Meet Our Team

The Honorable Robert R. Lung
District Court Judge, 18th Judicial Circuit of Colorado
Chair (2018-2020) and Member, U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking
Member, International Council on Human Trafficking
Castle Rock, CO

Judge Robert Lung currently presides over a Domestic Relations docket in the 18th Judicial District of Colorado. He has served as a judicial officer in the 18th Judicial District for over seventeen years in almost every docket type with a specialty in human services cases. Judge Lung also provides presentations nationally and internationally on issues such as human trafficking, childhood trauma and resiliency. In 2016, then Chief Justice Nancy Rice of the Colorado Supreme Court appointed Judge Lung as the Judicial Representative to the Colorado Human Trafficking Council on which he served as Vice-Chair through 2020.

Judge Lung received Presidential appointment to the National Advisory Committee on the Sex Trafficking of Children and Youth in the United States under the Obama Administration in 2017 and Presidential appointment under the Trump administration in 2018 to the U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking on which he served as Chair until July 2020. Judge Lung also provides consultation to the Department of Justice, the Administration for Children and Families, the State Department and NCMEC. During his childhood he suffered severe complex and chronic child abuse, he was also trafficked and tortured for several years. He regards resiliency and the grace of God for his ability to survive and he gives thanks that he transitioned from victim to survivor to “thriver.” In his “free time” Judge Lung works on his first book which will regard the power of hope and he endeavors to keep up with his two adopted sons in hiking, dirt biking and downhill mountain biking.

Judge Lung received his undergraduate degree from Regis University in 1992 and his law degree from the University of Dayton School of Law in 1997.

M. Kazam Hashimi

Afghan SIV in the U.S.
Mentee & Interpreter, Hello Neighbor
Pittsburgh, PA

Kazam Hashimi moved to the United States as an SIV (Special Immigrant Visa) in December 2015 after working the United States military in Afghanistan. He has been involved with Hello Neighbor since 2017, and currently lives just outside of Pittsburgh in Washington County, Pennsylvania.

The Honorable Robert R. Lung

District Court Judge, 18th Judicial Circuit of Colorado
Chair (2018-2020) and Member, U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking
Member, International Council on Human Trafficking
Castle Rock, CO
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Judge Robert Lung currently presides over a Domestic Relations docket in the 18th Judicial District of Colorado. He has served as a judicial officer in the 18th Judicial District for over seventeen years in almost every docket type with a specialty in human services cases. Judge Lung also provides presentations nationally and internationally on issues such as human trafficking, childhood trauma and resiliency. In 2016, then Chief Justice Nancy Rice of the Colorado Supreme Court appointed Judge Lung as the Judicial Representative to the Colorado Human Trafficking Council on which he served as Vice-Chair through 2020.

Judge Lung received Presidential appointment to the National Advisory Committee on the Sex Trafficking of Children and Youth in the United States under the Obama Administration in 2017 and Presidential appointment under the Trump administration in 2018 to the U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking on which he served as Chair until July 2020. Judge Lung also provides consultation to the Department of Justice, the Administration for Children and Families, the State Department and NCMEC. During his childhood he suffered severe complex and chronic child abuse, he was also trafficked and tortured for several years. He regards resiliency and the grace of God for his ability to survive and he gives thanks that he transitioned from victim to survivor to “thriver.” In his “free time” Judge Lung works on his first book which will regard the power of hope and he endeavors to keep up with his two adopted sons in hiking, dirt biking and downhill mountain biking.

Judge Lung received his undergraduate degree from Regis University in 1992 and his law degree from the University of Dayton School of Law in 1997.

Prof. Dr. Roza Pati

Founder & Director, The John J. Brunetti Human Trafficking Academy
Professor of Law & Executive Director
LL.M./ J.S.D. Program in Intercultural Human Rights
St. Thomas University College of Law, Miami, FL
Member, Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, The Vatican
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Prof. Dr. Roza Pati is a tenured Professor of Law at St. Thomas University College of Law, where she also co-directs the programs of Master of Laws and the Doctorate of the Science of Law in Intercultural Human Rights. Inspired by her work against human trafficking since the early 1990s, Dr. Pati founded in 2010 the John J. Brunetti Human Trafficking Academy, an institute she continues to direct.

