Christopher Poulos

Christopher Poulos is an attorney and the executive director of the Center for Justice and Human Dignity, where he works with multiple federal jurisdictions to design and launch innovative alternatives to incarceration for people facing federal criminal charges and to improve conditions and outcomes for incarcerated people and correctional staff. He previously served as Director of Person-Centered Services at the Washington Department of Corrections and executive director of the Washington Statewide Reentry Council. 

He graduated cum laude from the University of Maine School of Law, where he was president of the American Constitution Society and represented youth facing criminal charges as a student attorney in the school’s Juvenile Justice Clinic. Poulos has advised United States Senator Angus King (I-Maine) on substance use and justice policy and served on several national, state, and local task forces related to criminal justice policy. He has also served as an adjunct professor at Seattle University School of Law and the University of North Texas, where he designed and taught a course on the history of drug policy and prohibition. 

Prior to law school, Poulos overcame many obstacles, including tragic family losses, substance use disorder, and federal incarceration. He now dedicates his life to helping others overcome similar challenges and is committed to promoting equal access to the law.

His work and personal story have been featured in numerous media outlets, including The Today Show, The New York Times, The Guardian, The Washington Post, NBC News, The Hill, and The Harvard Law and Policy Review.