Nichole Schmidt

Nichole Schmidt is an American advocate and nonprofit leader recognized for her work in missing persons advocacy and domestic violence prevention following the disappearance and death of her stepdaughter, Gabrielle Gabby Petito. With a professional background in administrative and operational roles in the private sector, Schmidt has applied her organizational skills to advocacy, media engagement, and foundation work focused on prevention, education, and support for families in crisis.

After Gabby Petito’s death, Schmidt co-founded the Gabby Petito Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting efforts to locate missing people and providing resources for domestic violence awareness and intervention. Through this work, Schmidt has collaborated with law enforcement, victim support organizations, and community groups to expand the use of rapid missing-person alerts, public education campaigns, and grantmaking to frontline nonprofits. Her direct experience informs her advocacy for improved case handling and better treatment of families during traumatic events.

Schmidt has appeared in national and local news segments, documentaries, and public forums addressing issues such as intimate partner violence, coercive control, and systemic gaps in the response to missing persons cases. In interviews and panel discussions, she discusses the emotional and practical challenges of navigating a high-profile investigation while advocating for policy and cultural change. These appearances have established her as a contributor to conversations on victim advocacy and reform.

Through her leadership of the Gabby Petito Foundation and ongoing public engagement, Schmidt has advanced a campaign for awareness, safety, and accountability. Her work emphasizes the importance of early intervention in abusive situations and the impact of informed advocacy in driving institutional change. Schmidt continues to support families affected by missing persons and domestic violence, serving as a credible and committed voice in the field.