Dr. Pati is a prolific scholar, who has written extensively in the field of international law, human rights, human trafficking and international criminal law. She is a globally published author of books, book chapters and law review articles in multiple languages and she lectures at academic, governmental and inter-governmental institutions around the world. She earned her Doctorate of the Science of Law degree, summa cum laude, at the University of Potsdam, Germany, her LL.M., summa cum laude, at St. Thomas University College of Law, and her B.A., highest honors, and LL.B., honors, at the University of Tirana, Albania.

Her areas of expertise include international law, human rights law, comparative law, human trafficking law, terrorism law, and she is a proponent of the New Haven School of Jurisprudence. Dr. Pati is Faculty Adviser of the Intercultural Human Rights Law Review and member of the Editorial Board of the international series: Studies in Intercultural Human Rights, published by BRILL/ Martinus Nijhoff Publishers.

Formerly a Member of Parliament and a Cabinet Member serving as the Secretary of State for Youth and Women of Albania, Dr. Pati has a wealth of experience in public service and academia. In 2012, Dr. Pati was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI to serve as Member of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace at the Vatican, and in 2020 she was appointed by the Holy Father Pope Francis to serve as Member of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, The Vatican.

Maryem Reyes

Venezuelan Asylee in the U.S.
LL.M. Candidate, Intercultural Human Rights Program
St. Thomas University College of Law
Miami, FL

Ms. Maryem Reyes is a Venezuelan attorney and current LL.M. Candidate in the Intercultural Human Rights Program at St. Thomas University College of Law. In 2013, Ms. Reyes fled Venezuela in order to seek protection and security for herself and her family. Since then, Ms. Reyes has shown a commitment to her education, thus achieving her long-awaited stability and quality of life.

Professor Michael S. Vastine

Professor of Law & Director, Immigration Clinic
St. Thomas University College of Law
Miami, FL

Professor Michael Vastine joined the faculty of St. Thomas University College of Law in 2004, where he is a tenured professor of law and Director of the Immigration Clinic. A frequent conference speaker and author, he is also a leader of the immigration bar, with extensive service within the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). From 2011-20, he was elected to serve on the AILA South Florida Chapter Board of Directors, including a term as Chair of the Chapter. Professor Vastine’s AILA national-level service includes multiple terms on the Federal Litigation Section Steering Committee, Annual Conference Planning Committee, and Amicus Curiae Committee. His impact litigation principally relates to immigration and crimes, including the lead case at the Florida Supreme Court establishing the constitutional rights of immigrant defendants to effective representation by their criminal counsel, and multiple cases at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit delineating the immigration consequences of Florida convictions involving controlled substances. Additionally, he has represented AILA and other community-based organizations, as amicus curiae counsel, in forums ranging from the Board of Immigration Appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court, in matters including the constitutional limits of indefinite detention of immigrants, the due process rights of the physically deported, and the immigration consequences of state crimes. In 2013, Professor Vastine received the AILA (National) Elmer Fried Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Jennifer Reyes Lay

Executive Director
U.S. Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking
St. Louis, MO

Jennifer Reyes Lay has served as the first Executive Director of U.S. Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking since 2019. She believes strongly in the vision of a world without slavery and exploitation. Jennifer has attended many conferences both internationally and nationally on the subject of human trafficking and is a frequent presenter on the topic. Prior to this role Jennifer served as the Assistant Director of the JPIC Office for the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word – San Antonio, a congregation she first connected with as a lay missionary in Peru. She has a Master of Divinity from Eden Theological Seminary, and an honors B.A. in Theology and International Studies from St. Louis University.

Sloane Davidson

Founder and CEO, Hello Neighbor
Pittsburgh, PA

Sloane Davidson is the Founder and CEO of Hello Neighbor. Hello Neighbor works to improve the lives of recently resettled refugee and immigrant families through mentorship. Their ultimate goal is to help families feel more comfortable and confident in their new lives in Pittsburgh. What started as Sloane inviting a Syrian family in her neighborhood to Thanksgiving Dinner in 2016 has blossomed into a nonprofit organization that has matched 72 families from 11 countries of origin with caring Pittsburghers to help guide and support them through events, life skills, and cultural exchange. Currently over 4,000 mentoring hours have been spent together.

