Nikkita R. Oliver Named Next Executive Director of ACLU of Indiana

INDIANAPOLIS — The ACLU of Indiana announced today the appointment of Nikkita R. Oliver, Esq., M.Ed. as the organization’s next Executive Director beginning September 1, 2026.

Oliver is an attorney, organizer, educator and executive leader with more than 20 years of experience advancing civil rights, community-led advocacy and systemic change. An Indianapolis native, Oliver returned home to Indiana in 2023 and brings deep local roots, national movement leadership and a proven record of building strong, sustainable organizations.

“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,” said Bill Harrington, Board President of the ACLU of Indiana. “They understand the urgency of this moment in Indiana and the need for bold, strategic, integrated advocacy. The Board is confident that Nikkita is the right leader to guide the ACLU of Indiana into its next chapter.”

Oliver is the owner of Heartworks, where they support grassroots organizations and organizers through coaching, consulting, legal support, fundraising, development strategy, and cultural and arts organizing. They also serve as a visiting and adjunct professor at Seattle University School of Law. Oliver previously co-founded and led Creative Justice, a Seattle-based organization focused on youth leadership and community-led responses to harm.

Their broader career has included legal, advocacy and organizing work with organizations including Law for Black Lives and the Lavender Rights Project, with a focus on youth justice, housing justice, LGBTQ+ rights, public safety and directly impacted communities. Oliver’s work as a celebrated artist and commentator has reached major national platforms, including The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where they translate complex legal issues into engaging, accessible narratives. Their profound impact on the community has been recognized with numerous prestigious honors, including the International José Sarria Civil Rights Award and the Loren Miller Bar Association Community Service Award.

Oliver earned their J.D. from the University of Washington School of Law, their Master of Education from the University of Washington College of Education, and their B.A. in Sociology from Seattle Pacific University.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to lead the ACLU of Indiana in the place that raised me,” said Oliver. “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. I believe in an Indiana where ‘we the people’ truly includes all of us, and I am ready to help lead this organization with both head and heart.”

As Executive Director, Oliver will guide the organization’s advocacy, communications, and legal development work as it continues to defend and advance the constitutional rights and freedoms of all Hoosiers.

The ACLU of Indiana is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to defending and protecting the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States and Indiana. The ACLU of Indiana is the state affiliate of the national ACLU.