WASHINGTON — The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights announced today that it and its sister organization, The Leadership Conference Education Fund, had selected civil rights litigator and advocate Vanita Gupta to assume the leadership of both organizations. The chairs of the two organizations' boards made the announcement after a joint board meeting to ratify the consensus recommendation of a 16-member joint board search committee.
Gupta will hold the titles of president and CEO of both organizations and officially assume the roles on June 1, 2017. She most recently served in President Obama's administration as the head of the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice.
She will succeed Wade Henderson, who has served as president and CEO since June 1996. Henderson, one of the pre-eminent civil and human rights leaders of the last 40 years, announced in November 2015 his intention to step down after the selection of a successor.
"When Wade announced his decision, we set out to find an exceptional individual, someone with a passion for advocacy, a record of achievement, a strategic vision, and the skills to lead our organizations, our dynamic coalition and this nation to a more just and inclusive future," said Judith Lichtman, chair of the Leadership Conference board. "Vanita is that individual."
William Robinson, chair of The Leadership Conference Education Fund board, said Gupta, 42, represents the "next generation" of civil rights leaders.
"As the first woman and first child of immigrants to serve as the leader of this organization, Vanita Gupta's selection marks a turning point in civil rights history," Robinson said. "The civil and human rights coalition is in very good hands."
Obama appointed Gupta as principal deputy assistant attorney general and head of the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division in October 2014, where she served until January. As the nation's chief civil rights prosecutor during one of the division's highest profile and most productive eras, Gupta oversaw a wide range of criminal and civil enforcement efforts to ensure equal justice and protect equal opportunity for all.
Gupta focused the division on advancing constitutional policing and criminal justice reform; prosecuting hate crimes and human trafficking; promoting disability rights and protecting the rights of LGBTQ individuals; and ensuring voting rights for all. She prioritized combatting discrimination in education, housing, employment, lending, and religious exercise. During her tenure, she oversaw federal investigations of the Ferguson, Mo., Baltimore, and Chicago police departments; the lawsuit against North Carolina's discriminatory H.B. 2; and the successful appeals of the Texas and North Carolina voter ID cases.
"At a time when our nation's ideals and progress are being threatened in such fundamental ways, The Leadership Conference is a vital nerve center of the broad swath of civil and human rights organizations that are fighting for justice, fairness, and equality around the country," Gupta said. "Civil and human rights work has never been easy, and these unprecedented times demand a clarity of vision, strategy, and solidarity that the Leadership Conference coalition is uniquely positioned to champion. I am honored and humbled to take on this essential work to guarantee that justice and equality apply to every individual as we struggle to be a more perfect union and remain a beacon for hope in the world."
"Wade Henderson will go down as one of the all-time great civil and human rights leaders. A true visionary and a brilliant leader, Wade has fundamentally transformed both The Leadership Conference and The Education Fund into the indispensable organizations they are today. It is my privilege to follow in his footsteps and build on his legacy in these challenging times."
The two organizations conducted a comprehensive search for Henderson's replacement with the help of nationally renowned executive search firm BoardWalk Consulting. Ultimately, Gupta stood out for her long-standing commitment to civil and human rights, her significant legal and advocacy accomplishments and her broad base of bipartisan support.
Henderson, who plans to remain active in the struggle for civil and human rights, including in his role as the Joseph L. Rauh, Jr., Professor of Public Interest Law at the David A. Clarke School of Law, University of the District of Columbia, saidGupta would bring energy, fresh ideas and strong leadership to the organizations.
"When I announced my decision to step down as head of The Leadership Conference, I noted that the day-to-day work of civil rights advocacy is critically important, but on its own, is not enough," Henderson said. "Leaders also have the responsibility to cultivate, encourage and make paths for the next generation to lead and to thrive. That time has come for me, and I could not be more pleased to pass the baton of leadership to Vanita, a talented litigator, strategic visionary and tireless advocate who is deeply committed to building a country as good as its ideals, the mission of The Leadership Conference."