Sloane was named to the 2018 Pittsburgh Magazine 40 under 40 and was included on The Incline’s Who’s Next Philanthropy. That same year she was also named an Immigrant Advocate of the Year by Global Pittsburgh, a finalist for the Distinguished Individual Leadership Award at Coro Pittsburgh’s Martin Luther King Jr. Awards, and received recognition from Park Place AME Church and St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church for her community service and dedicate to Pittsburgh

Previous to starting Hello Neighbor, Sloane spent 15 years in the nonprofit, international development, and social impact sector. She is perhaps most well known for her cause-based blog, The Causemopolitan, which she operated from 2008-2015. An active philanthropist and advocate, Sloane currently sits on the Council for the Women’s Philanthropy Institute and Resolve Network. In 2009, Sloane served as a Kiva Fellow in the Philippines.

Sloane received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Vermont and a Masters in Public Policy and Management from The University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs. She lives in Highland Park with her husband and two young sons.

FAQs for Health Academy

Is this year’s Academy offered online?
Yes, this year’s Academy is offered exclusively online from October 18 at 9:00 a.m. through November 1 at 11:59 p.m. (EST).

How long does it take to complete the Academy?
The curriculum consists of 15 distinct courses that are approximately 90-minutes in length each. In addition, participants will have access to reading materials and the ability to interact with each other and the distinguished instructors via the Discussion Boards.

Will I be able to work at my own pace?
The Academy is an intensive training designed for participants to complete one full Module (consisting of three courses that are approximately 90-minutes in length each) per day from October 18 through October 22. However, in order to allow some flexibility for the working professionals, access to the Academy will be available 24/7 from October 18 at 9:00 a.m. through November 1 at 11:59 p.m. (EST) for participants to work at their own pace. Access to the Academy will promptly close at 11:59 p.m. (EST) on November 1.

Who attends the Human Trafficking Academy?
This Academy is an intensive, advanced “train-the-trainer” curriculum. Participants consist of academics, attorneys, government officials, service providers, case managers, healthcare workers, investigators, students, and others from faith-based, public, and private sectors hailing from across the nation and around the world.

How often is the 15-course Academy offered?
The Academy is typically offered on an annual basis. Each year a brand new, cutting-edge curriculum taught by the top experts in the field is offered.

How do I access the online Academy?
Participants will access the Academy through an online platform. As the event nears, participants will be emailed instructions on how to access the system. Participants will need internet access and the ability to play videos on their device.

Will I receive a Certificate from St. Thomas University College of Law?
Certification will be granted to those participants that meet the minimum attendance requirement of 80% of class time. In November 2021, Certificates awarded by St. Thomas University College of Law will be mailed to participants who successfully complete the Academy to the address provided on the participant’s Registration Form.

Will I have access to the Academy after November 1, 2021?
No individual or entity may record, upload, share, broadcast, copy, store, distribute, etc., any portion of the Academy’s video presentations, curriculum, PowerPoints, discussion board content, etc. (“Academy Materials”) without the Academy’s prior written consent. Unauthorized use of any Academy Materials without the prior written consent of the Academy is strictly prohibited. Participants are encouraged to take notes during the Academy for their personal use and learning. The use of third-party Reading Materials referenced in the Academy are governed by their own respective copyright obligations. Participants may not retain or access any other Academy Materials beyond their personal notes or that which is already in the public domain after the conclusion of the Academy on November 1 at 11:59 p.m. (EST).

Is the John J. Brunetti Human Trafficking Academy a nonprofit organization?
Yes, the John J. Brunetti Human Trafficking Academy is a nonprofit organization. To learn more or make a donation, please visit www.humantraffickingacademy.org/give.

Are group discounts available? How can I register a group at a discounted rate?
Yes. A 25% discount is available for organizations/institutions that register three or more participants. To register your group at a discounted rate, contact humantrafficking@stu.edu or call (305) 628-6688.

Are student discounts available? How can I register at a student rate?
Yes. A 25% discount is available for students with proof of valid student I.D. To register at the student discounted rate, contact humantrafficking@stu.edu or call (305) 628-6688.

What is the minimum age requirement to attend the Academy?
Due to the sensitive subject matter, participants must be over 18 years old.

Will Continuing Legal Education (CLE) be offered?
Continuing Legal Education (CLE) is pending with The Florida Bar. Participants seeking CLE in states outside of Florida may contact their respective state bars to determine if reciprocal CLE credit is available to them.

Xinia Bermudez, Esq.

