The Conference on Crimes Against Women Announces Nichole Schmidt and Tara Petito of the Gabby Petito Foundation as Keynote Speakers
Bringing Together Advocates, Leaders, and Changemakers With the Goal of Ending Heinous Crimes Against Women
DALLAS (February 18, 2025) – Today, the Conference on Crimes Against Women (CCAW) announced that Nichole Schmidt, President of the Gabby Petito Foundation, and Tara Petito, Treasurer of the Gabby Petito Foundation, will be the keynote speakers for the 20th annual conference in Dallas, Texas, from May 19-22, 2025. The two are personally connected to the conference’s mission, as their organization was founded in honor of their daughter, Gabby Petito, who was murdered by her boyfriend. Schmidt is Gabby Petito’s mother, and Petito is her stepmother. Gabby’s story is the subject of the three-part documentary on Netflix, “American Murder: Gabby Petito,” which premiered Feb. 17, 2025.
One in four women aged 18 and older in the U.S. have been the victim of severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime. According to the NIH, in 2023, among homicides in the United States, intimate partners kill almost 50% of female and 10% of male victims. This year, conference topics and programming will highlight missing and murdered victims, including recognizing unsolved cases with little to no media attention, which is disproportionate for non-white victims.
“Our mission is difficult, but we must never give up hope in the fight toward saving and supporting those who need us the most,” said Jan Langbein, Chief Executive Officer of CCAW and Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support. ”We are extremely honored to have Nichole Schmidt and Tara Petito as our keynote speakers, who have made it their life mission to honor their daughter who was murdered by her boyfriend. Their strength offers support and resilience to those in need and highlights the value of creating a positive impact out of unimaginable circumstances.”
The Gabby Petito Foundation’s mission is to prevent domestic violence and support the search for missing persons through education, awareness, and prevention strategies. In September 2021, the world was watching when Gabby was reported missing while on a cross-country road trip. After an intensive search, it was discovered that Gabby’s life was tragically cut short at the hands of domestic violence. The organization is turning personal tragedy into a positive impact by developing innovative programs, providing essential resources, and advocating for systemic change to create a safer, more supportive, collaborative environment for all.
“Losing Gabby was the most devastating time in our families’ lives, and we have to prevent this from happening to another family,” explained Schmidt. “To that end, we know how important it is to not only raise awareness about domestic violence but to advocate for tougher laws and policies, as well as provide appropriate training and resources for how first responders respond to intimate partner abuse and missing persons. We look forward to joining the Conference on Crimes Against Women in their work, creating a ripple effect to ending these crimes.”
The keynote session will be moderated by Tom Tremblay, a retired police chief and advocate against domestic and sexual violence. Tremblay has a thirty-year policing career as an officer, detective, special investigations unit director, supervisor, police chief, and state public safety commissioner. He is a retired Chief of Police from Burlington, VT, and the former Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Public Safety. He currently works as a national and international advisor and trainer.
Related conference sessions include:
- A special pre-conference session with Kelsey McKay featuring Nichole and Jim Schmidt, Gabby’s mother and stepfather
- Jim Schmidt and Dave Thomas, a retired law enforcement officer, host a session on determining predominant aggressors and first responder impact.
- An intimate discussion with the Gabby Petito Foundation leadership team and family members, Nichole Schmidt, Jim Schmidt, and Tara Petito.
- Lynnette Grey Bull will present Understanding the Intersectionality of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) & Girls & Human Trafficking in Diverse Communities.
- Nicole Matthews and Melissa Skeet, both from Minnesota Indian Women’s Sexual Assault Coalition (MIWSAC), will bring Restoring Hope: Addressing Missing and Murdered Indigenous People & Building Pathways to Healing.
- More related sessions can be found here.
Presented by Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support, the Conference on Crimes Against Women (CCAW) is an annual in-person conference for training and education on the identification, investigation, and prosecution of all types of violent crimes against women, including domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and human trafficking. The Conference is the largest of its kind, with over 30,000 attendees over the last 19 years from all 50 states and multiple countries.
The 2025 Conference will be held at the Sheraton Hotel in Dallas, Texas, from May 19 to 22. For additional information about the Conference or to register, please visit www.conferencecaw.org. The keynote address will take place on Monday, May 19, during the Opening Plenary at 8:00 a.m. CT.
