Overview Jill Ellen Stein (born May 14, 1950) is an American physician and political activist. She has been the Green Party’s nominee for president of the United States in the 2012, 2016, and 2024 elections. Stein is known for her advocacy on environmental issues, social justice, and healthcare reform.
Early Life and Education Jill Stein was born in Chicago, Illinois, and raised in nearby Highland Park. She grew up in a Reform Jewish household and attended Chicago’s North Shore Congregation Israel. Stein graduated magna cum laude from Harvard College in 1973, where she studied psychology, sociology, and anthropology. She then attended Harvard Medical School, graduating in 1979 with a Doctor of Medicine degree.
Medical Career Stein practiced internal medicine for 25 years, primarily in the Boston area. She also taught medicine at Harvard Medical School and worked at several hospitals in the region. Her medical career focused on the links between public health and environmental quality, leading her to become increasingly involved in environmental activism.
Political Career Stein’s political career began in 2002 when she ran as the Green-Rainbow Party candidate for governor of Massachusetts. Although she lost to Republican Mitt Romney, her campaign brought attention to environmental and social justice issues. She ran for governor again in 2010 but was defeated by the incumbent Democrat Deval Patrick.
In 2012, Stein was the Green Party’s nominee for president, with Cheri Honkala as her running mate. They received 469,501 votes, or 0.36% of the popular vote. Stein ran for president again in 2016 with running mate Ajamu Baraka, receiving 1.46 million votes, or 1.1% of the popular vote. Her 2016 campaign was investigated by the Senate Intelligence Committee for possible collusion with the Russian government but was ultimately cleared of any wrongdoing.
Stein announced her candidacy for the 2024 presidential election on November 9, 2023. Her campaign focused on an anti-war stance, universal healthcare, free public education, an eco-socialist “real Green New Deal,” and strong worker rights. Her vice-presidential running mate was Butch Ware.
Political Positions Stein has been a vocal critic of the two-party political system in the United States, describing it as “broken.” She advocates for a pro-worker, anti-war, and climate emergency agenda. Stein has also been an outspoken critic of U.S. foreign policy, particularly regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Following the October 2023 Hamas attack, she condemned Israel’s military actions in the Gaza Strip and criticized President Joe Biden for what she described as a failure to intervene against what she termed Israel’s “genocidal rampage.”
Personal Life Stein is married to Richard Rohrer, a physician, and they have two sons, Ben and Noah. The family resides in Lexington, Massachusetts.
Awards and Recognition Throughout her career, Stein has received several awards for her environmental and public health advocacy. These include the Clean Water Action’s “Not in Anyone’s Backyard Award” in 1998, the Toxic Action Center’s Citizen Award in 1999, the Children’s Health Hero Award in 2000, and the Friend of the Earth Award from Salem State University in 2004.
Publications Stein is the co-author of two reports for the association Physicians for Social Responsibility: “In Harm’s Way: Toxic Threats to Child Development” (2000) and “Environmental Threats to Healthy Aging” (2009). These reports have been widely cited and translated into multiple languages.
