ANNOUNCEMENT: THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND ITS ACTION FUND NAME NEW PRESIDENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: Dec. 2, 2024
CONTACT: [email protected]
NIRH and NIRH AF announces Christian LoBue as incoming president after a year-long nationwide search and sudden passing of the organizations’ immediate past president, Andrea Miller.
New York, NY – Today, the National Institute for Reproductive Health (NIRH) and its Action Fund (NIRH AF) boards of directors named Christian LoBue the new incoming president after a year-long nationwide search. LoBue brings with her a celebrated career building advocacy campaigns in the reproductive rights movement. She most recently served as executive vice president of campaign strategy at M+R Win, an issue advocacy and electoral strategy consulting firm. LoBue’s career spans two decades including campaign leadership roles at NARAL (now Reproductive Freedom For All) and Planned Parenthood Federation of America.
This leadership transition comes more than one year after NIRH and NIRH AF’s immediate past president, Andrea Miller suddenly passed away. During this transition, the organizations’ chief operating officer, Haydee Morales stepped in as interim president. Morales will resume her leadership role as COO and support Lobue at the helm.
Statement from Dolores Smith and Daniel Gonzales, board chairs, National Institute for Reproductive Health and National Institute for Reproductive Health Action Fund:
“The NIRH and NIRH Action Fund boards of directors are honored to hand the reigns of our organizations’ commanding legacy of state and local reproductive freedom work to Ms. LoBue’s capable hands. Over the past year, NIRH and its Action Fund staff have forged new ground in our work to change culture and build pathways to securing abortion rights, birth justice, and contraceptive access across states and cities nationwide. We look forward to supporting a seamless transition into a new era of leadership.
“The boards of directors extend a debt of gratitude to Ms. Morales and the entire staff who continued the work Andrea led and loved. Each of us at NIRH and NIRH AF carry a piece of Andrea’s legacy including the invaluable wisdom with which she empowered us to continue challenging the status quo in reproductive freedom policies.”
Statement from Christian LoBue, president, National Institue for Reproductive Health and National Institute for Reproductive Health Action Fund:
“I am honored and deeply humbled to step into the leadership of NIRH and its Action Fund, bringing after over two decades of experience in reproductive rights and progressive advocacy work. Leading at this critical moment – when 41 states ban abortion at some point in pregnancy – is both a profound responsibility and an urgent call to action. I’m eager to bring my vision and expertise to this incredible legacy of work, pushing forward a bold to dismantle bans, de-criminalize our bodies, and transform state and local power for lasting change.”
LoBue joins NIRH and NIRH AF at a pivotal moment for reproductive freedom. Over the past year and a half, the organizations have carried forward the groundbreaking work launched under Andrea’s leadership – leveraging research, policy expertise, and partnerships to challenge the status quo and advance an unapologetic reproductive justice framework that centers equity and inclusion.
NIRH is currently leading a $2 million, 18-state initiative focused on the ABCs of reproductive freedom: abortion access, birth justice, and contraceptive access. In addition to directly investing in key states, NIRH and its Action Fund are partnering with advocates in Colorado, Florida, Georgia, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia. This work includes ensuring that new laws and constitutional amendments translate into real access, building grassroots power to push for bold policies, and strengthening local capacity to create sustainable movements.
Under LoBue’s leadership, NIRH is poised to expand on this foundation with innovative strategies that address today’s challenges while forging a pathway to lasting, transformative change.
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The National Institute for Reproductive Health (NIRH) is an advocacy group that works directly with state and local reproductive health, rights, and justice organizations to protect and advance equitable access to reproductive health care. Our strategy is to go on the offensive to pass laws that safeguard reproductive freedom. NIRH partners with communities to build coalitions, launch campaigns, and successfully advocate for policy change, so the fabric of reproductive freedom is harder to tear apart.