Donna Lynne Hubbard is the daughter of the late author and Community Activist Barbara “Nayo” Watkins and Charles “Charlie” Hubbard, graduates of Atlanta’s historic Booker T. Washington High School. Raised by her mother Nayo and Civil Rights Icon Hollis Watkins who took great pride in cultivating Donnas' social awareness and creative spirit, at 16 she married and became a wife and mother.

Patrick Pacious is President and Chief Executive Officer of Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), one of the largest and most successful lodging franchisors in the world, with nearly 7,500 hotels, representing almost 630,000 rooms, in 46 countries and territories as of September 30, 2023. Mr. Pacious’s nearly 20-year tenure at Choice has been marked by growth, innovation and effectively anticipating and capitalizing on industry trends.

Jackie Shapiro grew up in Greeley, Colorado and thought she wanted to be a diplomat. That didn’t happen. But, a bit unusual for “her time”, she did graduate from college with a triple major in history, East Asian area studies and Chinese language. With great idealism and enthusiasm, she joined the Peace Corps and was sent to teach as a volunteer in South Korea.

We had the opportunity to sit down with 2024 Freedom Awards Honoree, Jacqueline Shapiro, a passionate child protection and human rights advocate and philanthropist who now serves on PACT’s Emeritus Council.

Jess Dannhauser is the Commissioner of the NYC Administration for Children's Services (ACS). Commissioner Dannhauser was appointed by Mayor Eric Adams in 2022 to help lead a more upstream approach to supporting New York families.

This year, as part of our Freedom Awards Benefit, we are proud to honor Saint Ignatius School (SIS) for their remarkable work and engagement in the anti-trafficking field. Please take a moment to read about the school.

Bobbie Rubin is celebrated as a primary initiator of the movement to protect children from sexual exploitation in the United States. A longtime activist in Presbyterian Women USA and in Girl Scouts USA, she became an early supporter of ECPAT-USA, playing a crucial role in the organization’s development.

James Dold is the Founder & CEO of Human Rights for Kids (HRFK) a D.C.-based non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and protecting the human rights of children in the United States. A central focus of HRFK’s work is advocating in state legislatures and courts for comprehensive justice reform for children consistent with the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Councilwoman Mariann Billie made history when she became the first female Council Representative for the Big Cypress Indian reservation. She is a member of the Seminole Tribe of Florida and a proud mother of two children.