Kris Johnston
AI Governance & Privacy Leader | Governance Architect & Speaker | IAPP Advisory Board Member | Founder, Legal in the Loop (12K+ community) | FIP • AIGP • CIPP/US/E • CIPM • CIPT
- Role
- Head of Privacy and Ai Governance, Associate General Counsel at Afiniti
- Location
- Washington, WA, US
- LinkedIn followers
- 500 followers
About Kris Johnston
Kris Johnston, Esq. is a data privacy and AI governance leader with deep experience building global privacy programs, operationalizing responsible AI, and advising senior executives at high-growth technology companies. She specializes in architecting governance frameworks, driving regulatory readiness, and aligning legal, product, and commercial teams to enable compliant innovation and strengthen client trust. Kris is known for translating complex regulatory requirements into scalable, enterprise-wide programs that accelerate responsible technology development and deployment.She holds multiple industry certifications, including Fellow of Information Privacy (FIP), AI Governance Professional (AIGP), and four additional IAPP credentials. Kris serves on the Publications Advisory Board for the IAPP and is a speaker and contributor for organizations such as Bloomberg Law, the Association of Corporate Counsel, IAPP, and the Practicing Law Institute.Kris is also the founder of Legal in the Loop, a platform and community of more than professionals focused on advancing responsible AI. She earned her B.A. with honors from Harvard University and her J.D. from Fordham Law School, and is licensed to practice law in Connecticut, Washington, D.C, and the Eastern District of Michigan.Upcoming Speaking Engagements:Tuesday, March 10:\"Operationalizing Responsible AI: A discussion about practical implementation\", Webinar (DrDavidPrivacy.com)Thursday, March 12:\"The AI 2026 Forecast: Risks, Rights, and Robots,\" Webinar (DrDavidPrivacy.com)Thursday, March 19:\"TechLaw Institute 2026: The Fourth Industrial Revolution\", NY + Web, Practicing Law Institute (PLI)Tuesday, March 24:\"Women Leading Privacy & Cyber: Voices Across Industries\"(Connecticut\'s IAPP KnowledgeNet Chapter)
Experience
Head of Privacy and Ai Governance, Associate General Counsel
Jul 2024 — Present · Washington, DC, US
Afiniti is a leading provider of customer experience (CX) artificial intelligence with AI solutions delivering measurably better business outcomes for some of the largest enterprises in the world.Promoted by leadership to Head of Privacy and AI Governance in 2024. Key Responsibilities & Strategic Initiatives- Lead Afiniti’s global privacy program, setting enterprise strategy and ensuring regulatory compliance across multiple jurisdictions- Direct the company’s AI governance function, establishing responsible AI policies, controls, and operational procedures- Report directly to the Chief Legal Officer and provide strategic guidance, briefings, and governance reporting to the Senior Leadership Team and other key stakeholders- Architect an EU AI Act compliance roadmap and oversee cross‑functional implementation of applicable requirements across product suite, including AI pairing and agentic solutions- Manage a dedicated privacy and AI governance team while driving enterprise‑wide governance frameworks and accountability structures- Serve as lead product counsel for responsible AI‑by‑design, advising on regulatory alignment, contractual requirements, and internal policy integration for CX AI solutions- Design and operationalize a scalable AI governance client assurance program to strengthen transparency, trust, and commercial readiness- Launch and lead the company’s Trust Center initiative, coordinating vendor selection, portal architecture, and documentation strategy to deliver a unified customer assurance platform- Draft and negotiate global data processing addendums for SaaS licensing, ensuring alignment with evolving data protection and cross‑border transfer requirements- Drive alignment between product development, commercial strategy, and regulatory expectations to support compliant innovation and market differentiation
Education
MIT Sloan Executive Education
Certificate Program: Making AI Work, Machine Intelligence for Business and Society
2023 — 2023
Harvard University
Bachelor of Arts - BA, with honors (cum laude) , Anthropology
2000 — 2004
Fordham University School of Law
Doctor of Law - JD
2006 — 2009
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