Staff Attorney
Catholic Legal Services
Miami, FL

Xinia Bermúdez is a Supervising Attorney at Catholic Charities Legal Services in Miami, Florida. Most of her clients are seeking asylum, victims of crime and/or trafficking. Xinia was also CLINIC Separated Families Fellow, where she focused on representation for families who were separated under the “Zero Tolerance” policy at the southern border. Additionally, Xinia supervises the Immigration Court Help Desk program, which provides pro se assistance to unrepresented individuals in immigration proceedings at the Miami Immigration Court.

Prior to joining CCLS, Xinia was a Legal Fellow at the Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL), providing assistance to victims of human rights violations in Latin America. She also worked in the House of Representatives in the U.S. Congress and Street Law, a nonprofit organization that promotes civic education, democracy, and human rights.

Xinia obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Latin American Studies from New York University and a Juris Doctor with a concentration in international law with honors from Boston University School of Law.

Ana I. Vallejo, Esq.

Co-Director & Attorney
VIDA Legal Assistance, Inc.
Former Coordinator, Human Trafficking Academy
Miami, FL

Ms. Ana Isabel Vallejo is co-director of VIDA Legal Assistance, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the rights of immigrant survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence, trafficking in persons and other violent crimes. Ms. Vallejo has been representing immigrant survivors of violence for over 15 years. She has represented trafficked persons and has worked in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI, the U.S. Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security. In addition to direct legal representation, Ms. Vallejo has been part of the faculty and a panelist in numerous national and international trainings and conferences. Ms. Vallejo has a law degree and a Master of Laws degree from St. Thomas University College of Law, Miami, Florida.

The Honorable Suamhirs Piraino-Guzman

Behavioral Health Specialist, MPsy
Presidential Appointee, U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking (2015-2018)
Seattle, WA

Suamhirs Piraino-Guzman currently oversees King County’s largest publicly funded behavioral health initiative, the Mental Illness and Drug Dependency Tax Fund at the King County Department of Community and Human Services. Suamhirs was the Senior Program Coordinator at the International Rescue Committee and led the Washington Anti-Trafficking Response Network.

Suamhirs graduated from the University of California San Diego with a Master’s in Psychology. He has years of experience developing curriculum and providing training on trauma-informed care, mental health, human trafficking, evidence-based practices, and more to Child Welfare Systems and non-profit organizations across 38 states. Suamhirs’ professional experience also includes direct services to vulnerable youth, program management, policy advocacy around foster care and human trafficking, and co-coordination of the National Survivor Network. As a male survivor and an expert in behavioral psychology, Suamhirs has been an active consultant for the Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime, a subject matter expert Consultant for the Department of Health and Human Services National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistant Center, and the International Association of Human Trafficking Investigators, and is a member of the National Council for Community Behavioral Health.

He was appointed by President Barack Obama to the United States Advisory Council on Human Trafficking and has worked with the United Nations and Vital Voices International to develop curriculum and training on engaging men in gender-based violence initiatives.

Caroline Chisholm

Unaccompanied Children Caseworker
International Rescue Committee
New York, NY

Caroline Chisholm is an Unaccompanied Children Caseworker with the International Rescue Committee in New York, NY. She has been serving in her current role since December 2019, providing Home Study and Post Release Services to minors following their reunification with sponsors to support them in connecting with appropriate social services and resources throughout the city.

Prior to her current role, Caroline served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Guatemala from 2017-2019. As the inaugural Youth in Development Facilitator in her town, Caroline worked with teenagers in schools across the district to promote the practice of healthy lifestyle habits, life skills and youth leadership skills as well, while contributing to overall capacity building within those schools, nonprofits, the local health district and local municipal office for youth. She spent the last few months of her service launching a Peer Health Education Program in partnership with student leaders from eight local schools, the local health district, the municipal office for youth along with other community partners to educate youths on sexual and reproductive health. These experiences have all contributed to a passion to empowering youth by providing them with the space to realize their full potential and finding effective ways to leverage these opportunities for them, in countries throughout Latin America and in New York as well.

Caroline Chisholm earned a Bachelor’s of Arts in Latin American Studies and Sociology from the University of Virginia in 2017.

