Renee Jones resides in the State of Florida. Ms. Jones holds a Master’s in Mental Health Counseling, attended the U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking, and is a Clinically Certified Human Trafficking Counselor with National Association of Forensic. Renee Jones educates and trains teachers, parents, and the community on the signs of the trafficker.
Read MoreStephanie Poma recently graduated with a Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy. From experiences oversees within an anti-human trafficking organization, Stephanie has recognized occupational therapy’s role in assisting human trafficking survivors. She has presented at state and national levels by educating and advocating for greater awareness within the healthcare profession.
Read MoreDr. Glenn Harden is an Assistant Professor in Political Science at Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky. One of his research areas is the transnational diffusion of human trafficking policy. He is a member of the Kentucky Human Trafficking Task Force.
Read MoreDr. Ann Carrellas is an Assistant Professor of Social Work at the University of Toledo where she teaches policy and practice courses. Her research interests include identifying social and community factors for youth who have intellectual disabilities that promote positive outcomes and prevent sexual victimization and exploitation.
Read MoreDr. Tahani Dari is an assistant professor of counselor education. Her scholarly work has focused attention on conducting community-based participatory research, with areas of interest on working with and advocating for diverse client populations (particularly youth) and advancing topics in school counseling.
Read MoreDr. Mamta Ojha is an Assistant Professor of Social Work at the University of Toledo. Her research and scholarship addresses work-family issues, homelessness, re-entry, and intimate partner violence utilizing the social justice framework. She is engaged in Wood County Project Homeless Connect, a community initiative to address homelessness.
Read MoreMarissa Kokkoros is the Founder of Aura Freedom. She’s worked with human trafficking survivors for over 10 years, has consulted at different levels of Canadian government, and is a key advisor for numerous anti-trafficking initiatives. Marissa is a feminist writer and her grassroots reports on gender-based violence have been featured internationally.
Read MoreCaro Cruys (they/them) is a second year, PhD student in the Social Welfare program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Their research focuses on the sexual and relational health of LGBTQ folks and employs a queer, intersectional approach to improve the lived experiences of all LGBTQ folks.
Read MoreDr. Lara Gerassi (she/her) is an assistant professor at the Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research uses an anti-oppressive, intersectional approach to enhance the wellbeing of people who are involved in the sex trade, including those who have been sex trafficked.
Read MoreDuane Herron is a Toledo native that grew up in foster care and was adopted. Mr. Herron will share experiences centering around the sexual abuse of his sisters and the aftermath that followed. Mr. Herron's connection to this trauma not only changed the course of his life, but it also took many years to face the devastation these events caused he and his sisters.
Read MoreToni Thompson has 45 years of international occupational therapy (OT) experience in mental health and pediatrics. She mentors OT doctoral candidates on trafficking capstones, presents at national and international venues, developed Community Integration doctoral capstone, authored several publications, and developed Facebook™ site Occupational Therapy Human Trafficking Network.
Read MoreDr. Jared Rose is an Ohio licensed professional clinical counselor and supervisor, a national certified counselor, and an EMDR certified therapist. He is an Associate Professor and the Program Coordinator for Bowling Green State University’s Clinical Mental Health & School Counseling Programs and the founder/owner of a private practice.
Read MoreLinda MacDonald, a grassroots feminist, applies 29 years of expertise, with colleague Jeanne Sarson, advocating for the human rights of women and girls enduring non-state torture and human trafficking globally. Their book, Women Unsilenced Our Refusal to Let Torturer-Traffickers Win, explains survivor ‘s behaviors as normal responses versus mental illness.
Read MoreFor 29 years, Jeanne Sarson has been developing grassroots science knowledge validating women’s truth-telling of surviving and recovering from family and non-family torture and trafficking victimizations. An independent writer, Jeanne, along with Linda MacDonald, has many publications including their 2021 book entitled, Women Unsilenced Our Refusal to Let Torturer-Traffickers Win.
Read MoreCrispin Rakibu Mbamba is a researcher and PhD student at the School of Social Welfare, University at Albany. His research is focused on child welfare and child trafficking interventions in Ghana. He has published in seasoned journals including Vulnerable Children and Youth Studies, Children and Youth Services Review, and Journal of Social Services Research.
Read MoreIsaac Arthur is a child rights advocate with expertise in child trafficking interventions. He works at International Needs Ghana (INGH) where he leads various teams in trafficking-sensitive areas to identify traffickers, collaborate with the police to rescue victims of trafficking, prosecute perpetrators of trafficking, and facilitate the after-care services for survivors.
Read MoreMonica Klonowski is a full-time Research Associate at the University of Toledo Human Trafficking and Social Justice Institute where she evaluates several state and local grants focused on infant mortality, community-based drug prevention programming, and programming geared toward runaway prevention.
Read MoreAnnette Mango lived on the streets for over 10 years freezing in alleyways, beaten, and drug addicted. In 2015, she found the Renee Jones Empowerment Center. Annette is now drug-free, family-oriented, and employed. From victim to survivor and now thriver, Annette uses her painful experiences to help educate others.
Read MoreHeather Wilde is a Forensic Nurse and Coordinator of the Forensics Program for Mt. Carmel Health in Columbus. Heather chair's the Ohio Attorney General's Human Trafficking Commission Healthcare Subcommittee. She also volunteers with Out of Darkness on the frontlines and leads their medical team which educates healthcare about the treatment of those in the life.
Read MoreLara Wilken is Coordinator of the RN-BSN program at Bowling Green State University, recently earning her doctorate with a focus on healthcare and human trafficking. Lara serves as co-chair for the Erie County Human Trafficking Task Force and is co-chair of the Ohio Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Public Awareness Committee.
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