MONTGOMERY, AL — After five years serving as President and CEO of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), Margaret Huang has stepped down from her role to prioritize family life.
The board of directors has named constitutional scholar and former SPLC Board Chair Bryan Fair as interim president and CEO while the board begins outlining the process for a nationwide search for a permanent leader.
Fair will take leave from the University of Alabama School of Law to undertake this interim appointment. He has taught constitutional law for 34 years and written extensively about inequality in the United States. He previously served on several nonprofit boards, including those of the Equal Justice Initiative and the Alabama Appleseed Center for Law and Justice.
The SPLC is grateful for Margaret’s unflinching service and care for the organization and all that it is and does. The SPLC also appreciates the generosity of spirit that brings Bryan back to the center at a time when democracy itself is threatened.
“Margaret has led SPLC with deep care, clarity and conviction, guiding us through moments of growth and moments of challenge. Her legacy is woven into the fabric of this organization, and we are well positioned in part because of her leadership. As we move forward, we’re grateful to have Bryan return to the center. The board is confident that he will provide steady, familiar and thoughtful leadership throughout the transition and as a national search for a new leader is conducted. With his guidance, the center remains grounded in its values and prepared to meet the future with strength and purpose,” said Karen Baynes-Dunning, SPLC Board Chair.
The SPLC remains a strong catalyst for racial justice across the South and beyond. The SPLC is uniquely positioned to serve communities and residents to create a better future that supports aspirations for equality in this country. The organization was founded more than 50 years ago to ensure that the promises of the Civil Rights Movement became a reality for all. Today, despite the change in leadership, the SPLC recommits to that effort, buoyed by and grateful for the support of its staff, donors, partners and stakeholders and energized by the shared responsibility to uphold justice and fight to preserve democracy.
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About SPLC
The Southern Poverty Law Center is a catalyst for racial justice in the South and beyond, working in partnership with communities to dismantle white supremacy, strengthen intersectional movements and advance the human rights of all people. For more information, visit www.splcenter.org.