Kathryn “Ryn” Farmer, MSW, LSW, RA currently serves as the Rape Crisis and Anti-Human Trafficking Director at Crime Victim Services, whose mission is to provide safety, healing, justice and restitution to survivors. Ryn also serves as the Chair of the Northwest Ohio Rescue and Restore Coalition.
Read MoreDr. Mark Welty is the primary investigator in this study. He is an independently licensed clinical counselor and a licensed social worker. He presently works at The Village Network as the Director of Research and Innovation. He serves on Ohio’s advisory board for juvenile sex offender program certification.
Read MoreKakraba is a graduate of Salzburg University in Salzburg, Austria. Kakraba has also been involved with the Austrian Armed Forces International Centre in Vienna, Austria and has focused on combatting trafficking in human beings and international crisis management.
Read MoreJames “Jake” Hardie is an agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation and a member of the National Innocence Lost Task Force and local Northwest Ohio Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Read MoreDet. Swartz has been a member of the Toledo Police Department for the last 23 years. In 2006 Detective Swartz was assigned to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northwest Ohio Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force where he investigates sex trafficking matters. He is a member of the Ohio Attorney Generals Human Trafficking Commission and a member of the Lucas County Human Trafficking Coalition. He was the 2013 recipient of the Paladin Award and in 2014 the Ohio Liberator Award.
Read MoreErin Peterson is one of the Lucas County Human Trafficking Coalition education co-chairs. She does independent consulting with nonprofit organizations, corporations, health systems, and universities. Erin has a bachelor’s degree in communications from Northwestern University and a Master’s Degree in Education from Harvard University.
Read MoreHillary Gyuras is a graduate of the University of Toledo and the current External Affairs Manager for Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio. She provides comprehensive sexuality education to youth and adults in Lucas County and coordinates a Peer Education program that teaches teens how to educate their peers about reproductive health. Hillary serves as the Co-Chair for the LCHTC Education Committee.
Read MoreDr. Mulk Raj is a counselor, social activist, natural hygienist and yoga expert. Mulk and Roma built a coalition with NGOs and governmental agencies to reinforce legislations for social justice in India. Mulk co-authored " Joyful Healthy Sex" with Roma and Peterson. He also works as a volunteer for the American Red Cross.
Read MoreRoma Raj is a physician and counselor in India. She empowers underprivileged families in health care and educates on hazard of trafficking, prostitution and methods to escape from gangsters. Roma works as a volunteer for the American Red Cross. She is the co-recipient of the 2011 outstanding Alumni award with her husband Mulk Raj.
Read MoreSelmawit Woldemichael is an Ethiopian living in Denmark. She graduated with a Masters in Sociology graduate from Uppsala University, Sweden. Selmawit conducted research on trafficking Ethiopian women to the Middle East. She also worked as a research assistant for an Uppsala university based researcher on the issue of migration and trafficki of African women to Europe.
Read MoreJaxon Bowles, MRC, LSW is a Medical Social Worker for Mercy St. Charles Hospital. He completed his Masters of Rehabilitation Counseling at Bowling Green State University. He is a Licensed Social Worker in the state of Ohio. He has worked in many different aspects of Social Work for more than the past 30 years.
Read MoreModeste Berri is a survivor of childhood abuse and exploitation. At 11 years old, she lost her father. Influenced by the cultural practice of child fostering, her mother gave her way to relatives for work. She obtained her college degree and is currently working to protect children from abuse and exploitation in Cameron.
Read MoreDr. Amanda West, LCSW is an assistant professor in the Department of Social Work at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago. She previously worked with children and adolescents in community mental health settings for over 16 years. Her research interests focus on child mental health, child trafficking, and qualitative methodologies.
Read MoreDr. Knighton is an independent consultant and national trainer with over 17 years of combined experience as a Social Worker with the Cuyahoga County Department of Children and Family Service and the Missing Persons Unit for the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Department. Dr. Knighton creates curricula and provides training on a plethora topics for a variety of agencies and national conferences.
Read MoreAs a Title IX Investigator, Ali works directly with individuals reporting sexual assault, exploitation, harassment, intimate/domestic partner violence, and stalking. Ali has an M.S. in Higher Education and an M.L.S. in Human Rights & Social Justice. She is also a certified bystander intervention trainer through Green Dot and TIPs.
Read MoreKathleen W. Gorman, OTD, OTR/L, received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Xavier University and doctoral degree in occupational therapy from the University of Toledo. Currently, she is completing a fellowship in the Psychosocial Rehabilitation Postdoctoral Program at the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System.
Read MoreKim Kohl, OTR/L, MAOL has been practicing occupational therapy for over 22 years. She is a graduate of Cleveland State University. She earned her Master’s in Organizational Leadership at Malone University with the intention of providing specialized services to treat victims of human trafficking. She is also a licensed massage therapist.
Read MoreDr. Amber Horning is an Assistant Professor in the Sociology Department at William Paterson University. She researches sex markets and human trafficking. Her dissertation is based on one of the largest and most comprehensive data collection about ‘pimps’ in the United States. This study has resulted in publications and will result in two books, including a volume “Third Party Sex Work and ‘Pimps’ in the Age of Anti-Trafficking.”
Read MoreKed Frank is the Founder and Executive Director of Refuge for Women. Ked is a graduate of Mount Vernon Nazarene University with a religion degree and is currently finishing up work at Liberty University with a degree in professional counseling.
Read MoreKacey Long, graduate student at the University of Michigan, is completing a Master of Social Work. She focuses on Title IX and interpersonal violence policy related to LGBTQ populations and has three-years-experience in direct practice with sexual assault survivors. She interns at UT’s Human Trafficking and Social Justice Institute.
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