Meet Our Keynote Speakers

John Cotton Richmond

Ambassador Richmond is an attorney and diplomat focused on ethical business, human rights, democracy, and rule of law. His career has taken him to the front lines in the global battle against human trafficking. Ambassador Richmond currently leads the Libertas Council that works to galvanize global leaders to shape solutions that affirm human dignity by combatting human trafficking. He also serves as the Chief Impact Officer at Atlas Free, working to resource and accelerate organizations fighting human trafficking.

Previously, the U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed Ambassador Richmond and he served as the U.S. Ambassador to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons from 2018 to 2021. Serving in the nation’s highest-ranking position dedicated to human trafficking, he led U.S. foreign policy related to modern slavery and coordinated the U.S. government’s response to the crime.

Ambassador Richmond also served for over a decade as a federal prosecutor with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, where he prosecuted numerous victim-centered labor and sex trafficking cases. He also lived in India for three years pioneering International Justice Mission’s slavery work.

Ambassador Richmond has received numerous honors and commendations, including being named a “Prosecutor of the Year” and receiving the “Wilberforce Award for Exceptional Leadership in the Fight Against Human Trafficking” and the “David Alred Award for exceptional contributions to civil rights”. His work caused the former head of the FBI’s human trafficking program to call him “every trafficker’s worst nightmare”.

Ambassador Richmond received his undergraduate degree from the University of Mary Washington and his law degree from Wake Forest University. He is a Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, Senior Advisor to Love Does, and frequent speaker on topics of faith, justice, and vocation. He lives in Virginia with his talented wife and they have three wonderful children.

Muriel Bowser, Mayor, Washington DC

Muriel Bowser is the seventh elected mayor of Washington, DC. She has a strong record of creating a bold urban policy agenda, making tough decisions in a high stakes environment, and shaping a diverse economy.

Mayor Bowser has served her hometown in elected office since 2004 as Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner (2004-2006), Member of the DC Council (2007-2015) and now Mayor since 2015. On November 8, she became only the second person elected three times as mayor of Washington, DC. She is the first African American woman to be elected to three, four-year terms as mayor of an American city.

Mayor Bowser is a strong leader and crisis manager with 25 years of management and financial experience balancing budgets, achieving AAA bond ratings, and clean audits.

Mayor Bowser has served as a Board Member of the Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, chaired the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Transportation Planning Board and serves on the Advisory Boards of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the African American Mayors Association. She is a graduate of the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative and of Leadership Greater Washington. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Chatham University and a Master of Public Policy from the American University.

Mayor Bowser tells everyone that there’s only one job better than being mayor of her hometown, and that’s being Miranda’s mom. Mayor Bowser was blessed to become a mom by adoption and proud to show everyone that there are many ways to be a family. She and Miranda call Ward 4 home.

Renè Laws, District 7610 Governor 2023-2024

Renè Laws has a passion for service and has dedicated much of her life to causes that help her community, domestically and globally. Beginning as a young military spouse, she explored volunteering through the USMC Key Volunteer Program, providing much needed family support before, during, and post-deployments. She expanded her service reach in the 29 years that followed by working with organizations such as Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, Marine Spouses’ Clubs, USMC Family Readiness Program (where she helped develop and execute the program for Marine Forces Reserve in 2008), The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, and various charitable organizations and churches, including educational and intramural school clubs.

Raising six children with her Marine husband, and moving many times over the years, has given Rene’ a unique perspective on her communities and those that reside within, helping her to see the gaps in assistance and provide support when available. In 2013, Rene was introduced to Rotary, and it broadened her horizons when she became a member of this international organization via the North Stafford Rotary Club. Since that time, she has expanded her level of responsibility within Rotary, becoming Club President in 2018 and District 7610 Chair for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in 2019, while also stepping into the job of Area Four Governor.

She is an RLI graduate, a Paul Harris Fellow, a Major Donor and member of the Paul Harris Society. She strongly believes in the ideals of Servant Leadership and had a wonderful experience serving the Rotarians and communities in Virginia as the District 7610 Governor in 2023-2024. Renè added “Immediate Past District Governor” to her resume on July 1, 2024 and now invests her time in a wider array of Rotary efforts, taking on new responsibilities in her home club, Stafford Rotary, as well as RI District 7610 and RI Zones 33/34, with primary focuses on peace, mental health, and The Rotary Foundation, as well as membership innovation and growth.

Breakout Sessions