Marriam Oliver is the Program & Operations Manager at the Washington Innocence Project and is a passionate advocate for criminal justice reform. Her work is deeply informed by her own lived experience as a justice-impacted individual, bringing a unique and transformative perspective to every aspect of her advocacy.
Marriam is the co-founder of the Freedom Education Project Puget Sound, a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding access to higher education for incarcerated individuals. A recognized leader in the field, she works at the intersection of education, policy, and community empowerment to create pathways for healing, transformation, and systemic change.
Her efforts include leading trainings for local law enforcement on compassionate, gender-responsive policing and advancing policy initiatives such as the abolition of solitary confinement in Washington State. She is also a trauma-informed yoga instructor, providing yoga and mindfulness practices to incarcerated youth as tools for resilience and self-empowerment.
In addition to her advocacy and programmatic work, Marriam is the founder of Embolden LLC, a creative platform that uses photography and storytelling to amplify the voices of justice-impacted individuals and communities. Her TEDx talk, “Coming Soon to a Neighborhood Near You,” has reached wide audiences and reflects her unwavering commitment to affirming the humanity of all people affected by incarceration—regardless of guilt or innocence.
Outside of her professional work, Marriam enjoys exploring the outdoors with her daughter, traveling, and embracing new adventures such as skydiving and bungee jumping. Her leadership, resilience, and dedication continue to break down barriers, challenge injustice, and inspire meaningful change.
