Fatima Goss Graves began her tenure July 1 as CEO and president of the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC), a preeminent organization that advances equality and opportunity for women and girls. The NWLC Board of Directors appointed Goss Graves, formerly NWLC senior vice president for the program, to her new position earlier this year. She succeeded NWLC’s founders and co-presidents Marcia D. Greenberger and Nancy Duff Campbell, who informed the NWLC Board of Directors last summer of their plan to step down after 45 years advocacy for women and girls.
“The Center is committed to building on the legacy of Marcia and Duffy, eliminating barriers and expanding possibilities for women and girls in a dynamic and changing world,” said Board Chair Jane Sherburne. “Fatima has the skills and experience to do just that, pairing her law and policy expertise with the savvy to engage the organization’s nearly one million supporters and expand its connections with a newly energized public.”
“The Center has played a pivotal role in the women’s movement and I am honored to be its next leader, following in the footsteps of Duffy and Marcia, who have been extraordinary trail blazers and mentors to so many in the movement,” said Goss Graves. “We are living in a transformational moment, with potentially lasting consequences in the fight for equality, fairness, and democratic principles. To meet these challenges, our work must be inclusive, with a particular focus on the experiences and interconnected threats facing LGBTQ people, women of color, immigrant women, and low-income families. I am honored to be part of NWLC’s exceptional team of more than 60 individuals who are ready to translate the incredible energy and activism of this moment in our nation’s history into lasting change.”
Goss Graves, who has served in numerous roles at NWLC for more than a decade, has spent her career fighting to increase opportunities for women and girls. She has a distinguished track record working across a broad set of issues central to women’s lives, including income security, health and reproductive rights, education access, and workplace fairness. Goss Graves received her J.D. from Yale Law School in 2001 and is widely recognized for her effectiveness in the complex public policy arena at both the state and federal levels. She began her career as a litigator at the law firm of Mayer Brown after clerking for the Honorable Diane P. Wood of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
“Fatima is ready for these times and, under her leadership, the Center is well-positioned to combine its advocacy with a newly activated public and its legal and policy expertise to effectively advocate for women and girls – in legislatures, administrative agencies, the judiciary, as well as the court of public opinion,” said Greenberger. Added Campbell: “She has proven her effectiveness as a brilliant lawyer, a visionary leader, and an inspiring role model. She is the right leader for these challenging times.”
