ACLU of Colorado Names Cathryn Hazouri as Executive Director
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov 13, 2003
The American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Colorado (ACLU) announced today that it has named Cathryn Hazouri as its Executive Director. Ms. Hazouri will lead the ACLU of Colorado during a critical time in which core civil liberties are threatened.
Ms. Hazouri is the former President of the Boulder Valley Women's Health Center and served as the President of the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association. She was appointed by the Colorado Supreme Court to serve on its Committee on Access to the Courts and currently serves on the Supreme Court's Judicial Performance Commission. She has most recently served as a Special Assistant to the Boulder County Treasurer, where she has focused on the special needs of the elderly in that community. A former high school English teacher, Ms. Hazouri practiced law for twenty years in various firms in Colorado before closing her law practice early last year.
Ms. Hazouri will assume the helm of the ACLU of Colorado in early December. The ACLU of Colorado's membership has doubled since the United States Congress passed the US PATRIOT Act in October 2001, which is regarded by many as the greatest attack on civil liberties in this generation. The ACLU recently prevailed on the City of Denver to change its policies and practices in what has been widely termed the "Spy Files" case, a landmark lawsuit challenging the Denver Police Department's practice of monitoring and recording the peaceful protest activities of Denver-area residents and keeping criminal intelligence files on the expressive activities of law-abiding advocacy groups, some of which were falsely labeled as "criminal extremist."
"Our first-rate search committee found a first-rate Executive Director" said Vince DeGarlais, Chair of the ACLU of Colorado Board of Directors. "Ms. Hazouri has the proven vision, leadership, passion, intelligence and management skills to ensure that the ACLU of Colorado will continue to grow and flourish as the pre-eminent legal defense fund, advocacy and educational organization for the Bill of Rights."
"I am honored to join the Colorado ACLU as it continues its vital role in our state. The ACLU is the bedrock of democracy and every American who believes in the Bill of Rights should be a card-carrying member. This is an exciting time - a time when vigilance is more important than ever. We must be both safe and free." Hazouri said.
Ms. Hazouri will succeed Katherine Pease, who has served as Interim Executive Director during the period that the ACLU of Colorado conducted a broad and far-reaching national search to fill the position. According to Ms. Pease, "I am so pleased that Ms. Hazouri will be stepping in as the new Executive Director of the ACLU and hope that her experience with the organization will be as enriching for her as it has been for me. The ACLU will undoubtedly benefit greatly from her tremendous experience and talents."