Kristen Waggoner
CEO, President, and General Counsel
Kristen Waggoner serves as the CEO, president, and general counsel of Alliance Defending Freedom. With over 450 team members and 10 global offices, ADF exists to advance every person’s God-given right to live and speak the truth. Prior to her current role, Waggoner oversaw U.S. litigation strategy with ADF prevailing in 14 U.S. Supreme Court cases including serving on Mississippi’s legal team in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the case that overturned Roe v. Wade. Of those 14 cases, Waggoner argued three—all focused on the right of free expression: Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, Uzuegbunam v. Preszewski, and 303 Creative v. Elenis.
Under Waggoner’s leadership, ADF launched the Church and Ministry Alliance, Regulatory and Corporate Engagement Teams, and the Centers for Free Speech, Parental Rights, and Public Policy. Since 2021, ADF has played significant roles in helping pass over 100 state laws including the Save Women’s Sports Act, a version of which has been adopted in half of all states. ADF also enjoys a strong record of success at the European Court of Human Rights, United Nations, and other international tribunals while securing the release of more than 2,000 imprisoned Christians and the reopening of more than 1,000 churches globally. The Blackstone Legal Fellowship—ADF’s flagship program cultivating the next generation of Christian leaders in the law—commissioned its 3000th Fellow in its 25th year, a testament to the program’s transformative impact. Waggoner is a sought-after speaker who often writes and appears in prestigious national and international media outlets.
Prior to joining ADF in 2013, Waggoner served as a partner at a Seattle law firm and as a law clerk to the Honorable Richard B. Sanders of the Washington Supreme Court. She is Peer Review Rated AV® Preeminent™ in Martindale-Hubbell. Waggoner earned her J.D. from Regent University School of Law and a B.A. from Northwest College, both with honors.