Trafficking in Human Beings: A Global Concern, Intercultural Human Rights Law Review, Vol. 1 (2006)

■ Table of Contents – Volume 1

■ Volume 1 Title Page

■ Dedication, by Siegfried Wiessner

■ The Miami Declaration of Principles on Human Trafficking: Its Genesis and Purpose, by Roza Pati

■ The Miami Declaration of Principles on Human Trafficking

Symposium – Invisible Chains: Breaking the Ties of Human Trafficking in Humans (Nov. 12, 2004)

■ President’s Welcome Address, by Rev. Msgr. Franklyn M. Casale

■ Trafficking in Persons: The 21st Century Version of Human Slavery, by Ambassador R. James “Jim” Nicholson

■ The Call for a 21st Century Abolitionist Movement, by Ambassador John R. Miller

■ Putting Lives Back Together: Women Helping Women – The Italian Experience of Women Religious, by Sr. Eugenia Bonetti

■ Escape to Freedom: A Former Slave’s Story, by Francis Bok

■ U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement: At the Forefront of the Fight against Human Trafficking, by John P. Woods

Symposium – Addressing the Scourge of Human Trafficking: International and Domestic Solutions (Feb. 10, 2005)

■ The Dean’s Welcome Address, by Robert A. “Bob” Butterworth

■ Addressing the Scourge of Human Trafficking: The Challenge Ahead, by Roza Pati

■ The OSCE and the Struggle against Human Trafficking: The Argument for a Comprehensive, Multi-Pronged Approach, by Helga Konrad

■ Strategies for Combating Human Trafficking within the United States, Canada and Mexico, by Dorchen A. Leidholdt

Articles

■ The Trafficking Victims Protection Act: A Work in Progress, by Terry Coonan

■ Between a Sharp Rock and a Very Hard Place: The Trafficking Victims Protection Act and the Unintended Consequences of the Law Enforcement Cooperation Requirement, by Charles Song and Suzy Lee

■ How Strong Collaboration between Legal and Social Service Professionals Will Improve Outcomes for Trafficking Survivors and the Anti-Trafficking Movement, by Heather C. Moore

■ Invisible Chains: Psychological Coercion of Human Trafficking Victims, by Elizabeth Hopper and Jose Hidalgo

■ The Next Step in the Fight against Human Trafficking: Outlawing the Trade in Slave-Made Goods, by Kevin Bales and Becky Cornell

■ Human Security or State Security? The Overriding Threat in Trafficking in Persons, by Mohamed Y. Mattar

■ Prosecuting Peacekeepers in the ICC for Human Trafficking, by Melanie O’Brien

■ Human Trafficking in the Netherlands: The Protection of and Assistance to Victims in Light of Domestic and International Law and Policy, by Cindy Braspenning

■ Trafficking into Prostitution in India and the Indian Judiciary, by Kuma Regmi

■ Assessing Human Trafficking in Canada: Flawed Strategies and the Rhetoric of Human Rights, by Constance MacIntosh

Imelda Medina, MD, MPH

Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
President, Familias Unidas International, Inc.
Miami, Florida

Imelda Mercedes Medina, MD MPH graduated from Ponce School of Medicine, PR, USA (MD Degree) and University of Miami Miller School of Medicine Department of Public Health Sciences (MPH Degree). She was born to serve and practices Health Promotion and Disease Prevention with a focus on Person and People Centered Care at the local and global level. Dr. Medina is a proud member of Rotary Club Miami Airport, Founder and Chair of the Rotarian Public Health Fellowship, and her 501(c)(3) non-profit organization is called Familias Unidas International, Inc.

Justice at the Door: Ending Domestic Servitude, Intercultural Human Rights Law Review, Vol. 7 (2012)

Intercultural Human Rights Law Review Annual Symposium (Jan. 27, 2012)

■ Table of Contents – Volume 7

■ Volume 7 Title Page

■ The President’s Welcome Address, by Rev. Msgr. Franklyn M. Casale

■ Opening Remarks, by Dean Douglas Ray

■ Domestic Servitude: A Contemporary Form of Slavery, by Roza Pati

■ Back to Freedom: From Surviving to Thriving – An Introduction, by Ana I. Vallejo

■ Back to Freedom: From Surviving to Thriving – A Panel Discussion, by Ana I. Vallejo, Simone Celestin, Sabrina Salomon

■ Ensuring Decent Work for Domestic Workers: An Integral Approach to the Prevention of Labor Trafficking, by Mark Ensalaco

