Joyful Child Foundation In Memory Of Samantha Runnion

MANAGEMENT

CEO/Executive Director

Erin Runnion

CEO/Executive Director Experience

Erin Runnion is a nationally respected advocate for child protection, dedicated to sharing tools and knowledge that empower both children and adults to work together to prevent childhood victimization and protect the joy of every child. She is the Founding Director of The Joyful Child Foundation – In Memory of Samantha Runnion, established in response to the abduction and murder of her five-year-old daughter, Samantha, in 2002. Erin has played a vital role in shaping child protection policies nationwide. She was a founding member of The Surviving Parents Coalition and a board member of the National Association to Protect Children—both organizations committed to legislative advocacy for child victims. In California, she serves on the Child Abduction Task Force and the Children’s Justice Act Task Force under the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. Erin developed the Be Brave – Be Safe K–6 Curriculum and BRAVE Teacher Training Program. She also shares a variety of presentations specifically for parents/caregivers, educators, and law enforcement to promote child safety awareness. Erin is certified to teach both radKIDS and RAD Women’s Self Defense programs. Her decades of advocacy have been widely recognized. In 2023, she received the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award for the Los Angeles/Orange County region, followed by the Neal Snyder Outstanding Service Award in 2024 from the California Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (CAPSAC). Other honors include: The Hope Award, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (2003) Certificate of Valor, U.S. Department of Justice Heroes Among Us, People Magazine (2004) Mothers and Shakers, Redbook Magazine (2005) Children’s Friend Award, Childhelp (2013) Outstanding Public Service Award, Delta Kappa Gamma Society International Numerous commendations from state, county, and city governments Erin Runnion earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts, in 1998. She continues to inspire a national dialogue on the shared responsibility to protect children, promoting prevention through education, empowerment, and community action.

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