Kristen Waggoner

CEO, president and chief counsel of Alliance Defending Freedom since October 2022; argued Masterpiece Cakeshop and 303 Creative at the U.S. Supreme Court before taking the organization's top job.

Researched by Muhammad Abdullah Al Yasin · 30 October 2026

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Country: United States
Role: CEO, president and chief counsel, Alliance Defending Freedom (since October 1, 2022)
Education: Northwest University; Regent University School of Law (class of 1997)
Joined ADF: 2013, after more than 15 years at a Seattle law firm
Supreme Court arguments: Masterpiece Cakeshop (2018); Uzuegbunam (2021); 303 Creative (2023)
Earlier career: Clerk, Washington Supreme Court; Seattle private practice
Recognition: 2025 Richard D. McLellan Prize for Advancing Free Speech and Expression (Russell Kirk Center)

Overview

Kristen K. Waggoner is an American attorney who has served as CEO, president and chief counsel of Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) since October 1, 2022 (The Christian Post). Before taking the organization’s top job she was its general counsel and the lawyer who argued two of its most prominent Supreme Court cases, Masterpiece Cakeshop and 303 Creative, winning both (Alliance Defending Freedom). ADF describes itself as the world’s largest legal organization dedicated to advancing religious liberty, free speech, parental rights and the sanctity of life, with more than 450 team members across 11 offices (Alliance Defending Freedom).

Waggoner grew up in a religious home and says her faith guides every aspect of her life, including the belief that government has no right to coerce people to say things they do not believe — a belief she extends to the rights of those who are not religious (The Christian Post). She attended Northwest University, an Assemblies of God school in Kirkland, Washington, and Regent University School of Law in Virginia Beach, where she is listed as class of 1997 (AG News; Regent University). After law school she clerked at the Washington Supreme Court and practiced for more than 15 years at a Seattle law firm, where she also worked as an ADF allied attorney on Washington and Ninth Circuit litigation before joining ADF full time in 2013 (Alliance Defending Freedom; The Christian Post).

Three Supreme Court arguments

Waggoner’s courtroom reputation was built on a sequence of First Amendment cases about artists and compelled speech. In Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, she argued the appeal for baker Jack Phillips, who had declined to create a custom cake celebrating a same-sex wedding (AG News). The Court ruled 7-2 for Phillips on June 4, 2018, on the narrow ground that the Colorado Civil Rights Commission had shown hostility toward his religious beliefs — Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote that the Commission’s consideration of the case “was neither tolerant nor respectful of his religious beliefs” (Alliance Defending Freedom). The decision deliberately left open the broader free-speech question of whether public-accommodation laws could compel artists to express messages against their consciences, and that unanswered question is what drove the next case (Alliance Defending Freedom).

ADF’s 2022 announcement of Waggoner’s promotion records that she had personally argued and won two Supreme Court victories by then, Masterpiece Cakeshop and Uzuegbunam v. Preczewski (2021), and was slated to argue her third, 303 Creative v. Elenis (Alliance Defending Freedom). In 303 Creative, ADF filed a pre-enforcement challenge in September 2016 for Colorado web designer Lorie Smith, who wanted to offer wedding websites only for marriages between one man and one woman; the Tenth Circuit ruled for Colorado 2-1 in 2021, the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case in February 2022, and Waggoner represented Smith at oral arguments in December 2022 (Alliance Defending Freedom). On June 30, 2023, the Court ruled 6-3 for Smith, with Justice Neil Gorsuch writing that the First Amendment prevents Colorado from forcing a web designer to create designs conveying messages the designer disagrees with (Ballotpedia). The opinion turned on stipulated facts: Smith serves customers regardless of sexual orientation but will not create expressions contradicting her beliefs for anyone, whether that means encouraging violence, demeaning another person, or promoting views inconsistent with her faith (U.S. Supreme Court). The contrast between the two wins is the point: Masterpiece was a ruling about how a regulator behaved, while 303 Creative was a ruling about what a government may compel an artist to say.

Case	Argued	Decided	Result	Waggoner’s role
Masterpiece Cakeshop	December 2017	June 4, 2018, 7-2	Win on commission hostility	Argued the appeal
Uzuegbunam v. Preczewski	2021 (ADF dating)	2021	Win, per ADF	Argued and won, per ADF
303 Creative v. Elenis	December 5, 2022	June 30, 2023, 6-3	Win on compelled speech	Argued for Lorie Smith
Chiles v. Salazar	October 7, 2025	March 31, 2026, 8-1	Win on counseling speech	Led the organization; argued by Jim Campbell

Leading ADF: succession, scale, and the Chiles distinction

Waggoner became president and CEO on October 1, 2022, following Michael Farris, who had joined ADF in January 2017, and Alan Sears, who served 23 years as founding CEO; the board voted unanimously on August 11, 2022, and Sears, who had hired Waggoner in 2013, supported the decision (Alliance Defending Freedom). The Christian Post independently confirmed the appointment and Farris’s approval of his successor (The Christian Post). She continued as general counsel, a dual role the organization now styles chief counsel, and told the Christian Post her role would expand from U.S. litigation to the international work and other programs outside litigation and advocacy (The Christian Post). At the time of her promotion she described ADF’s posture as proactive rather than defensive, and pointed to state-level expansion and parental rights as growth areas (The Christian Post).

