Sundance Celebrates Camille N. Johnson’s Humanitarian Leadership

Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was recognized for her outstanding international humanitarian leadership at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival Women’s Leadership Celebration. The gathering was held at the Salt Lake Hilton on Thursday, January 30, 2025.

This event, now in its 12th year, highlights the contributions of women leaders who have made a significant impact in their fields. President Johnson, who leads one of the largest women’s organizations in the world (with nearly 8 million members), was one of seven women honored on Thursday.

The celebration is a collaboration between the Sundance Institute and Zions Bank.

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“It’s a real honor and privilege for us to recognize and honor President Johnson for the incredible work that she’s doing in serving around the world,” said Rob Brough, vice president of marketing and communication for Zions Bank. “Many don’t fully recognize the work that is done by the Relief Society and by the Church around the world. For us to be able to shine a little bit of spotlight on that — we’re thrilled to do that.”

President Johnson, who has served as the Relief Society General President since 2022, has put in significant time and effort to uplift and support communities worldwide. Her leadership has been instrumental in advancing the Church’s humanitarian initiatives, particularly those focused on improving the well-being of women and children.

Last year, for example, the Church of Jesus Christ expanded its efforts to help women and children under 5 worldwide. The faith, which spends more than US$1 billion annually on caring for those in need, gave $55.8 million to help 2.7 million women and more than 12 million children in Bangladesh, Cambodia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Nepal, Nigeria, the Philippines, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Zambia.

“We are the Relief Society, and it has been our objective since 1842 to bring relief, both temporal and spiritual, to all of God’s children,” said President Johnson, who in 2024 visited humanitarian projects or discussed needs in places such as Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Uganda. “We believe that global progress starts with women and children. We have prioritized their needs. We are convinced that when we bless a woman, we bless a family, a community and a nation. And when we make an investment in a child, we have invested in the future.”

Other initiatives President Johnson has helped spearhead include maternal and newborn care, enhancing child nutrition, supporting immunization programs, and promoting literacy. One notable project under her leadership is the maternal and newborn care initiative in the Philippines. This program has trained health workers and provided essential medical equipment, resulting in a significant decrease in maternal and infant mortality rates.

In addition to meeting global needs, President Johnson reminded people that they don’t need to look far to help others.

“There are malnourished children right here,” President Johnson said. “It is my invitation to you to look around you. We need not travel to faraway continents to raise the sights of women and children and bless their lives. There are women in our communities who do not know how to read. There are women in this community who face barriers to receiving appropriate medical care. Identify those barriers and go out and make a difference in changing their access to medical care.”

Other honorees Tuesday included actress Roma Downey and Deb Haaland, the 54th Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior. Previous years’ awardees have included Mary Robinson, the former President of Ireland, as well as former U.S. Secretary of Labor and Transportation Elaine Chao and Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne.