Founder and PresidentFutures without Violence
An expert on violence against women and children, Esta Soler founded Futures Without Violence over 30 years ago and transformed it into one of the world’s leading violence prevention agencies. The organization has set the pace for innovative educational programs, public education campaigns, policy development, and leadership training designed to prevent and end violence against women and children worldwide.
Under Soler’s direction, Futures Without Violence was a driving force behind the passage of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994—the nation’s first comprehensive federal response to the violence that plagues families and communities. Congress reauthorized and expanded the law in 2000, 2005, and 2013.
Soler is the recipient of the Leadership Award from the Coro Center for Civic Leadership and the Mathew O. Tobriner Public Service Award from the Employment Law Center for pioneering work on behalf of women and children. Soler holds an honorary doctorate from Simmons College.