PHOENIX, AZ—Cindy H. McCain, through her extraordinary effort to combat human trafficking in Arizona and across the United States, has been selected as the recipient of the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award for 2015.

Mrs. McCain not only raises awareness about human trafficking but she has helped focus legislative attention on both strengthening protection for victims and increasing penalties for traffickers.

“Mrs. McCain has used her position and experience as a respected and notable community leader in Arizona to focus attention, provide resources and enable action to fight human trafficking, a crime which many others choose to ignore” said Justin Tolomeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Office.

As the co-chair of the Arizona Human Trafficking Council and chair of the Human Trafficking Advisory Council at the McCain Institute for International Leadership at Arizona State University, Mrs. McCain increases awareness through education and public dialogue. Through her work Mrs. McCain brings a focus to human trafficking as a significant civil rights and human rights issue.

Mrs. McCain also serves as the co-chair on the Arizona Governor’s Task Force on human trafficking, which has provided recommendations to the Governor to strengthen criminal statues and integrated response to human trafficking.

Mrs. McCain is the Chairman of Hensley Beverage Company and is active in several non-profit organizations. She has a Master’s Degree in Special Education and is married to U.S. Senator John McCain.

Of the 56 individuals selected from around the country, Mrs. McCain is the only person from Arizona who will be presented with a Director’s Community Leadership Award, which are presented annually.

FBI Director James B. Comey will present the Director’s Community Leadership Awards during an official ceremony held at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Friday, April 15th, 2016.

Unable to attend the April 15th event in Washington, D.C., Mrs. McCain will receive her award at the FBI Phoenix Field Office in May.