Posts in 2020
Renee Jones, MS

Renee Jones resides in the State of Florida and has a Masters in Mental Health Counseling. Renee attended the U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking where she became a certified Educator in Human Trafficking. She is also a member of Counseling and Treating People of Color, National Alcoholism & Addiction Institute, and Rape, Abuse Incest National Network (RAINN).

Read More
2020Anna SchrammRenee Jones
Penny Nevicosi, MSW

Penny Nevicosi has over 23 years of experience serving youth and families and is currently a Juvenile Justice Supervisor. She served as a human services adjunct instructor and participates in several local and state trauma-focused taskforces. Penny holds a Master’s in Social Work from George Williams College of Aurora University.

Read More
Pat Stephens, MEd

Pat Stephens is the Director for the Lucas County Board of DD. She completed her BA at Slippery Rock University and her MEd at Spring Arbor College. Pat has experience in the mental health field and 24 years with the County Board. She is a member of the Lucas County Human Trafficking Coalition and a part of the Partners Against the Trafficking of Humans program.

Read More
Olugbenga Oke-Samuel, PhD, LLM

Dr. Olugbenga Oke-Samuel is a senior lecturer, Head of Department, and Law Clinic coordinator at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Nigeria. He is a member of the Governing Board of Network of University Legal Aid Institutions (NULAI NIGERIA), the umbrella body for Clinical Legal Education in Nigeria.

Read More
Nic Rider, PhD

Nic Rider is an assistant professor and licensed psychologist at the Program in Human Sexuality, University of Minnesota Medical School and co-associate director for research at the National Center for Gender Spectrum Health. Their interests include identity development and exploring intersectional experiences, resistance, and resilience on sexual, physical, and mental health.

Read More
2020Anna SchrammNic Rider
Nicholas Oakley, JD

Nicholas Oakley is the Director of Programs & Policy Counsel at the Center for Children & Youth Justice, where he oversees state-wide reform initiatives on behalf of LGBTQ+ youth and commercially sexually exploited children (CSEC). He authored the Protocol for Safe & Affirming Care and co-authored the Washington State Model Protocol for CSEC.

Read More
Neely Mahapatra, PhD, MSSW

Neely Mahapatra is an Associate Professor of Social Work at University of Wyoming. Her research interests include interpersonal violence, violence against immigrant women and refugees, human trafficking, and international social work. Her vision is to develop best practices and facilitate multidisciplinary research in the field of violence against women.

Read More
Nazmia Comrie

Nazmia Comrie is the senior program specialist at the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. Nazmia provides leadership on the development, implementation, and delivery of technical assistance as the program manager for the Collaborative Reform Initiative, and manages projects related to human trafficking, hate crimes, officer safety, and community policing.

Read More
Nancy Hardcastle, MA

Nancy Hardcastle is a public speaking coach who specializes in helping speakers in the field of human trafficking improve their presentations through transformative stories, strategic organization, and engaging PowerPoint slides. Nancy is the founder of Stand Up Be Great, holds a BA in Speech Communication and an MA in ESL.

Read More
Mostafa Reisi, PhD

Dr. Mostafa Reisi is an assistant professor in the department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the University of Florida. His research focuses on analysis of Big data for pattern discovery and information extraction in complex environments for the purpose of systems improvement and decision-making support.

Read More
Mohammed Marzuq Abubakari, PhD, ESL

Dr. Mohammed Marzuq Abubakari is the Director of Research and Advocacy at the Islamic Peace and Security Council of Ghana. He is also a lecturer at the University of Applied Management, Ghana. His research interests include religion and human Rights. As an Islamic scholar, he leads the Operation Dialogue with All, under IPASEC.

Read More
Michelle Alvarado, PhD

Dr. Michelle Alvarado is an assistant professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the University of Florida. The aim of her research is to develop theory, models, algorithms, and practical tools to improve the operation of complex systems under uncertainty using integrated simulation and optimization methods.

Read More
Mesele Mengsteab Habtu, PhD, MSW

Mesele Mengsteab Habtu, Head of the School of Social Work, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia, is an experienced qualitative researcher in sex-trafficking and street prostitution. Dr. Habtu has expertise in the nuanced and paradox scene of street prostitution and sex trafficking, dynamics of violence against women, unsafe migration, child trafficking, and sexual exploitation.

Read More
Mellissa Withers, PhD, MHS

Mellissa Withers is an Associate Professor at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine. Her research interests are gender-based violence and sexual and reproductive health. She has published more than 35 scientific articles, is the editor of two books, and writes a blog on human trafficking for Psychology Today.

Read More
Megan Kraner, LSW, MSW

Megan Kraner is a Licensed Master Social Worker. She is currently serving her second year as the Art Committee Director for the International Human Trafficking & Social Justice Conference and has been a volunteer for the conference for 5 years. She has been an active volunteer, employee, and community member for multiple anti-trafficking efforts in Metro-Detroit, Toledo, and Atlanta.

Read More
Megan Bruneau Zentner

Megan Bruneau Zentner is a detective with the Seattle Police Department assigned to the Criminal Intelligence Unit and task force officer (Homeland Security Investigations) focused exclusively on labor trafficking of foreign nationals and other human trafficking-related crimes. She is a core team member of the Washington Advisory Committee on Trafficking with extensive consultation and presentation experience.

Read More
Mary Kent

Mary Kent is an adjunct professor at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah and is an Intelligence Analyst working with law enforcement agencies nationwide. She has received intelligence analysis training from multiple agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the United States Secret Service.

Read More
2020Anna SchrammMary Kent
Marissa Marie Gray, MSEd, LPC

Marissa Gray is a licensed professional counselor currently working with sexually abused and trafficked youth in the Youngstown, Ohio region in a residential treatment milieu. Marissa is a sex trafficking survivor blessed and passionate about walking with other survivors in their recovery journeys.

Read More