Wade J. Henderson is a civil rights veteran and serves as a strategic advisor to major corporations, foundations and non-profits on matters relating to civil and human rights, diversity and inclusion.

Henderson is the former president of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and The Leadership Conference Education Fund.  The Leadership Conference is the nation’s premier civil and human rights coalition with over 230 national organizations “working to build an America as good as its ideals.”  The Leadership Conference has been involved in the passage and implementation of every major civil rights act from 1957 to the present.

Henderson is well known for his expertise on a wide range of civil rights, civil liberties, and human rights issues, and is the author of numerous articles on civil rights and public policy.  After taking the helm of The Leadership Conference in 1996, he worked diligently to address emerging policy issues of concern to the civil and human rights community and to strengthen the effectiveness of the coalition. Under his stewardship, The Leadership Conference became one of the nation's most effective organizations in advocating for progressive civil and human rights policies. Henderson was the president of The Leadership Conference from 1996 – 2017.

Henderson currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Center for Responsible Lending and the National Community Advisory Council (NCAC) of Bank of America. He also serves on the Advisory Committee on Poverty and the Environment for the JPB Foundation.  He is a Senior Advisor to The Leadership Conference and to Tusk Philanthropies.

Henderson is a graduate of Howard University and the Rutgers University School of Law and holds honorary doctorates from CUNY Queens College School of Law and Gettysburg College.

Henderson served as the Joseph L. Rauh, Jr. Professor of Public Interest Law at the David A. Clarke School of Law, University of the District of Columbia from 2000 to 2020.  He is a member of the Bars of the District of Columbia and the US Supreme Court. He is also a member of the National Bar Association. Henderson is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.   

Henderson was recently inducted into the Rutgers Hall of Distinguished Alumni. Read more about this accomplishment here!