The Promise Institute for Human Rights at UCLA School of Law

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Hadar Harris

Executive Director, The Promise Institute for Human Rights (Los Angeles)

An international human rights attorney and nonprofit leader, Hadar Harris brings more than two decades of experience across civil and political rights, freedom of expression, gender equality, and the domestic implementation of international law. She spent 13 years as executive director of the Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law at American University Washington College of Law and most recently served as managing director of PEN America in Washington, D.C.

Prior leadership roles include serving as executive director of the Student Press Law Center, the Northern California Innocence Project, and the Congressional Human Rights Caucus under the late Congressman Tom Lantos. Across her career, Harris has led initiatives in more than two dozen countries, addressing issues ranging from torture prevention and business and human rights to disability rights and gender equity.

Harris is an active volunteer who has served on the Boards of Directors of Amnesty International USA and the American Bar Association’s Center for Human Rights, among others.

She is known for groundbreaking research on Armenia’s implementation of commitments to protect women’s rights—a project praised by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Passionate about working with students and early-career professionals, she is recognized for her collaborative approach, bringing together advocates, scholars, and students to drive new ideas and solutions.