Scarlett Aldebot joined ACLU-D.C. as Political Advocacy Director in May 2024. As Political Advocacy Director, she leads the ACLU of D.C.’s organizing and legislative advocacy team to effectuate change through legislative, rulemaking, and institutional policy change, community-driven advocacy, public education, organizing, and campaign coalition building to achieve ACLU-DC policy priorities.
Scarlett arrives at the ACLU-D.C. with extensive experience in policy, implementation, and advocacy. Most recently, she was the Chief Executive Officer for Amara, a non-profit organization based in Seattle, WA, that provided services, programs, and advocacy for families at risk of or already impacted by the child welfare system. Scarlett has also served in multiple leadership roles in Washington State's King County government, including as the Adult Services Division Director for the Department of Community and Human Services, where she led community-centered work in all aspects of funding, program administration, and related policy development. There, Scarlett also led work on criminal justice and human services issues as a Principal Policy Analyst for the King County Council; this work included leading analysis and the Council adoption process of various levies to support families, older adults, vulnerable populations, and veterans, policy work to decriminalize youth transit fare evasion and end youth solitary confinement, and behavioral health policy work that included physical and behavioral health integration and involuntary commitment. Scarlett has held leadership roles at the University of Washington Center for Human Rights and within the YouthSave Project in the Asset Building Program at New America. She holds a J.D. and a Ph.D.