Ronald Newman is a member of Economic Liberties’ Board of Directors. He was previously the National Political Director at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). At the ACLU, Newman oversaw the ACLU’s National Political Advocacy Department, which houses the organization’s Washington Legislative Office, state-level policy and campaigns teams, national grassroots organizing infrastructure, and electoral programming.
Prior to the ACLU, Ronald served as Director of Human Rights and Refugee Protection on the National Security Council in the Obama Administration, serving under National Security Advisor Susan Rice. There, he led Administration efforts to expand the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, planned and coordinated President Obama’s September 2016 Leaders’ Summit on Refugees at the United Nations, managed U.S. engagement with the United Nations Human Rights Council, and directed a range of other White House and interagency actions in the areas of human rights, immigration and refugee protection.
Prior to that, he served as an Attorney Advisor in the Legal Adviser’s Office at the U.S. Department of State, under Legal Advisor Harold Koh. Ronald graduated summa cum laude from Morehouse College, and holds a J.D. from Yale Law School.