderstanding of mental illness. “It’s one thing to be aware of stigma in your own life but when Calen lost all his friends I couldn’t bare it.” In 2009 Glenn founded BringChangetoMind.org, an outreach and stigma-fighting mental health advocacy group that provides invaluable resources and inspiration to people and families in need. BringChangetoMind aims to continue the larger conversation and challenge discrimination against mental illness. Glenn says, “It was about connecting us to our family and presenting stigma in an authentic way. Jessie and Calen [a BCtM ambassador also] are my heroes.”
Award-winning filmmaker Ron Howard directed the organization’s first national anti-stigma campaign commercial which highlighted how mental illness affects entire families. The second ad, 2013’s Schizo, challenged the Hollywood clichés that demonize people with mental illness. Both 60-second commercials star Jessie, Glenn, and Calen to illustrate that no one struggles alone.
Resilience: Two Sisters and a Story of Mental Illness, Jessie’s memoir, was released in 2015. She blogs about living with mental illness for BringChange2Mind.org and has made appearances on Good Morning America, Katie, Erin Burnett, and Piers Morgan.
Topics
Resilience: A Journey Through the Darkness
Life has been a whirlwind for Jessie. As a teenager she dropped out of high school, ran away from home and attempted suicide. She struggled for years without a diagnosis or medication until, at age 45, she began treatment for bipolar disorder. Unfortunately, her diagnosis was faulty and she continued to struggle until age 50 when she was finally properly diagnosed and medicated.
In this unflinching look at mental illness, addiction, family, self-discovery and forgiveness, Jessie Close invites audiences to walk a mile in her shoes.
“Resilience: A Story of Mental Illness,” shows the world what living life with an untreated mental disorder looks like and how understanding and family can make all the difference. Jessie takes audiences to the brink and back. She tells the story of how she finally found the treatment she needed and discovered emotional fortitude to regain control of her life.
Inside the World of Mental Illness: From Stigma to Acceptance
A Special Note about Jessie Close's Programs
All programs will include a brief video introduction from Jessie’s sister, actress Glenn Close. In addition, Jessie’s son Calen Pick, is available to join his mother at the podium for an exploration of living life with mental illness.
Calen Pick bio
Calen Pick, a speaker and ambassador for Bring Change to Mind, lives with schizo-affective disorder. As an artist living in Montana, Calen promotes artistic expression as a tool to help harness the creative powers commonly found among individuals with various forms of mental illness. After 11 years of undaunting courage, Calen now articulates the challenges of living life with a thought disorder.
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FAQs
How do I book Jessie Close for my event?
Contact CAA Speakers at (424) 288-2898 or speakers@caa.com to book Jessie Close to speak at corporate or private events, keynote speeches, speaking engagements, workshops, fireside chats, motivational speaking, or virtual appearances.
Quick booking process- Email CAA Speakers with event details
- Get availability confirmation within 24 hours
- Review speaking fee and contract terms
- Sign agreement and finalize logistics
As one of the most influential talent agencies in the world, CAA handles all speaking engagements from contract to event day coordination.
Who is Jessie Close's booking agent?
CAA Speakers is the preferred booking agency to contact for Jessie Close’s speaking engagements. Contact speakers@caa.com for all Jessie Close in-person appearances and keynote speaking requests.
Contact Jessie Close's agent- Email: speakers@caa.com
- Website: caa.com/caaspeakers
- Response: Within 24 hours
CAA Speakers can check Jessie Close's speaking calendar with direct access to availability and official pricing. While many websites may list Jessie Close, CAA Speakers is the direct source for authentic information about availability and pricing.
What is Jessie Close's speaking fee?
Jessie Close's speaking fee varies by event type, location, and requirements. As a top keynote speaker, Jessie Close's fee reflects their expertise and market demand.
Speaking fee factors:- Event type and audience size
- Travel distance and logistics
- Presentation length and customization
- Virtual vs. in-person delivery
Additional costs: Travel, accommodation, A/V requirements, and optional meet-and-greets.
Contact CAA Speakers at speakers@caa.com for Jessie Close's current speaking fee and detailed cost breakdown.
How much does it cost to book Jessie Close as a keynote speaker?
The cost to book Jessie Close as keynote speaker includes their speaking fee plus travel and logistics expenses.
