A Road Less Traveled: National Security Careers After Law School – Ronald Newman

On February 1, 2021, Reiss Center on Law and Security and the National Security Law Society will resume our 2020-2021 season of A Road Less Traveled by welcoming our third speaker, Ronnie Newman, National Political Director of the ACLU.

Speaker Bio

Ronald Newman joined the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in February 2017.  As National Political Director, he manages the ACLU’s National Political Advocacy Department (NPAD). 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.  He coordinated major Administration initiatives involving all key diplomatic, law enforcement and intelligence agencies, and engaged regularly with representatives of foreign nations, state and local governments, and non-profit advocacy organizations.  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.