Today, she continues that mission as Founder, President and CEO of Unlocking Doors®, an innovative Dallas-based reentry organization providing a road to success for countless men and women wanting to start over after incarceration – through a unique model called “Reentry Brokerage®,” which treats criminal justice reentry as a business, using digital innovation to track deliverables and outcomes. In Unlocking Doors’ short twelve-year history, Crain has sparked an atmosphere of aggressive growth that has quickly pushed forward the organization’s mission – to improve and advance public safety by reducing repeat crime. By keeping people from returning to prison, Unlocking Doors provides considerable relief to the state’s economy.

“With more than 70,000 ex-offenders being released back into Texas communities each year, this is an issue that affects us all,” Crain said.

“I’ve seen first-hand the transformative affect Unlocking Doors has on ex-offenders when we connect them with the services they so desperately need in a comprehensive and collaborative manner. By giving them a second chance, we can improve lives, cut crime rates, and strengthen our communities – but we can’t do that without the funding that is so critical to our existence.”

Crain is the former Chairman of the Texas Board of Criminal Justice – the oversight board for the incarceration, parole and probation of Texas adult felons – and she is the first and only woman ever to lead the nine-member board. She has a Texas state prison named in her honor: The Christina Melton Crain Unit in Gatesville, Texas. While at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Crain implemented many successful programs, such as GO KIDS (Giving Offenders’ Kids Incentive and Direction to Succeed) and the widely recognized AMACHI Texas mentoring initiative, which provides hope to the children of incarcerated offenders.

In her law practice, Crain specializes in child/juvenile representation, mediation and legislative issues. She served as the 100th President of the Dallas Bar Association, as well as a former president of the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers, the Dallas Women Lawyers Association and a former Director of the State Bar of Texas.

In March 2019, Crain was appointed to a six-year term on The University of Texas System Board of Regents by Governor Greg Abbott. She currently Chairs the Health Affairs Committee and serves on the Academic Affairs Committee; the Audit, Compliance, and Risk Management Committee; and the Facilities Planning and Construction Committee. She also serves on the Board for Lease of University Lands.

Her additional service to the State of Texas includes Board President - Trinity River Authority of Texas Board of Directors; Public Member - Public Transportation Advisory Committee; Director, Texas Correctional Managed Health Care Committee; and Texas Lieutenant Governor's Representative - Texas Supreme Court Rules Committee.

Current community service includes U. T. College of Liberal Arts Advisory Committee - Life Member; Dallas County Criminal Justice Advisory Board - Reentry Subcommittee Chair; and the Safer Dallas Better Dallas Executive Committee.

Past community service includes U. T. Dallas Center for Vital Longevity Advisory Council; Texas Exes Council for The University of Texas at Austin; Dallas Bar Foundation Board of Trustees; Texas Lyceum Board of Directors; Baylor Health Care System Foundation Board of Directors; Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star Executive Board of Directors; Texas Regional Board of Directors for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children; Patriot PAWS Service Dogs Board of Directors; and multiple leadership roles in the Junior League of Dallas.

Crain has received numerous honors and rewards including: Silver U.S. Congressional Medal of Honor for Voluntarism, Oklahoma City University School of Law Distinguished Alumni Award, The University of Texas at Austin’s Young Texas-Ex Award, Texas Corrections Association Ellen Halbert Victims Advocacy Award, Texas Young Lawyers Association and Dallas Association of Young Lawyers Outstanding Mentor Awards, Dallas Association of Young Lawyers Foundation Award of Excellence, named Outstanding Young Lawyer of Dallas, Dallas Women Lawyers Association Louise Raggio Award, twice named to D Magazine’s Best Lawyers Under 40 in Dallas, twice named to Dallas Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 tribute, named to D Magazine’s Best Women Lawyers in Dallas, and a four-time recipient of the Texas Monthly Magazine Texas Super Lawyer naming.

Crain’s most recent honors include being recognized by the Dallas Business Journal with its 2017 Women in Business Award, which honors established business leaders with a strong record of innovation in their fields, outstanding performance in their respective businesses and a clear record of meaningful community involvement. She was also selected by Altrusa International of Richardson Foundation, Inc. for their Outstanding Women of Today (OWT) Award in the nonprofit category. OWT recognizes women who exemplify determination and innovation, and for making an outstanding contribution in their careers.

Crain is a third generation Dallasite and attended Kimball High School. She earned a bachelor’s degree in government from UT-Austin and a law degree from Oklahoma City University School of Law. In her spare time, Ms. Crain is a professional singer. She considers her finest achievement to be her marriage to her best friend Nate Crain, a Dallas entrepreneur, investor and political activist.