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Celina Stewart

CEO Celina Stewart
DFinney Photography
CEO

Celina Stewart is the Chief Executive Officer of the League of Women Voters of the United States. In this role, she is charged with executing the mission to empower voters and defend democracy and managing the 104-year-old voting rights organization's operations and resources. During her LWVUS Convention remarks in June 2024, Celina shared her vision for the League’s future, which starts with reaching as many voters as possible for the 2024 election, strengthening organizational culture to foster alignment across the national office and the 750 state and local Leagues, and spearheading an equity-centered transformation for the League through a dedicated plan to grow membership and financial resources. 

Celina first joined the League in 2018 as Director of Advocacy and Litigation. In this role, she developed and implemented League political strategies and policy positions around voting rights, election reform, redistricting, and campaign finance issues; directed prospective litigation opportunities involving the national, state, and local Leagues in federal courts; worked closely with League grassroots staff in implementing the national agenda; and served as the lead lobbyist and liaison with Congress and the Administration for the League. She was promoted to Senior Director in April 2019 and to Chief Counsel in July 2020. In these roles, she worked to incorporate broader strategic vision and implementation by building stronger relationships with legal partners, strengthening relationships and visibility of the League on the Hill, executing the League’s redistricting initiative, People Powered Fair Maps™, and launching the League’s multi-decade One Person One Vote campaign to end the Electoral College. 

As an LWV spokesperson, Celina has appeared on television news programs and been interviewed for media articles, including CBS News Sunday Morning, CNN, the Associated Press, Vogue, Reuters, CBS News Radio, Washington Post, Huffington Post, Bloomberg, TIME Magazine, NBC News, New York Times, and Voice of America. Her expertise in voting rights has made her a sought-after speaker at prestigious institutions, including Harvard University, Georgetown Law, American University of Law, Hampton University, and Northeastern University School of Law.  

Prior to joining the League, she was acting Chief Operating Officer and Director of Philanthropy at an electoral reform nonprofit where she split her time between managing a small but mighty development team and managing the day-to-day operations of the organization. Celina’s experience also includes serving as a litigation consultant to several Am 100 law firms handling complex merger and acquisition transactions; legislative aide at the Michigan legislature handling the public interest portfolio for the House Tax Chair; and as Legal Counsel to the Minority Leader Stacey Abrams at the Georgia House of Representatives. As Legal Counsel to Leader Abrams, she assisted in developing and implementing the Caucus’s legislative agenda. She was appointed to Reapportionment Counsel, where she led a team of technical mappers and legal assistants to draw alternative redistricting maps in compliance with Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. Upon returning home to DC in 2012, she served as Executive Director for the Congressional Black Caucus Institute’s 21st Century program, where she oversaw all quarterly conferences and worked with corporate giants and Members of Congress to produce the Annual Report, a policy recommendation manual presented to the President of the United States. 

Celina earned her JD from Western Michigan University Law School and her BA in Sociology from Spelman College. She has served on the Boards of the Bar Association of DC; the Women’s Bar Association of DC; the National Association of Advancement of Colored People (NAACP-DC); and was an American Bar Foundation Law Practice Fellow. Beyond her professional and social accolades, she authored an event planning guidebook, the Pocket Planner, foodie, and wine-tasting enthusiast. 

Photo: DFinney Photography

Your Election Bill of Rights: What Every Voter Should Know (Blog)

Voting is one of the most important ways we can shape our future and reinforce our democratic principles. But sometimes the process can feel intimidating. One way to feel more confident when you go to the polls is to know your Election Day rights.  

Biden's Out: What Does This Mean for the Election? (Blog)

On July 21, 2024, President Biden announced he was standing down from running for reelection. Here’s what voters need to know about the current situation and the process in place for the Democratic ticket moving forward.

Preparing for the 2024 Presidential Election with LWV's Chief Counsel (Blog)

Election and voting rights were the focus of this year’s Brown Forum for Women in Law Conference hosted by Northeastern University School of Law. This year’s conference was entitled “Women, Media, and the Law: Impacting Elections 2024.” 

 Our chief counsel and senior director of advocacy and litigation, Celina Stewart, attended the conference and spoke on its voting rights panel.

Why Elections Matter: Shelby County v. Holder’s Impact on the Voting Rights Act (Blog)

Ten years ago, the Voting Rights Act's power to prevent election discrimination was undermined by the Supreme Court decision in Shelby County v. Holder. 

The ruling's impact is still felt, as some politicians attempt to limit the electoral power of specific communities, such as Black and brown voters.

The Fight for Voting Rights: Then and Now (Blog)

The Voting Rights Act (VRA) was signed into law on August 6, 1965, by President Lyndon B. Johnson. It was a proud day in American history. But the history to get to this point was stormy and full of thorns. And today, we have neither tamed the storm nor nipped the thorns still present as we work towards the American dream of life, liberty, and justice for all.  

Honoring the National Voter Registration Act (Blog)

Very much like life, there have been challenges often, but with each test, the NVRA has uncovered valuable lessons on how to remain standing.

Rolling up our Sleeves for Fair Maps (Blog)

After the Supreme Court's decision in the Rucho case this past June, "failing to take a stand for voters and...limit...partisan gerrymandering," we promised to  fight harder than ever.

Six Years Since Shelby Shows There’s More Work to Do. Here’s How You Can Make an Impact. (Blog)

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was one of the most important pieces of legislation of the 20th century. But in 2013, the Supreme Court gutted important sections of it in Shelby County v. Holder.

In the Know: Analyzing SCOTUS Hearing on Adding a Citizenship Question to 2020 Census (Blog)

On Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court heard Department of Commerce v. New York, a case challenging the Administration’s decision to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census short form. Learn more about the case here.

Inside the Courtroom for Rucho v. LWVNC (Blog)

 On March 26, the U.S. Supreme Court heard three high-profile cases pertaining to gerrymandering, including Rucho v. League of Women Voters of North Carolina.