Immigrant Justice Portfolio Manager

Ruth Lopez-McCarthy

Ruth Lopez-McCarthy leads our immigrant justice portfolio, drawing on over 20 years of experience in the immigration movement, locally and nationally. In her previous role as the State of Illinois Senior Immigration Fellow in the Office of the Governor and Department of Human Services, Ruth brought together community members, stakeholders, and state agencies to protect and advance the rights of Illinois' vibrant immigrant and refugee communities while promoting equity.

Before her work with the State of Illinois, Ruth was the managing attorney for the Legal Protection Fund at the National Immigrant Justice Center, a City of Chicago-funded program providing legal information, community education, screenings, consultations, and representation to individuals needing trustworthy immigration services. Her experience also includes leadership roles with national organizations such as the Reform Immigration FOR America campaign, the Northern Borders Coalition, and the Alliance for Citizenship campaign. Ruth began her career as a community organizer in her hometown of Chicago before obtaining her J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law. She is fluent in Spanish and licensed to practice law in Illinois.

When not working, Ruth enjoys sharing her love of everything Chicago, especially the food and community, with her husband and three energetic sons.