BOSTON - Celina Stewart, a nationally recognized voting rights attorney and champion of American democracy, has been named by Northeastern Law’s Judith Olans Brown Forum for Women in the Law (WIL) as its Practitioner-in-Residence for 2026–2027. Stewart will visit the law school on November 17–19, 2026. While in residence at Northeastern, Stewart will share her expertise and insights as one of the country’s leading voices on voting rights, election law and the defense of democratic institutions. Her visit will include class lectures, meetings with groups such as the Women’s Law Caucus and office hours to build personal connections with students, graduates, staff and faculty.
Stewart is the chief executive officer of the League of Women Voters of the United States, the iconic century-old organization dedicated to empowering voters and defending democracy. Appointed CEO just three months before the 2024 presidential election, she guided the League through one of the most consequential election cycles in modern history, reaching more than 30 million voters and investing over $1 million in nonpartisan election education in her first year of leadership. She oversees the League’s operations, resources and strategy across a national network of more than 750 affiliates.
Before becoming CEO, Stewart served as the League’s chief counsel and senior director of advocacy and litigation, spearheading voting rights, redistricting and equal rights cases. She led the League’s People Powered Fair Maps campaign, which engaged 1.4 million people in the redistricting process through education, legal representation and map creation, and directed the launch of One Person One Vote, the League’s campaign to abolish the Electoral College. Prior to joining the League, she served as legal counsel to Stacey Abrams and held leadership roles at FairVote and the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation.
Stewart earned her JD from Western Michigan University Law School and her BA in sociology from Spelman College. She is licensed to practice law in the District of Columbia and has served on the boards of the DC Bar Association, the Women’s Bar Association of DC and the NAACP DC Branch. She is also a published author. In May 2025, she testified before the US Senate, warning lawmakers that legislation like the SAVE Act could disproportionately suppress eligible voters, particularly women.
"We are thrilled to welcome Celina Stewart as our Practitioner-in-Residence," said Mielle Marquis, director of alumni/ae engagement and initiatives and co-founder of the Judith Olans Brown Forum for Women in the Law at Northeastern. "We look forward to the insight, mentorship and meaningful conversations this residency will inspire across our law school community."
Previous Practitioners-in-Residence include Marielena Hincapié ’96, a nationally recognized immigration advocate and Distinguished Immigration Visiting Scholar at Cornell Law School; Carrie Goldberg, founder of leading victims’ rights law firm C.A. Goldberg; the Honorable Anita Earls, associate justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court; Debra Katz, a founding partner of Katz Banks Kumin, whose notable clients include Dr. Christine Blasey Ford; and Bridget Amiri ’99, deputy director of the ACLU’s Reproductive Freedom Project.
The 19th annual Brown Forum for Women in the Law Conference will take place on May 14, 2027.
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