Speaker Profile

Skye Perryman is the President & CEO of Democracy Forward, a legal organization that uses the law to build collective power and advance a bold, vibrant democracy that works for all people. A go-to strategist with a record of taking on and winning critical fights for people and communities, Skye works across the range of issues that impact the lives and well-being of people, communities, and our democracy. 

Prior to being named President of Democracy Forward in 2021, Perryman was the Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the nation’s premier organization of physicians dedicated to the health care of women. While at ACOG, Perryman oversaw a legal and policy strategy that led to the distribution of the medication abortion pill (mifepristone) by mail in the COVID-19 pandemic and created options for enhanced Medicaid access for new moms. Her impact litigation record includes contributing to the disbanding of the unlawful Pence-Kobach voter commission, scoring victories on behalf of civil rights plaintiffs, and blocking unlawful restrictions on reproductive health care. Perryman practiced for nearly a decade at international law firms, leaving in the wake of the 2016 election to take a position on the ground floor litigation team at Democracy Forward. 

Perryman grew up in Texas and is a proud product of Texas public schools. She began her career leading programs that provide educational enhancements for underserved youth in central Texas public schools and was part of early efforts in the state to build coalitions between labor and environmental stakeholders supporting investment in renewable energy infrastructure.  

Perryman holds a Juris Doctor with honors from the Georgetown University Law Center and a Bachelor of Arts magna cum laude from Baylor University. She has received numerous accolades, including being named a Washington Rising Star by SuperLawyers for four consecutive years, a Top 40 Under 40 Trailblazer by the Leadership Center for Excellence, a Harry S. Truman Scholar, and the Chuck F. C. Ruff Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year Award. Her work has been covered widely in the media, including by The New York Times, NPR, NBC, The Washington Post, The Houston Chronicle, and Teen Vogue.