February 9th, 2023

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We are thrilled to announce that Ambassador John Richmond - former US Ambassador to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons - has joined Atlas Free as Chief Impact Officer. In this role, Richmond is responsible for advancing our holistic and global strategy to combat human trafficking and sexual exploitation around the world. 

"I am grateful for the opportunity to serve at Atlas Free. Resourcing and accelerating the grassroots and survivor lead organizations is essential to the effort to stop traffickers, care for survivors, and work to prevent this crime. The impact Atlas Free is making in this fight is significant." —John Richmond 

Richmond joins the Atlas Free team from the US Department of State, where he served the nation’s highest-ranking position dedicated to human trafficking, the US Ambassador-at-Large to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. Richmond’s distinguished career has been spent at the intersection of law, policy, and human rights, including as a federal prosecutor at the Department of Justice (DOJ), co-founder of the Human Trafficking Institute, Director of International Justice Mission’s work in India, and as a US Ambassador.

“Ambassador Richmond brings incredible leadership to our team, our global network, and the overall fight against human trafficking. I am thrilled that he is joining our team and I know that he will be instrumental in advancing our mission to accelerate and resource the fight against sex trafficking and exploitation.” - Jeremy Vallerand

Richmond's historical contributions to the fight against trafficking are profound. He coordinated the US Government’s efforts to combat trafficking on a global scale—working with multilateral institutions, law enforcement, and leading Fortune 100 executives to develop effective strategies to address supply chain integrity, trafficking in persons, and criminal prosecutions and investigations.

Operating from the Washington, DC office, Richmond joins our team after focusing on the intersection of business and human rights at Dentons law firm. This includes strategy, compliance, internal investigations, and litigation in ESG and supply chains, specifically international and domestic human trafficking.

"John has dedicated his life and career to combating human trafficking across the US and around the world. We are excited for the many ways that Ambassdor Richmond will advance our holistic strategy and impact our global network of partners.” -Callie Tybur, COO Atlas Free

Through his career, Richmond has engaged with leaders from other countries around the world and developed strong relationships throughout the US government, including within the Departments of State, Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, Treasury and Justice; and the UN, the International Labor Organization and International Organization for Migration. 

His most recent endeavor at Dentons law firm leveraged his decades of relationships and expertise to support the law firm’s US and global clients in their efforts to develop and implement effective compliance programs, respond to investigative demands in the US and abroad, and engage in legislative efforts on these topics.

Richmond’s work to combat human trafficking has earned numerous honors, including: receiving the David Allred Award for Exceptional Contributions to Civil Rights, twice earning the Department of Homeland Security’s Outstanding Investigative Accomplishments in a Human Trafficking Award, as well as twice receiving the Department of Justice’s Special Commendation Award.

Richmond has trained judges, prosecutors, federal agents, law enforcement officers, and non-governmental organizations on effective, proactive human trafficking investigative and prosecutorial strategies. He also taught Human Trafficking Law, Policy, and Litigation at Pepperdine School of Law and Vanderbilt Law School.

We are confident Richmond’s legacy and dedication to the fight will fuel our locally-led solutions to work together at a pace the fight needs to see more lives freed, hope restored, and justice heard around the world. 

Richmond earned his JD from Wake Forest University School of Law and his BA from the University of Mary Washington.

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ABOUT ATLAS FREE 

Atlas Free is a nonprofit organization building a global movement to put sexual exploitation out of business. Working in 26 countries with over 40 local partners, we unite funders, adventurers, and everyday people with the best local initiatives to maximize impact and dismantle human trafficking. Atlas Free accelerates frontline solutions and creates resources and tools to address one of the current most pressing global issues.

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