Sonia Ossorio

Sonia Ossorio is the Executive Director of Women’s Justice NOW and President Emeritus of the National Organization for Women in New York City.  She is a human rights leader who has led legislative campaigns, spearheaded coalitions and been a key leader in successful efforts to raise the marriage age to prevent child marriage, codify Roe v. Wade in state law, repeal and extend statutes of limitations on sexual assault, protect pregnant inmates, enact no-fault divorce, and strengthen laws to fight the scourge of sex trafficking and improve government response and ability to combat commercial sexual exploitation.

Sonia has dedicated twenty years to working to advance legal rights and protections to improve the lives of women and girls at home, work and in the courts. She launched the Women of Power & Influence Network of business leaders and partnered with IBM ​to produce a report of women in the workplace ​“Dismantling the Glass Ceiling: Actions to Advance Gender Equality in the Workplace.” Named as one of the most powerful and influential people in New York by City & State, she has appeared on MSNBC​, ​Fox Network, NY1, and Telemundo. A former journalist with American media companies Knight Ridder and Gannett, her reporting and commentary have appeared in USA Today, El Diario​, The New York Daily News, The Albany Times-Union, The Denver Post, San Jose Mercury News, the St. Petersburg Times, and the New York Times. She was appointed by Mayor Eric Adams to serve as a commissioner on the Commission for Gender Equity and is a recipient of the 21 Leaders for the 21^st Century