No social justice movement can succeed without the leadership and participation of those most impacted. As people closest to the problem of wrongful conviction and punishment, freed and exonerated people are closest to the solution. As the need for client-centered, robust post-release support and advocacy increases, many innocence organizations are asking why they don't have any freed/exonerated people on their staff and what they can do to change that. Partnering with or hiring freed/exonerated people requires a commitment to trauma-informed practices, deliberate planning, and special considerations to ensure their autonomy and vision are honored. Some freed/exonerated people have expressed disappointment that their positions have felt superficial and were created in service of the organization's reputation, and not in service of them and the community. This panel of freed and exonerated leaders will provide guidance to organizational leaders and staffers thinking about hiring freed and exonerated peoples.