Total booking cost includes:- Jessie Close's keynote speaking fee
- Travel and accommodation
- Technical requirements and A/V setup
- Optional add-ons like book signing and meet & greets
- Virtual presentations
- Local/regional events
- Off-peak booking periods
- Flexible event dates
Email speakers@caa.com for Jessie Close's exact booking cost and customized pricing proposal.
How to contact Jessie Close for speaking engagements?
Contact CAA Speakers at speakers@caa.com for all Jessie Close speaking engagements.
Official contact for Jessie Close bookings:- Email: speakers@caa.com
- Website: https://www.caa.com/caaspeakers/jessie-close
- Response time: 24 hours
Include your event date, location, audience size, and budget when contacting CAA about booking Jessie Close.
Is Jessie Close available for virtual speaking events?
Yes, Jessie Close speaks at virtual events with professional-grade equipment and interactive presentation style.
Jessie Close's virtual event options:- Live virtual keynotes with Q&A
- Interactive workshops and breakouts
- Hybrid events (in-person + virtual)
- Pre-recorded presentations
Virtual events offer global reach, flexible scheduling, and reduced travel costs while maintaining Jessie Close's engaging presentation quality.
Contact CAA Speakers for Jessie Close's virtual event availability and technical specifications.
What events can I book Jessie Close for?
Book Jessie Close for corporate conferences, industry events, private functions, and virtual presentations. Jessie Close customizes content for any audience size or event type.
Event types:- Corporate meetings and conferences
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Jessie Close engages audiences from private executive meetings to large conferences with thousands of attendees.
Contact CAA Speakers to discuss how Jessie Close can customize their presentation for your specific event.
Jessie Close booking information and availability
Check Jessie Close's speaking availability through CAA Speakers at speakers@caa.com. Book 3-6 months in advance for best date selection during peak seasons (September-November, March-May).
Availability factors:- Event date and location
- Speaking fee and budget
- Lead time for booking
- Peak conference seasons
- 3-6 months: Best availability
- 3-6 months: Best availability
- 2-3 months: Good availability
- 1-2 months: Select availability
- Under 30 days: Limited availability
Contact CAA early in your planning process to secure Jessie Close for your preferred event date.
Book Jessie Close keynote speaker through CAA
Book Jessie Close through CAA Speakers for guaranteed authentic representation and professional event coordination. CAA is the preferred booking agent for Jessie Close, with direct access to their speaking availability and decades of experience representing the world’s top keynote speakers.
CAA booking advantages:- Direct access to Jessie Close's calendar
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Trusted by Fortune 500 companies for their most important speaking engagements. Contact speakers@caa.com to book Jessie Close for your next event.
Will Jessie Close speak at private events?
Yes, Jessie Close speaks at private corporate events, executive retreats, board meetings, and exclusive functions.
Private event types:- Executive retreats and board presentations
- Client entertainment and VIP gatherings
- Corporate celebrations and award ceremonies
- Private dinners and exclusive functions
Private event benefits: Customized content, enhanced interaction, complete confidentiality, and flexible scheduling.
Contact CAA Speakers for Jessie Close's private event availability and confidential pricing proposals.
How quickly will I get a response about booking Jessie Close?
CAA Speakers responds to Jessie Close booking inquiries within 24 hours during business days. Complex requests or international events may take up to 48 hours for detailed proposals.
Response timeline:- Initial acknowledgment: Within 24 hours
- Availability confirmation: 24-48 hours
- Detailed pricing proposal: 48-72 hours
- Urgent requests: Same-day priority response
Include complete event details (date, location, audience size, budget) for fastest response times.
How far in advance should I book Jessie Close?
Book Jessie Close 3-6 months in advance for best availability, especially during peak speaking seasons. Early booking ensures better date selection and rate negotiations.
Recommended booking timeline:- 3-6 months: Optimal availability and pricing
- 2-3 months: Good availability
- 1-2 months: Select availability
- Under 30 days: Limited availability
Peak seasons: September-November and March-May book fastest. Contact CAA Speakers early for priority consideration.
How do I get Jessie Close pricing information?
Get Jessie Close pricing information by contacting CAA Speakers at speakers@caa.com with your event details. Receive detailed cost breakdown within 24-48 hours with no obligation to book.
For accurate pricing, include:- Event date and location
- Audience size and type
- Event format and duration
- Budget parameters
CAA provides transparent pricing with all costs included - speaking fee, travel, accommodation, and technical requirements.