■ Human Trafficking and Diplomatic Immunity: Impunity No More?, by Martina E. Vandenberg and Alexandra F. Levy

■ U.S. Anti-Trafficking Policy and the J-1 Visa Program: The State Department’s Challenge from Within, by Patricia Medige and Catherine Griebel Bowman

■ The New York Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights: Justice at the Door, by Talle D. Gilmore

■ Modem-Day Slavery Eclipsing the Sunshine State Compels Safe Harbor Legislation in Florida, by Lydia Butler

Articles

■ Double Jeopardy in the Inter-American System of Human Rights: Balancing the Right and the Remedy, by Lisl Brunner

■ Equality, Procedural Justice, and the World Trade Organization, by Adam S. Chilton and Ryan W. Davis

■ Extreme Makeover – Contract Law Edition: A New Home for Human Rights and Social Responsibility (Lessons from Israel), by Eli Bukspan

Justice at the Door: Ending Domestic Servitude, Intercultural Human Rights Law Review, Vol. 7 (2012)

Table of Contents – Volume 7

■ Table of Contents – Volume 7

■ Volume 7 Title Page

■ The President’s Welcome Address, by Franklyn M Casale

■ Opening Remarks, by Douglas Ray

■ Domestic Servitude A Contemporary Form of Slavery Justice at the Door Ending Domestic Servitude, by Roza Pati

■ Back to Freedom: From Surviving to Thriving, by Ana I. Vallejo

■ Justice at the Door: Ending Domestic Servitude, by Ana I. Vallejo, Simone Celestin, Sabrina Salomon

■ Ensuring Decent Work for Domestic Workers: An Integral Approach to the Prevention of Labor Trafficking, by Mark Ensalaco

■ Human Trafficking and Diplomatic Immunity: Impunity No More?, by Martina E. Vandenberg and Alexandra F. Levy

■ U.S. Anti-Trafficking Policy and the J-1 Visa Program: The State Department’s Challenge from Within, by Patricia Medige and Catherine Griebel Bowman

■ The New York Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights: Justice at the Door, by Talle D. Gilmore

■ Modem-Day Slavery Eclipsing the Sunshine State Compels Safe Harbor Legislation in Florida, by Lydia Butler

■ Double Jeopardy in the Inter-American System of Human Rights: Balancing the Right and the Remedy, by Lisl Brunner

■ Equality, Procedural Justice, and the World Trade Organization, by Adam S. Chilton and Ryan W. Davis

■ Extreme Makeover – Contract Law Edition: A New Home for Human Rights and Social Responsibility (Lessons from Israel), by Eli Bukspan

Section

Research

The Academy conducts research and generates publications to advance knowledge and develop local, national and global solutions to combat human trafficking. The Academy has pioneered publications in the field of human trafficking such as on issues of domestic servitude, the intersection of migration and human trafficking, supply chains, etc. J.S.D. students are actively involved in research and writing on major human trafficking legal topics in the United States and in other nations. Current scholarship on cutting-edge human trafficking issues is regularly published in the Intercultural Human Rights Law Review of St. Thomas University College of Law, which is globally recognized for academic impact.

Education

The Academy develops education programs for those with the greatest capacity and ability to impact human trafficking. It has shined a light on modern day slavery by hosting numerous symposia, seminars, roundtables, and educational events for government officials, law enforcement, lawyers, judges, health care providers, academics, students, researchers, faith-based institutions and beyond in the United States and abroad. Annually, the Academy offers its renowned 15-course Human Trafficking Academy, which is an advanced certification for leaders at the forefront of combatting human trafficking.

Survivor Empowerment

The Academy aims to empower survivor leadership in our global community. We do this by offering presentations and trainings by survivor leaders who inform our work against human trafficking with their perspectives and experiences. The Academy also keeps an open door to survivors of human trafficking to satisfy their training needs, simultaneously welcoming their guidance on our initiatives.

Law & Policy

The Academy instructs on best practices, procedures, law and policy on issues related to the crime of trafficking in persons. The Miami Declaration of Principles on Human Trafficking, a set of law and policy recommendations for decision makers, has been influential domestically and abroad since 2005. The Academy offers testimonies, expert opinions and feedback on resolutions, ordinances, bills, laws, etc., both at local and global level.

