We have tremendous news. The search committee’s top candidate, Catherine Lhamon, has accepted our offer to become the Edley Center's Executive Director. This news is not yet public but we wanted to let you know in advance.

Catherine, who will join us on June 18, brings an extraordinary background in public service. She was Assistant Secretary of Education for Civil Rights under both Presidents Obama and Biden, and Chair of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights from 2016-2021. She has also been a senior advisor to Gov. Newsom and has had extensive experience in the NGO world at the ACLU and Public Counsel. Catherine will be a terrific leader and give the Center instant public visibility.  We couldn’t be more excited about her appointment. 

While we await her arrival, we are in the midst of planning events for the Fall. One event that is already on the agenda is a webinar about scientific integrity and advancement, which we view as important to democratic governance. Earlier this spring, we cosponsored an event with the Environmental Law Center on this subject, where one of us (Farber) interviewed Dr. Jane Lubchenco, former head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and a leader within the White House science office.

We have also continued to try to get the word out about threats to democracy. We cosponsored a series of events on the Trump Administration’s impact on various areas of the law. The discussion covered some issues specific to each area but also some broader issues relating to democracy and the rule of law. Here are the links:

The Trump Administration & Work Law

The Trump Administration & Immigration Law

The Trump Administration & Environmental Law

We also engaged in public outreach on issues relating to democracy and the rule of law, including many press interviews, an appearance on MSNBC to discuss presidential emergency powers; podcast on the Constitution, Congress, and Trump’s Second Term; and a Slate essay on the constitutional validity of Elon Musk’s appointment. 

With Catherine Lhamon’s arrival this summer, we expect to take the Center’s activities to an entirely new level. Thanks for supporting us on this journey!

Dan