Jay Barnett

Jay Barnett is on a mission to empower, inspire, and ignite fire into the minds of men and women across the globe, helping them become their best selves. Former professional football player-turned-marriage and family therapist, Jay has more than 10 years of experience as an acclaimed youth mentor, author, and motivational speaker. He’s translated the lessons and strategies learned on the field into meaningful lessons for life and developing a winning mindset. He created a personal and social development program called the K.I.N.G. Program (Knowledge is Necessary Game) for incoming male freshmen at Texas Southern University. He also runs a non-profit, www.webuildprojects.org, to help teens transition through adolescence in excellence.

Now, in his newest K.I.N.G. venture (Kindling Innovation Necessary for Growth), Jay is expanding his expertise to corporations, individuals, and groups. His online mental health and life coaching sessions allow clients to hone their innate gifts and learn supportive techniques to help individuals become the best version of themselves—both personally and professionally. As a corporate wellness trainer—having worked with hundreds of employees from major tech corporations to local non-profits—Jay’s wide-ranging program focuses on holistic wellbeing at work. Jay is also author of several best-selling books for teens. Finding our Lost Kings and Queens has been revered across the nation, with a Chicago public high school purchasing 1,000 copies for its students. Letters to a Young Queen: Redefining Their Throne, is Barnett’s poignant collection of essays that have been shared with young girls around the world, creating conversations on healing, self-love, self-worth, confidence, and personal victories. Hello King is a widely-acclaimed book for young men, guiding them to claim their throne. Jay is set to release his highly-anticipated new book, Identity Crisis: A Discussion around Social Media Impact on Personal Identity, in the spring of 2020.

A native of Mississippi who was raised and currently resides in Texas, Jay is the son of a pastor and amazing mother (mama Mary) and is known for his southern charm and spiritual roots. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Science from Tarleton State University and holds a Master's in family therapy from North Central University. He was featured as Black Enterprise’s 2019 “BE Modern Man of the Year.” Among his greatest honors are being called “Uncle” by his nephews and 3 nieces, and being a mentor to dozens of young people across the country.