Under her leadership ADF continued its Supreme Court run, but the division of labor at the lectern changed, and the profile records it precisely. In Chiles v. Salazar, the challenge to Colorado’s counseling restriction, ADF’s timeline shows the suit filed in September 2022 by allied attorney Barry Arrington, a Tenth Circuit loss in September 2024, certiorari granted in March 2025, and an 8-1 Supreme Court win on March 31, 2026 — with ADF chief legal counsel Jim Campbell, not Waggoner, presenting oral arguments in October 2025 (Alliance Defending Freedom). ADF also served on Mississippi’s legal team in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the decision that overturned Roe v. Wade; Waggoner did not argue Dobbs herself, and this profile does not credit her with doing so (Alliance Defending Freedom). ADF’s own current bio puts its Supreme Court wins at 20, with 19 under Waggoner’s leadership, while its international arm’s bio says 15 of its own cases plus a role in nearly 80 victories — the two counts measure different things, and the profile reports both attributions rather than merging them into one number (Alliance Defending Freedom; ADF International).

Beyond litigation, ADF credits Waggoner with leading ADF International, which operates in more than 80 countries and litigates before international tribunals and national courts (Alliance Defending Freedom). In 2025 the Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal awarded her the Richard D. McLellan Prize for Advancing Free Speech and Expression, and President Donald Trump appointed her to the advisory board of legal experts to the Religious Liberty Commission (Alliance Defending Freedom). Regent University’s 2026 magazine profile notes that ADF lawyers under her leadership were then contending cases on six continents, including four pending before the U.S. Supreme Court and others before high courts in Nigeria, Finland, Turkey and Algeria (Regent University).

What this profile does not claim

This profile does not claim that Waggoner argued Chiles v. Salazar (Jim Campbell did) or Dobbs (ADF served on Mississippi’s team; she did not argue it). It does not give a birth year or degree honors, which appear only in Wikipedia and were not verified in a fully-read citable source. It does not settle ADF’s Supreme Court win total, since ADF’s own pages give different counts on different definitions, and it does not present ADF’s self-description as the world’s largest legal organization of its kind as an independently verified ranking — it is ADF’s own claim, attributed as such. It makes no claim about Waggoner’s private life beyond her own public statements of faith and calling.

Timeline

1997: Graduates from Regent University School of Law, having previously attended Northwest University in Kirkland, Washington.
2013: Joins Alliance Defending Freedom full time after more than 15 years at a Seattle law firm, where she had also worked as an ADF allied attorney.
2018: Argues Masterpiece Cakeshop before the U.S. Supreme Court; the Court rules 7-2 for baker Jack Phillips on June 4, 2018, on the ground of the Colorado commission's hostility to his faith.
2021: ADF credits Waggoner with having personally argued and won Uzuegbunam v. Preczewski before the U.S. Supreme Court.
2022: Becomes president and CEO of Alliance Defending Freedom on October 1, succeeding Michael Farris, while continuing as general counsel; argues 303 Creative before the Supreme Court on December 5.
2023: The Supreme Court rules 6-3 for Lorie Smith in 303 Creative on June 30, holding that Colorado cannot compel a web designer to create speech she disagrees with.
2025: Receives the Richard D. McLellan Prize for Advancing Free Speech and Expression from the Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal.
2026: Under her leadership, ADF wins Chiles v. Salazar 8-1 on March 31; the case is argued by ADF chief legal counsel Jim Campbell, not by Waggoner.

What we could not verify

These claims came up in research and could not be confirmed. They are recorded here rather than published as fact or quietly dropped. If you hold a source that settles one, please tell us.

ADF Supreme Court win counts differ across ADFs own current pages: the U.S. bio says 20 cases, 19 under Waggoner; ADF International says 15 of its own cases plus a role in nearly 80 victories; office counts differ too (11 vs 10). This profile attributes each figure and claims no single settled total.
Seattle practice length: the Christian Post interview says about 16 years; AG News says 17 years. This profile says more than 15 years, following ADFs own bio.
ADFs 2022 press release labels Masterpiece Cakeshop (2017): that is the argument year. The decision was June 4, 2018, and this profile uses 2018 for the decision.
Chiles v. Salazar: Waggoner leads the organization that won the case, but ADF chief legal counsel Jim Campbell argued it. This profile does not credit Waggoner with arguing Chiles.
No birth year or degree honors are claimed: both appear only in Wikipedia, not in a fully-read citable source in this pass.
Waggoner did not argue Dobbs: ADF served on Mississippis legal team in that case. This profile says so explicitly.

