Kristine Bunch, a former client of the Center of Wrongful Convictions, spent 17 years behind bars in Indiana after being wrongfully convicted of setting a fire that claimed the life of her three-year-old son in 1995. Her path to freedom culminated in an exoneration driven by the emergence of new scientific evidence and the discovery of an altered lab report. Currently, Ms. Bunch serves as the Director of the Indiana Innocence Project, where she utilizes her extensive national experience in policy, justice reform, and exoneree support. Her leadership extends to several prominent organizations; she is one of five exonerees serving on the Innocence Network Executive Board and is a member of the Executive Board for Life After Justice.

For over 11 years, she has been a dedicated educator for the Illinois Innocence Project, teaching law enforcement, students, and the general public regarding the systemic roots of wrongful convictions. Kristine has successfully recruited and organized dozens of exonerees nationwide to share their experiences at law enforcement academies, with a focus on concrete strategies to prevent future injustices. Her advocacy also includes a personal commitment to helping female exonerees access essential health screenings.