Who Are the Leaders of the ACLU?

Who Are the Leaders of the ACLU?

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is one of the most influential organizations defending civil rights in the United States. Its leadership team includes a mix of legal experts, social justice advocates, and organizational strategists who help steer its massive legal and advocacy machinery. Here's a look at the key players at the top of the ACLU in 2025:

Anthony D. Romero – Executive Director

Anthony Romero has led the ACLU since 2001, making him the longest-serving executive director in the organization’s history. The first Latino and openly gay person to head the organization, Romero has overseen its transformation into a more proactive and expansive force in American politics. Under his leadership, the ACLU responded aggressively to post-9/11 civil liberties issues, mass surveillance programs, and more recently, threats to voting rights, abortion access, and LGBTQ+ protections. He has also modernized the ACLU’s digital outreach and fundraising efforts, dramatically increasing membership and resources.

Anthony d. Romero

Deborah N. Archer – President of the ACLU

Deborah Archer became the ACLU’s first Black president in 2021 and continues in that role in 2025. A civil rights lawyer and NYU law professor, Archer has a strong background in racial justice, policing reform, and educational equity. As president, she chairs the board of directors and plays a vital role in setting the organization's strategic direction. Archer is seen as a powerful voice in pushing the ACLU toward deeper engagement on race and inequality.

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@deborahnarcher

Louise Melling – Deputy Legal Director

Louise Melling has served as a legal powerhouse within the ACLU for decades. As Deputy Legal Director, she oversees some of the organization’s most impactful litigation work, particularly in the areas of reproductive freedom, gender equity, and religious liberty. Melling was central in the ACLU’s legal battles against state-level abortion bans and has been a vocal defender of bodily autonomy.

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David Cole – National Legal Director

David Cole is the ACLU’s National Legal Director and is responsible for supervising the organization’s Supreme Court litigation. A constitutional law scholar, Cole argues major cases, sets litigation priorities, and directs a team of hundreds of attorneys. He has been instrumental in defending immigrants' rights, voting access, and freedom of speech in high-stakes legal battles. He is also a respected professor at Georgetown Law and the author of several books on civil liberties.

Brigette Amiri – Deputy Director, Reproductive Freedom Project

Brigette Amiri

Brigette Amiri is one of the key legal minds behind the ACLU’s efforts to protect abortion rights and fight back against restrictive reproductive laws. As deputy director of the Reproductive Freedom Project, she’s led federal lawsuits against state abortion bans and challenges to Roe v. Wade rollback efforts. Her work became especially prominent during the post-Dobbs legal landscape.