Janeen Steel founded Learning Rights after graduating from UCLA Law School in 1999. Learning Rights was housed at the Disability Rights Legal Center for over five years. During this formative period, the need for a stand-alone organization focused exclusively on educational equity became clear, and LRLC was launched as an independent entity in 2005. For more than 15 years, she served as the Executive Director or Co-Executive Director. Between 2005 and 2012 and 2020, she served as the Executive Director, managing operations including attorney supervision, fundraising, human resources, board management, grant writing, and strategic planning. From 2012-2019, Ms. Steel served as Co-Executive Director overseeing Litigation at LRLC, focusing her efforts on the litigation practice, working more closely with clients, and supervising the other LRLC attorneys who provide direct advocacy work.