SiX Welcomes New Executive Director EJ Juárez
As SiX enters its second decade of equipping state legislators to advance people-centered, collaborative governance, we are thrilled to welcome a new leader who embodies the vision and values of our work: Eliseo (EJ) Juárez has officially joined SiX as our new executive director.
EJ is a nationally recognized leader with deep experience in philanthropy, government, advocacy, and nonprofit transformation. Throughout his career, he has led complex campaigns, designed equitable systems, and helped build durable, community-rooted power. From his early work organizing civic engagement campaigns across the Western U.S., to his leadership in philanthropy and government, EJ brings both strategic expertise and lived commitment to justice.
Most recently, EJ served as Director of Equity, Environmental Justice, and Civil Rights at the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, where he led a first-in-the-nation program investing more than $140 million annually in frontline communities. He has also held leadership roles at the Inatai Foundation, Seattle Public Library, Progressive Majority, and ColorPAC, where he recruited and trained hundreds of Black, Indigenous, people of color, and LGBTQ+ candidates, and built powerful coalitions among labor, philanthropy, and grassroots movements.
EJ’s leadership is shaped by a belief that power should be created and shared—not hoarded—and that when communities most impacted by policy are centered in governance, everyone benefits.
At a time when our democratic institutions face mounting threats and when states are becoming critical arenas for both resistance and progress, EJ brings the vision, strategy, and accountability we need to rise to the challenge.
Please join us in celebrating EJ Juárez as SiX’s new executive director by sharing the news and joining us for a virtual meet-and-greet on July 8, 1 pm ET / 10 am PT! We are excited for this next chapter and grateful to continue building alongside all of you.
See and share EJ's social media announcements below: