Kristen Waggoner
CEO, President, and Chief Counsel
Under Waggoner’s leadership—first as head of U.S. litigation and now as CEO—ADF has played a role in more than 80 U.S. Supreme Court victories, including representing parties in 16 victories before the Court, with four additional cases to be heard in the 2025-26 Term. Waggoner personally argued several of ADF’s Supreme Court cases, including the well-known Masterpiece Cakeshop and 303 Creative cases, winning major victories for free expression. Under her tenure, ADF also served as legal counsel with Mississippi in the landmark Dobbs case that overturned Roe v. Wade.
Waggoner also has the honor of leading ADF International, which serves over 80 countries and enjoys a strong record of success at the European Court of Human Rights and other international tribunals, while securing the release of 2,000 imprisoned Christians and the reopening of more than 1,000 churches. Recent notable cases include appeals for Adam Smith-Connor, a British veteran convicted for silent prayer near an abortion facility, and Finland’s long-serving parliamentarian Päivi Räsänen, charged with “hate speech” for expressing her faith-based beliefs on marriage and sexuality. Additionally, ADF International achieved a victory for “Billboard Chris,” a Canadian activist who challenged the Australian government’s censorship of his X posts about biological reality.
In 2025, the Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal awarded Waggoner the Richard D. McLellan Prize for Advancing Free Speech and Expression. She was also appointed by President Donald J. Trump to serve on the advisory board of legal experts to the Religious Liberty Commission. She is a sought-after speaker who often appears in national and international outlets, and she has spoken before the U.S. House of Representatives and the United Nations. In her speeches, articles, and media appearances, Waggoner loves to tell the stories of ADF’s clients and cases, connecting them to the larger themes shaping our culture and public life. She is passionate about defending truth and freedom as essential values for human flourishing.
Waggoner clerked at the Washington Supreme Court and spent over 15 years at a Seattle law firm before joining ADF. She is Peer Review Rated AV® Preeminent™ in Martindale-Hubbell.