Sister Simone Campbell (Roman Catholic Sister of Social Service) is a religious leader, attorney, author, and recipient of a 2022 Presidential Medal of Freedom (the United States’ highest civilian honor). She has extensive experience in public policy rooted in the lived experiences of people at the economic margins of society. In addition to being an Emerson Elder with the Emerson Collective, Sister Simone co-leads “Understanding US” focused on political healing. For 17 years she was executive director of NETWORK, Lobby for Catholic Social Justice and leader of Nuns on the Bus. Her healthcare policy work was seminal in passage of the Affordable Care Act. Sister Simone has received numerous awards including the “Defender of Democracy Award” from the Parliamentarians for Global Action. Prior to Washington, this native Californian did state advocacy and for 18 years was the founder of the Oakland Community Law Center. Her two award winning books are A Nun on the Bus (2014) and Hunger for Hope (2020).
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