2026 Keynote Speaker

Mariska Hargitay

Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning actress, producer, and director Mariska Hargitay is best known for her iconic role as Captain Olivia Benson on NBC’s Law & Order: SVU. In addition to starring on the show—the longest-running primetime live-action series in U.S. television history—she also serves as an executive producer and director, making her one of the most influential figures in television today. 

In 2004, Hargitay founded the Joyful Heart Foundation, an organization dedicated to transforming society’s response to sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse. At the heart of its mission is the End the Backlog campaign, which seeks to eliminate the nationwide backlog of untested rape kits and advocate for comprehensive reform. Joyful Heart is also crafting a multi-tiered framework to change the trajectory of the image-based abuse crisis, as well as providing support for those who serve survivors with its revolutionary “Heal the Healers” Grantmaking Program.  

Hargitay’s advocacy extends to her work behind the camera. She produced the Emmy-winning HBO documentary I Am Evidence, which investigates the systemic failure to process tens of thousands of rape kits across the U.S.—and the profound consequences for survivors and justice. In recognition of her work on behalf of survivors, she was named to the Time100 Philanthropy list in 2025, honoring the most influential people shaping the future of giving. She also co-produced EMANUEL, a documentary about the 2015 Charleston church shooting, and My Beautiful Stutter, which follows young people who stutter as they find strength and community through self-expression. 

In 2025, she launched her production company, Mighty Entertainment Productions, debuting with the critically acclaimed documentary My Mom Jayne, an exploration of the life and legacy of her mother, Jayne Mansfield. After premiering at the Cannes Film Festival, the film was named a New York Times Critics Pick and has since earned widespread praise for its emotional depth, honesty, and grace. My Mom Jayne has received two Critics' Choice Documentary Awards nominations for Best First Documentary Feature and Best Biographical Documentary and has also been featured on DOC NYC’s 2025 Short List.  

Through her work as an actress, activist, and filmmaker, Mariska Hargitay continues to use her voice and platform to drive cultural change, uplift survivors, and tell stories that matter. Whether portraying Olivia Benson or shaping narratives behind the scenes, she remains a powerful force in both entertainment and social justice.