Farhana Khera

Farhana Khera [pronounced: FAR-HAH-nah CARE-ah] is the president and executive director of Muslim Advocates, a national legal advocacy and educational organization dedicated to promoting freedom, justice and equality for all, regardless of faith. Prior to joining Muslim Advocates in 2005, Ms. Khera was counsel to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on the Constitution. She worked for six years for Senator Russell D. Feingold (D-WI), the Chairman of the Constitution Subcommittee, where she advised the Senator on civil rights and civil liberties, including the USA PATRIOT Act, racial and religious profiling, and other issues raised by the government’s anti-terrorism policies since September 11, 2001.

Prior to the Senate, Ms. Khera was an associate with the law firm of Hogan & Hartson, LLP, and the law firm of Ross, Dixon & Masback, LLP, where her work as the lead associate on several pro bono employment discrimination cases resulted in the firm being honored with the Outstanding Achievement Award by the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs.

In 2008, Ms. Khera was honored by the Auburn Theological Seminary with its Lives of Commitment Award, along with former Maryland Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend. The Minority Bar Coalition of San Francisco awarded Ms. Khera with its Unity Award in 2008. She has also been recognized by Islamica Magazine as one of “10 Young Muslim Visionaries,” for leadership, innovative approaches and “a level of success that bodes well for America.”

Ms. Khera received her B.A. from Wellesley College and her J.D. from Cornell Law School. In 2009, she completed the Executive Program for Nonprofit Leaders at Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Areas of Expertise: Civil rights/American Muslim’s civil rights; racial & religious profiling of American Muslims; American Muslim charities; federal policies governing charitable giving and national security as they affect American Muslims.

For Interview Requests: John Showalter, Communications Director, Muslim Advocates, 415.692.1512 office; cell 415.336.1868.