Joanne Archambault
(Retired, San Diego Police Department) founded End Violence Against Women International (EVAWI) and served as its first President and CEO for over 20 years.
Sgt. Archambault left a job she loved at the San Diego Police Department to create EVAWI because she wanted to help improve criminal justice responses to sexual assault and other forms of gender-based violence. Starting from scratch, she grew EVAWI into the premier training organization on sexual assault investigations, providing superior training and resources, influencing national policy, and mentoring a new generation of leaders. In 2011, she achieved a dream first envisioned while working in the San Diego Police Department’s Child Abuse Unit in 1985 – the launch of Start by Believing, a public awareness campaign designed to transform the way society responds to victims of sexual violence. With campaigns in all 50 US states, several US territories and protectorates, and numerous countries, this vision is now becoming a reality, changing the world for victims, one response at a time.
Prior to founding EVAWI, Sgt. Archambault worked for the San Diego Police Department for over 22 years, in a wide variety of assignments. During the last 10 years of her service, she supervised the Sex Crimes Unit, which investigated approximately 1,000 felony sexual assaults each year. Under her leadership, the San Diego Police Department’s Sex Crimes Unit was recognized for pioneering research, groundbreaking victim-centered practices, and multidisciplinary collaboration that changed law enforcement responses to sexual assault across the nation. She also established and operated a highly successful for-profit training and consulting business for 22 years, providing expert guidance to hundreds of police departments and allied agencies, and training tens of thousands of practitioners. Now in her second “retirement,” Sgt. Archambault enjoys reading, traveling, and relaxing on the beautiful beaches of Tulum.