Ramona Ann Ripston (February 18, 1927 – November 3, 2018) served as the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California (ACLU SoCal) between 1972 and 2011.
[1][2] In her 38 years at the helm of the ACLU SoCal, Ripston had helped bring about substantial reforms in the region.
[5] In 1972 Ripston became director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California.
Ripston began to grow the organization and diversify the board; she appointed more women, people of color and members of the LGBT community.
She was the widow of federal judge Stephen Reinhardt at the time of her death in Marina del Rey, California, on November 3, 2018.