Maya Harris
Encyclopedia
Maya Harris is Vice President for Peace & Social Justice at the Ford Foundation
. She was named to that position in June 2008. Prior to joining the Ford Foundation, she served as the Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union
(ACLU) of Northern California. Before joining the ACLU, the former law school dean (Lincoln Law School of San Jose) was a Senior Associate at PolicyLink
. She has authored two publications, which include; a report highlighting community-centered policing practices nationwide and an advocacy manual for police reform.
In her role as the head of the largest affiliate office of the ACLU, Harris directs and coordinates litigation, media relations, lobbying, and grassroots organizing work. "The Project's priorities are eliminating racial disparities in the criminal justice system and achieving educational equity in California public schools."
Maya Harris served as a law professor at the University of San Francisco School of Law. She also taught contract law at New College School of Law and Lincoln Law School of San Jose. Born in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, Ms. Harris grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Berkeley
in 1989. That year, she enrolled in Stanford Law School
. While at Stanford, she was active with the East Palo Alto Community Law Project, serving as Co-Coordinator of the Domestic Violence Clinic and Co-Chair of the Student Steering Committee. Following law school, she served as a law clerk for United States District Court Judge James Ware in the Northern District of California. In 1994 Ms. Harris joined the San Francisco law firm of Jackson Tuffs Cole & Black, LLP, working in civil and criminal litigation. In 1997 the Young Lawyers Division of the National Bar Association honored her with the Junius W. Williams Young Lawyer of the Year Award. The following year, she was named one of the Top 20 Up and Coming Lawyers Under 40 by the San Francisco Daily Journal.
Maya Harris is married to Tony West. Mr. West was nominated by President Obama to the position of Assistant Attorney General and heads the Civil Division of the United States Department of Justice. He worked previously as a partner in the San Francisco office of Morrison & Foerster LLP, as a Special Assistant Attorney General in the California Department of Justice and as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Northern District of California. Her older sister, Kamala Harris
, is the Attorney General of California.
Ford Foundation
The Ford Foundation is a private foundation incorporated in Michigan and based in New York City created to fund programs that were chartered in 1936 by Edsel Ford and Henry Ford....
. She was named to that position in June 2008. Prior to joining the Ford Foundation, she served as the Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union
American Civil Liberties Union
The American Civil Liberties Union is a U.S. non-profit organization whose stated mission is "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States." It works through litigation, legislation, and...
(ACLU) of Northern California. Before joining the ACLU, the former law school dean (Lincoln Law School of San Jose) was a Senior Associate at PolicyLink
PolicyLink
PolicyLink is a national research and action institute which works to advance economic and social equity. They focus on policies effecting low-income communities and communities of color.-Background:...
. She has authored two publications, which include; a report highlighting community-centered policing practices nationwide and an advocacy manual for police reform.
In her role as the head of the largest affiliate office of the ACLU, Harris directs and coordinates litigation, media relations, lobbying, and grassroots organizing work. "The Project's priorities are eliminating racial disparities in the criminal justice system and achieving educational equity in California public schools."
Maya Harris served as a law professor at the University of San Francisco School of Law. She also taught contract law at New College School of Law and Lincoln Law School of San Jose. Born in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, Ms. Harris grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
in 1989. That year, she enrolled in Stanford Law School
Stanford Law School
Stanford Law School is a graduate school at Stanford University located in the area known as the Silicon Valley, near Palo Alto, California in the United States. The Law School was established in 1893 when former President Benjamin Harrison joined the faculty as the first professor of law...
. While at Stanford, she was active with the East Palo Alto Community Law Project, serving as Co-Coordinator of the Domestic Violence Clinic and Co-Chair of the Student Steering Committee. Following law school, she served as a law clerk for United States District Court Judge James Ware in the Northern District of California. In 1994 Ms. Harris joined the San Francisco law firm of Jackson Tuffs Cole & Black, LLP, working in civil and criminal litigation. In 1997 the Young Lawyers Division of the National Bar Association honored her with the Junius W. Williams Young Lawyer of the Year Award. The following year, she was named one of the Top 20 Up and Coming Lawyers Under 40 by the San Francisco Daily Journal.
Maya Harris is married to Tony West. Mr. West was nominated by President Obama to the position of Assistant Attorney General and heads the Civil Division of the United States Department of Justice. He worked previously as a partner in the San Francisco office of Morrison & Foerster LLP, as a Special Assistant Attorney General in the California Department of Justice and as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Northern District of California. Her older sister, Kamala Harris
Kamala Harris
Kamala Devi Harris is an American attorney. She is the 32nd and current Attorney General of California following the 2010 California state elections. Harris has worked as an author and a politician and has served as District Attorney of San Francisco since 2004...
, is the Attorney General of California.