The Yale Club of Oregon & SW Washington & the YANA Pacific Northwest Chapter are proud to present

Lisa Hay, Federal Public Defender for Oregon

Voices from Within: Learning from the Incarcerated about the Federal Criminal Justice System

Federal public defenders have an insider’s view on mass incarceration. From challenging the legal system that results in racial disparities in sentencing, to reporting the effects of the Covid pandemic behind bars, to freeing incarcerated people through clemency applications, habeas petitions, and compassionate release motions, defenders bear witness to the experiences of people in federal prisons. Ms. Hay will present the stories and voices of federally incarcerated people in order to inform the public and inspire reforms.


Lisa Hay has worked as a public defender for over twenty years and currently is serving her second term as the Federal Public Defender for the District of Oregon. She has represented individuals in the federal district court in Oregon, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the Oregon Supreme Court. A graduate of Yale University (’85) summa cum laude, and Harvard Law School (’91) magna cum laude, Ms. Hay has spoken nationally and at state conferences on the Fourth Amendment, electronic surveillance, the Ferguson grand jury, mass incarceration, and other federal criminal law topics.

This joint YANA-Yale Club of Oregon and SW Washington was moderated by YANA PNW Co-Chair Sarah Samson ’97.