Joshua J. Smith is the Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, sworn in in June 2025, and the first person appointed to senior BOP leadership after serving time in its custody. He oversees 122 facilities, 36,000 staff, and the care of over 156,000 people.

Before his appointment, Smith built a career as an entrepreneur, invested $10 million of his own money to found the Fourth Purpose Foundation, and launched Prison Life Media, both dedicated to making prison a place of transformation. He delivers the 2026 keynote.