Sources

10 sources (1 tier 1, 3 tier 2, 1 tier 3, 5 first-party), each opened and read against the claim it supports. Statements the subject makes about itself are marked as such and are not treated as independent evidence. See the source policy.

Built only from sources read in full: the U.S. Supreme Court opinion in 303 Creative, Ballotpedia, the Christian Post interview, AG News, Regent University magazine, and ADF's own pages and press release. ADF material is first-party and is used for appointment facts and for ADF's own win counts, which are attributed, never stated as independent fact. Wikipedia served only as a lead index and is not cited. This is a living-person profile and uses public professional facts only.

303 Creative LLC v. Elenis Tier 1
U.S. Supreme Court, 2023-06-30 Supports: Opinion text: decided June 30, 2023; Gorsuch majority; Colorado law sought to compel speech; Smith stipulations on serving all customers and refusing expressions contradicting her beliefs for anyone. Open original source
New ADF leader lists 3 big threats to religious liberty in the US Tier 2
The Christian Post, 2022-09-01 Supports: General counsel since 2013, head of firm effective Oct 1; Farris approved unanimous decision; about 16 years Seattle practice, ADF allied attorney before joining; 14 Supreme Court decisions to date, 13 while she oversaw U.S. team, including Dobbs; to argue 303 Creative that fall; three threat areas; Christian faith in her own words. Open original source
Called Before the Court Tier 2
AG News, 2018-05-03 Supports: Argued Masterpiece appeal before the Supreme Court; senior vice president of U.S. legal division; Northwest University and Regent Law; 17 years Washington firm, joined ADF full time 2013; oversaw U.S. legal team and 3,000 affiliated attorneys; lead counsel Arlene Flowers; co-counsel NIFLA v. Becerra, argued by Farris. Open original source
303 Creative LLC v. Elenis Tier 2
Ballotpedia Supports: Argued Dec 5, 2022; decided June 30, 2023; 6-3; Gorsuch majority; Sotomayor dissent joined by Kagan and Jackson. Open original source
Carrying the Torch Tier 3
Regent University, 2026-04-21 Supports: LAW 97; CEO, president, chief counsel titles; 450-plus team, 11 offices; three high-profile Supreme Court wins; four cases pending before the Supreme Court at time of writing; calling from about age 13; Regent scholarship. Open original source
ADF names new president, CEO First-party
Alliance Defending Freedom, 2022-08-19 Supports: Announced president/CEO; assumes post Oct 1, 2022, succeeding Farris (joined Jan 2017) and Sears (23 years founding CEO); unanimous Aug 11 board vote; Sears hired Waggoner 2013; continues as general counsel; argued and won Masterpiece and Uzuegbunam, slated to argue 303 Creative; ADF on Mississippi legal team in Dobbs; revenue crossed 100 million dollars FY2021. Open original source
Kristen Waggoner First-party
Alliance Defending Freedom Supports: CEO, president, chief counsel titles; 450-plus team, 11 offices; 20 Supreme Court cases, 19 under her leadership including Dobbs; personally argued Masterpiece and 303 Creative; leads ADF International, 80-plus countries; 2025 McLellan Prize; Trump Religious Liberty Commission advisory board appointment; House testimony, UN address; Washington Supreme Court clerkship; 15-plus years Seattle firm; Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent rating. Open original source
Kristen Waggoner - Alliance Defending Freedom First-party
ADF International Supports: Same titles; 450-plus team, 10 offices; role in nearly 80 Supreme Court victories, 15 own cases, including Dobbs counsel with Mississippi; personally argued Masterpiece and 303 Creative; clerkship and 15-plus years Seattle firm. Open original source
Create Freely: The Story Behind the Artists Who Fought for Free Speech First-party
Alliance Defending Freedom Supports: 303 Creative filed Sept 2016; 10th Circuit for Colorado 2-1 in 2021; cert granted Feb 2022; Waggoner represented Lorie Smith at oral arguments Dec 2022; June 30, 2023 ruling for Smith; Masterpiece decided June 4, 2018, 7-2, Kennedy majority on commission hostility. Open original source
Supreme Court Upholds Free Speech in Counseling First-party
Alliance Defending Freedom, 2026-03-31 Supports: Chiles timeline: filed Sept 2022 by Barry Arrington; 10th Circuit against Kaley Sept 2024; cert granted March 2025; argued Oct 7, 2025; 8-1 decision March 2026; Jim Campbell argued before the Court in October. Open original source

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