Headshot of female presenting person with black hair loosely pulled black wearing red glasses, a black sweater and fuchsia shirt sitting in front of a laptop.

Camesha L. Jones-Brandon

AM ’16
Fields of interest
Mental Health

2025 Elizabeth Butler Award Recipient

Founder and Executive Director, Sista Afya Community Care

Camesha L. Jones-Brandon is a trailblazer in culturally responsive mental health care. A Licensed Clinical Social Worker and community mental wellness changemaker, she has dedicated her career to addressing mental health disparities at the intersection of race, gender, and equity.

In 2020, Camesha founded Sista Afya Community Care, a Chicago-based nonprofit that provides affordable, community-centered mental health care to women facing multiple barriers to access. Under her leadership, the organization has served over 2,000 Black women and girls through therapy, support groups, and wellness programming that reflects their lived experiences and cultural identities.

Prior to establishing the nonprofit, Camesha launched Sista Afya Community Mental Wellness, a social enterprise rooted in Black women’s mental health. Her work has been featured in PBS NewsHour, the Chicago Tribune, The Grio, Crain’s Chicago Business, and TEDx, amplifying her mission to reshape mental health narratives through community collaboration and culturally grounded care.

Camesha earned her master’s degree from the University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice, and holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Spelman College. She is widely recognized for her contributions to mental health equity, with honors from Ulta Beauty, the WNBA Chicago Sky, NAMI Chicago, and the Chicago Foundation for Women.

A master collaborator, Camesha believes transformational care requires collective action. Her guiding principle: true wellness is possible when systems are intentionally designed to uplift every voice—and when care is made accessible to all.