María Cristina Ortega Santacruz is an accomplished attorney from Colombia. She earned her law degree from Externado University, where she also completed a graduate program in Criminal and Criminological Sciences. Pursuing further academic excellence, she received a master’s degree in Human Rights and Democratization from Carlos III de Madrid University and Externado University. Her dissertation focused on command responsibility within the justice system established for the Colombian peace process.

Throughout her career, Cristina has represented a wide range of clients, including both victims and defendants. Her experience includes representing members of Congress and officials from the Presidency of the Republic. She has worked as a sole practitioner, as well as a litigator and consultant for organizations such as The Innocence Project, Externado University’s Legal Clinic, and several national and international law firms.

In the public sector, Cristina has served as a law clerk in two of Colombia’s four high courts: the Superior Council of the Judiciary and the Constitutional Court. While at the Constitutional Court, her work focused on children's education, women’s sexual and reproductive rights, international criminal law, due process, freedom of religion, and freedom of the press.

In 2020, Cristina was awarded a scholarship by the International Center for Law and Religion Studies to pursue a Master’s degree in Comparative Law at BYU’s J. Reuben Clark Law School. Following this, she interned with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights at the Organization of American States (OAS) and completed her international legal training at Kirton McConkie.

After returning to Colombia, Cristina established her own law firm. She also volunteers as the South America Northwest Area Chair of the J. Reuben Clark Law Society, where she actively participates as a member of the Communications Committee.

Cristina is a mother to one daughter. She dedicates her time to serving as a Seminar and Sunday School teacher for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.