The ACLU of Indiana has selected Nikkita R. Oliver as its next executive director, the organization announced June 10.
Oliver, an attorney, educator, organizer and executive leader, will begin the role Sept. 1. An Indianapolis native, Oliver returned to Indiana in 2023 and brings more than 20 years of experience in civil rights advocacy, community organizing and organizational leadership.
According to the ACLU of Indiana, Oliver currently owns Heartworks, a consulting practice that supports grassroots organizations through coaching, legal support, fundraising and development strategy. They also serve as a visiting and adjunct professor at Seattle University School of Law.
“Nikkita brings an extraordinary combination of legal expertise, executive leadership, organizing experience and commitment to the communities most impacted by threats to civil rights and liberties,” ACLU of Indiana Board President Bill Harrington said in a statement. “The Board is confident that Nikkita is the right leader to guide the ACLU of Indiana into its next chapter.”
Oliver previously co-founded and led Creative Justice, a Seattle-based organization focused on youth leadership and community-led responses to harm. Their career has also included work with organizations such as Law for Black Lives and the Lavender Rights Project.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to lead the ACLU of Indiana in the place that raised me,” Oliver said in a statement. “At a time when civil liberties are under attack both at the state and federal levels, this work requires legal rigor, strategic clarity and deep relationships with the communities most impacted.”
As executive director, Oliver will oversee the organization’s advocacy, communications and legal development efforts. The ACLU of Indiana is the state’s affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union and works to defend constitutional rights and civil liberties for Hoosiers.
For more information, visit aclu-in.org/.
Contact Health & Environmental Reporter Hanna Rauworth at 317-762-7854 or follow her on Instagram at @hanna.rauworth.
Hanna Rauworth is the Health & Environmental Reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper, where she covers topics at the intersection of public health, environmental issues, and community impact. With a commitment to storytelling that informs and empowers, she strives to highlight the challenges and solutions shaping the well-being of Indianapolis residents.
