Kate Kendell (born Kathryn Dean Kendell, April 15, 1960) is the former Executive Director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR),[1] a national legal organization that fights for the civil and human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people and their families through litigation, public policy advocacy, and public education.

from the University of Utah College of Law in 1988 and a few years practicing corporate law, she pursued her real love — civil rights advocacy — and became the first staff attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah.

[6] Kendell is a nationally recognized spokesperson for LGBT rights and has an active voice in major media, including The New York Times,[7] The Wall Street Journal,[8] The Advocate,[9] NPR,[10] CNN,[11] and many others.

Despite the national success of NCLR under her tenure, her most rewarding responsibilities still include fostering alliances on the community and organizational levels, and advocating from a grass-roots perspective on issues concerning social justice.

[15] In July 2019 Kendell began working with the Southern Poverty Law Center as its Interim Co-Legal Director until May 2021.