Chai Feldblum is a long-time civil rights advocate and scholar. Chai played a leading role in drafting and negotiating the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and later the ADA Amendments Act of 2008. As a law professor at Georgetown Law in Washington, DC, Chai created a Federal Legislation Clinic where she and her students helped non-profit organizations advance their legislative social justice goals. She also founded and directed Workplace Flexibility 2010, a consensus-building project to advance opportunities in the workplace.
Chai served as a Commissioner of the Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency responsible for implementing federal employment civil rights laws, for almost a decade. During her service on the Commission, Chai spearheaded advances for LGBTQ people, people with disabilities, and women. She also co-led a proactive effort to prevent harassment in the workplace through changes in workplace culture. Chai continued that work for two years at the law firm of Morgan Lewis in Washington DC.
From August 2021 to January 2025, Chai served as Vice Chair of the Ability One Commission. The Ability One Commission is an independent federal agency that creates employment opportunities for people with significant disabilities through jobs obtained through federal contracts. Chai helped lead efforts to modernize the program during her tenure on the Commission.
In 2025, Chai co-founded two new groups, Pride In Exile and the EEO Leadership Group, to respond to attacks by the Trump Administration on civil rights. Chai also continued to provide consulting to organizations on creating respectful workplaces and organizational settings.