Heidi Beirich, a renowned expert on various forms of extremism, formerly led the Southern Poverty Law Center's (SPLC) Intelligence Project, a prestigious initiative that publishes the award-winning Intelligence Report and the Hatewatch blog.
With extensive knowledge on white supremacist, nativist, and neo-Confederate movements, as well as racism in academia, Beirich oversaw the SPLC's yearly count of hate and hardline, anti-government groups.
As a frequent contributor to the SPLC's investigative reports and a sought-after speaker at conferences on extremism, Beirich's expertise was highly valued.
Prior to joining the SPLC staff in 1999, Beirich earned a doctorate in political science from Purdue University.
In addition, she is the co-editor and author of several chapters of Neo-Confederacy: A Critical Introduction, a publication by the University of Texas Press in 2008.
