Anneke Lucas is an author, speaker, advocate for sex trafficking victims, and creator of the Unconditional Model. Her work is based on personal experience of a 35-year healing journey as a survivor of extreme abuse. Anneke’s book “Quest for Love: Memoir of a Child Sex Slave,” was published in 2022.
Read MoreSarah Ascienzo (she/her/hers) is an Associate Professor in the School of Social Work at NC State University. Dr. Ascienzo teaches practice and research courses, as well as engages in research in the areas of psychological trauma, interpersonal violence, and student and provider wellbeing.
Read MoreCassi Rodgers earned her Master’s in Developmental Psychology from Lancaster University and her MSW from NC State University. Cassi has worked alongside Human Trafficking victims within DHHS/hospital settings. She is on the Nash UNC Hospital Human Trafficking committee and holds a Polaris HT Certification.
Read MoreAdora Nsonwu is a global social-behavioral scientist who studies sexual/reproductive health, human rights, global health policy, bioethics, and human trafficking. She received her Master of Public Health degree from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is currently a research fellow for the Center for Disease Control.
Read MoreDrake Gomez graduated with a BSW from NC State University. He has interned at the North Carolina Human Trafficking Commission and NC Stop Human Trafficking. He has completed the following certifications: DHS Human Trafficking Awareness, FEMA, Polaris Human Trafficking Training, Office for Victims of Crime Understanding Human Trafficking, and Victim Assistance Training - Crimes - Human Trafficking.
Read MoreDr. Maura Nsonwu is a Professor in the School of Social Work at NC State University. She has practiced as a clinician, educator, and researcher in refugee resettlement, human trafficking, health care, child welfare, and social work education. She co-authored the textbook, Human Trafficking: Applying Research, Theory and Case Studies.
Read MoreAlicia Tappan is the Founder and CEO of Survivor-Led Solutions, a trauma-informed, survivor-centered and led space for survivor leaders to change the narrative of human trafficking. She has presented hundreds of trainings at the national and state levels and appeared in numerous news reports, articles, and podcasts.
Read MoreBrittany Dunn, a leading expert in anti-human trafficking initiatives, leverages partnerships across public and private sectors. As Safe House Project's co-founder and COO, she builds collaborative survivor support networks. With an MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management, she spearheads initiatives to increase survivor identification and access to safe housing.
Read MoreAlia Azariah serves as the Director of Aftercare at Safe House Project, where she develops comprehensive programs to support human trafficking survivors. A survivor herself, Alia brings invaluable insight to her advocacy, focusing on trauma-informed care and empowerment strategies. She has testified before the UK Parliament and received the Resiliency Award from the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
Read MoreMindy Lause, Co-Chair of Northern Ohio REACH, is the Forensic Nursing Program Manager at St. Vincent Medical Center in Toledo, Ohio. She leads a team caring for trauma victims and champions treating violence as a healthcare issue, using forensic nursing to address it—even when it’s not the primary complaint.
Read MoreDr. Bonnie Price is Administrative Director of Community Health – Violence Response for Bon Secours in Richmond, Virginia overseeing violence prevention, human trafficking, workplace violence, and forensic nursing, which she co-founded in 1993. She serves on Virginia’s Sexual Assault Task Force and chairs the Richmond Regional Human Trafficking Collaborative.
Read MoreTrayce Hockstad is an attorney and law and policy analyst at the Transportation Policy Research Center at the Alabama Transportation Institute. She is a member of the Alabama and Virginia Bars and has clerked for several federal and state courts. Her areas of expertise include counter-trafficking, criminal procedure, and cybersecurity.
Read MoreDr. Kezban Yagci Sokat is an Assistant Professor of Business Analytics at San Jose State University with a passion for analytics for social good, especially in human trafficking. She serves on the U.S. Department of Transportation Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking Research and Data Subcommittee.
Read MoreDr. Alycha Boehm is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology at Kutztown University. Prior to this role, she spent 11 years as Clinical Supervisor and co-founded a residential safe house for youth survivors. Her dissertation is titled, “The Intersection of Shame and Trauma in Survivors of Child Sex Trafficking”.
Read MoreLaura Zimmerman is a PhD student at the Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research interests include mental illness and intimate partner and gender-based violence. She is currently assisting on projects researching youth engagement in trading of sexual acts and materials for financial compensation.
Read MoreCaro Cruys (they/he/she) is a clinical social worker and a social welfare PhD candidate in the Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Their research interests center the relational and mental health and wellbeing of queer and trans youth and adults.
Read MoreDr. Lara Gerassi (she/her) is an associate professor at the Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research aims to inform policies and programs that enhance the well-being of people who provide sexual acts or materials for financial compensation including those who experience trafficking.
Read MoreTrevor Melton is a PhD student in Clinical Psychology at Fuller Theological Seminary. He earned his BA in Psychology from Lee University and his MA in Clinical Psychology from Fuller Theological Seminary. At Fuller, Trevor researches technology and attention in child and adolescent populations.
Read MoreAdriana Cantero is a PsyD student in Clinical Psychology at Fuller Theological Seminary. Adriana earned her BA in Political Science from UCLA, and has MAs in Law, Politics and Policy, and in Social Work. At Fuller, Adriana researches complex trauma and resilience in youth with histories of sex trafficking.
Read MoreOladipo Adedeji is a PhD student in Clinical Psychology at Fuller Theological Seminary. He earned his MS in Pastoral Counseling from Loyola University Maryland. Oladipo researches learning, memory, and resilience in sex trafficked youth.
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