Vanita Gupta is a distinguished civil rights leader and public servant who serves as the Associate Attorney General of the United States, the third-highest ranking official in the U.S. Department of Justice. A nationally recognized advocate for justice and equality, she previously led the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division as Acting Assistant Attorney General, where she oversaw major enforcement efforts to protect civil rights and ensure equal opportunity across the country.During her tenure, Vanita advanced initiatives focused on constitutional policing, criminal justice reform, voting rights, disability rights, and protections against discrimination in education, housing, employment, and lending. Prior to returning to government service, she served as President and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the nation’s largest civil rights coalition, and earlier held senior leadership roles at the American Civil Liberties Union, where she launched the Smart Justice Campaign to address mass incarceration.A graduate of Yale University and New York University School of Law, Vanita continues to champion fairness, accountability, and equal justice — strengthening democratic values and civil rights for all.
