Anjum Umrani completed her undergraduate studies at Loyola University in Chicago, studying Psychology and French Literature. Anjum is a current student in the Clinical Psychology PhD program at Saint Louis University, Missouri. Her research interests include race and intergroup dynamics and global disparities in access to education and healthcare.
Read MoreRathnayake Mudiyanselage Bandaranayake is the Founder/Director of Youth Voice International, which has worked to address the specific challenges of children in Sri Lanka since 2010. He has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Peradiniya, an MBA from the University of Colombo, and a Post Graduate Diploma in International Relations.
Read MoreSherri Jefferson is the founder and executive director of the African American Juvenile Justice Project (AAJJP) which is dedicated to the needs of Black children. AAJJP is committed to HEMS: Healthcare, Housing, Education, Employment, Military/Maintenance and Support Services. Sherri created Juvenile Urban Sex Trafficking in the U.S. (JUSTUS) platform.
Read MoreCrystal Bennett (she/her) is an educator, an advocate, a survivor, and a self-proclaimed thriver! For the past 25 years, she has been driven by her personal experiences of trauma to elevate and amplify the voices of individuals and communities in order to promote healing and opportunities to move from surviving to thriving.
Read MoreKarie McGuire has spent most of her career working with individuals suffering from trauma: human trafficking, loss, or interpersonal violence. She has presented and done research on the subjects of complex trauma and human trafficking and is currently a therapist in New Jersey and a Clinical Assistant Professor at Widener University.
Read MoreChalsea Padilla is Advocating Opportunity’s (AO) first Nurse Advocate. Chalsea is a master’s prepared nurse completing the Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) program at The University of Toledo in 2021. She co-authored nursing research at The University of Toledo, Assessing Healthcare Provider Knowledge on Human Trafficking (2021), with critical care nursing experience in pediatrics.
Read MoreAnneke Lucas is an author, public speaker, and a counselor for survivors. Her work is based on personal experience of a 30-year healing journey after surviving being sold by her family as a child sex slave to a pedophile network, which shaped her message for personal and global healing.
Read MoreAlia Norton is a researcher and doctoral student in social ethics at Loyola University Chicago, with several years of experience in trafficking studies. Her work bridges critical race theory, social analysis, and intersectional feminist ethics and focuses on climate-displacement, transnational sex trafficking, and national/international policy and legislation.
Read MoreMrs. Joy Ukamaka Uduji holds a BSc in Nursing and an MSc in Nutrition from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. She is currently a PhD candidate in Public Health Education. She was the Director of Enugu State Nursing Services. She was also the Principal of School of Basic Midwifery in Awgu, Enugu State, Nigeria. Her research interest includes gender and healthcare management.
Read MoreDr. Elda Nduka Okolo-Obasi holds an MSc in Development Studies from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and Enugu Campuses and a PhD from the Institute for Development Studies at the University of Nigeria. His current research interests include economic and social impact evaluation of policies and projects of the public and private sectors in developing countries.
Read MoreProfessor Joseph Ikechukwu Uduji holds a PhD in Marketing and Public Administration and master’s degrees in Marketing, Public Relations, Business Administration, and Public Administration. He is currently the Head of the Department of Marketing at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. His current research interests include social justice, social responsibility, and inequality nexus in developing countries.
Read MoreNora Riggs is a licensed social worker and certified trauma-informed yoga instructor. She has worked in direct services and program development with survivors of human trafficking, poverty, homelessness, addiction, and other forms of trauma. After experiencing burnout and vicarious trauma, she is passionate about self-care and community care.
Read MoreBrianne Ede has an MA in Conflict Transformation from Eastern Mennonite University. With a focus on nonprofit leadership and trauma healing, she has nearly a decade of experience providing direct services to survivors of trafficking. Brianne's passion lies in promoting healing and wellness for survivors and service providers.
Read MoreDr. Christi Scott Bartman is the founder of Eyes Up Appalachia, an anti-human trafficking initiative focusing on the Appalachian Counties of Ohio. In 2021, she received The Social Justice Leader Award from HTSJI, and in 2023, she was awarded the Everyday Ohio Heroes Award for the Southeast Region by OCTF.
Read MoreCristian Eduardo is a speaker, educator for anti-trafficking initiatives, and advocate for immigrant and LGBTQ+ rights. He is a survivor of international and domestic human trafficking, a queer Mexican immigrant, a person living with HIV, and speaks openly about the mental health challenges that frequently result from trauma.
Read MoreDr. Shobana Powell is the CEO of Shobana Powell Consulting, a team of national clinical, legal, and survivor experts who provide training and technical assistance on the intersectionality of human trafficking and systemic oppression. Dr. Powell has provided trauma therapy and led human trafficking programs across the U.S.
Read MoreKenyette Tisha Barnes is a career political strategist, registered federal and state lobbyist, activist, survivor, former epidemiologist, organizer, mother, and the Co-Founder of the #MuteRKelly Movement. She is also an international organizer, human trafficking prevention expert, and has worked as a public speaker and lecturer.
Read MoreSonya Newton is a certified victim advocate and works at the Mercy Health Toledo Trauma Recovery Center. Sonya is a retired law enforcement officer with over 39 years of experience working in Lucas County. Sonya has a passion for serving individuals and community agency programs that are geared toward enhancing the community’s safety.
Read MoreOraLee Macklenar works at St. Vincent Medical Center and manages the Mercy Health Toledo Trauma Recovery Center which serves trauma patients and victims of crime. She is certified in cognitive therapy, trained in EMDR, and is a certified clinical trauma professional. OraLee serves on the executive committee for Northern Ohio REACH.
Read MoreMindy Lause has the privilege of serving the medical-legal needs of persons who have experienced violence at St. Vincent Medical Center in Toledo, Ohio as the Forensic Nursing Program Manager. Mindy is a nurse, a pioneer, and a believer that faith makes all things possible.
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