Jill Stein is an American activist, physician, and politician, best known for her run in the presidential elections of 2012 and 2016. Born and raised in Illinois, she is of Russian Jewish ancestry. She followed the Reform Jewish faith since childhood. An excellent student, she later joined ‘Harvard University,’ eventually graduating in psychology, sociology and anthropology. She then joined ‘Harvard Medical School’ and practiced internal medicine for more than 2 decades. However, while working as a physician, she explored the connection between the toxicity in the environment and the overall health of people. She became an environmental activist and advocated against the emission of toxic pollutants and the contamination of the air and water. She has also been vocal about social issues such as racism. She forayed into electoral politics in 2002, when she contested for the governorship of Massachusetts, as the ‘Green-Rainbow Party’ candidate. She was elected as a member of the ‘Lexington Town Meeting’ in 2005. She served in this position until 2010. She has unsuccessfully campaigned for the U.S. presidential elections of 2012 and 2016. She continues working toward environmental development by lending her support to many campaigns.