Julie Weinstein has dedicated her career to social and environmental justice, working intersectionally to help dismantle white supremacy and systems of oppression and to safeguard and restore natural ecosystems. She has guided organizations in transformational expansion and sustainability efforts to advance the rights of people and protect the planet.

Julie serves as chief development officer for the ACLU of Southern California, and previously for the ACLU of New Mexico. Her vision and leadership were critical during ambitious campaigns to launch ACLU’s first Regional Center for Border Rights on the U.S./Mexico border, win marriage equality in New Mexico and nationwide, protect abortion access, and open two additional regional offices in some of the most impacted communities of California. Previously, she served as CEO & executive director of Audubon New Mexico, where she led historic environmental justice initiatives, in partnerships with Native American tribes and local communities along the Rio Grande, Colorado, San Juan and Gila Rivers, to influence public policy and life-saving conservation outcomes.

She’s passionate about her side gigs, as both a Jewish and Buddhist senior chaplain within the Los Angeles County jails, and as a movement chaplain offering spiritual care and pastoral counseling for leaders, activists, organizers, and impacted community. For 25 years, she’s been a Chevra Kadisha (Jewish Burial Society) leader. She also serves as a death educator and provides grief, loss and trauma support.

She co-founded and led two international satsangs for LGBTQIA2S+ people and for women and non-binary/gender expansive people. Julie co-wrote You Are the Universe: Ram Dass Maps the Journey with her twin sister about the life and teachings of Ram Dass (Simon & Schuster/Mandala Press, Dec. 2022).  

Julie earned an advanced certificate in Integrative Thanatology from The Open Center in NYC, a certificate in Movement Chaplaincy from Faith Matter’s Daring Compassion program, and is a certified birth doula through Doulas of North America. She holds a B.A. in Psychology and a Fine Arts minor, with concentrations in Art Therapy and Conservation Biology from the College of Santa Fe. She’s pursuing ordination as a rabbi from The Alliance for Jewish Renewal.