Dr. Brook Parker-Bello

Founder and CEO/ED of More Too Life, Inc.
Survivor of Human Trafficking

Dr. Brook Parker Bello, Founder and CEO/ED of More Too Life, Inc., and a sought-after international speaker, and champion against human trafficking and teacher in what she calls “Digital Integrity, Intelligence and Safety. She has been recognized with countless achievement awards, fellows and appointments, and most recently was named a Google Next Gen Policy Leader, with the ability to learn from leading Google executives and other leaders in profound aspects that deal with world issues in relation to tech and tech policy. She received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the 44^thPresident of the United States and the White House in December 2016.

She also received the advocate of the year in the state of Florida from the Attorney General Pam Bondi, Human Trafficking Council held by the A.G. and Governor Rick Scott and his cabinet. Dr. Bello is also the author of innovative root cause focused successful curriculum’s such as, RJEDE™ (Restorative Justice End Demand Education) a court appointed and volunteer course for violators of sexual violence, prostitution and human trafficking prevention in Miami/Dade, Sarasota and Manatee counties. In addition, LATN™ and LATN D2 (Living Above the Noise) educational mentoring curriculum for victims and prevention of sexual violence and human trafficking and SOS U for college campuses, military bases, churches and others.

She holds a PH.D in pastoral clinical counseling and accreditation in pastoral clinical and temperance based counseling and currently holds a bachelor in biblical studies, masters in pastoral clinical counseling and two honorary doctorates one in humane letters, theology and biblical studies from Covenant Theological Seminary, National Christian Counseling Association, CICA University and Seminary and Richmond Virginia Seminary. Her dissertation defends the urgency in spirituality in mental health and the profound pain caused by shame. Bello is also a licensed chaplain and ambassador with CICA (Canadian Institute of Chaplains and Ambassadors, the only university accredited by the United Nations Economic and Social Council, UN-ECOSOC and she is an alumni of the Masters Series of Distinguished Leaders by Skinner Leadership Institute. Dr. Bello was chosen 1 of 10 national heroes in a series by Dolphin Digital Media and United Way Worldwide called, The Hero Effect.” Her expertise is evident in many ways. More Too Life is an anti-sexual violence, human trafficking and youth crime prevention organization that was named by United Way Worldwide as one of the best in the nation.

Her innovative curriculum and direct and indirect services at More Too Life that affect thousands of victims, hundreds of thousands of national community, as well as prevention education to hundreds of youth and young adults annually has been said to be ground-breaking. More Too Life operates an Education and Assessment Crisis Care Center in Sarasota county with new services to 4 counties under the new sub-contract with Voices for Florida. Dr. Bello is a sought after motivational speaker, a keynote lecturer and minister whose story has been seen in ESSENCE and EBONY magazine with articles in over 100 magazines, newspapers and e-zines. Her speaking engagements include, the White House, Federal HHS, Regent University, Virginia Commonwealth, Miles College, Alabama University, USF, Ringling College of Art and Design, Shared Hope International, Wheelock College of Boston, Georgetown University, Festival Cannes, UCLA, Cal-State Dominguez Hills, Cal-State Irvine, Alabama’s UAB, Miles College, United Way Worldwide, and various United Ways, the prestigious Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Frederick Douglass Family Initiative, Joshua Dubois-Values Partnerships, Rotary International Conference and so many more, with a passion, intelligence and grace from someone who has thrived far past the trauma.

Michael J. Osgood

Deputy Chief of NYPD (Retired)

Deputy Chief Michael J. Osgood is a thirty-five year veteran of the NYPD. He served as the Commanding Officer of the Special Victims Division for over 8 years which included the Hate Crimes Task Force. Prior to that he served directly for 8 years as the Commanding Officer of the Hate Crime Task Force. In both roles Deputy Chief Osgood has delivered the Right to Identity Safety and the Right to Identity Equity to tens of thousands of victims. Deputy Chief Osgood retired from the NYPD in December 2018.

In his assignment with the Special Victims Division Deputy Chief Osgood led all adult sexual assault investigations; child physical abuse investigations, child sexual abuse investigations, transit sexual assault investigations, registered sex offender investigations and sexual assault cold case investigations in the City of New York. The NYPD’s Special Victims Division investigated over 16,000 Special Victims cases in 2018. The Division has over 300 investigative personnel. Deputy Chief Osgood was also responsible for the monitoring of over 15,000 Registered NYC Sex Offenders. The Special Victims Division is comprised of 20 separate Special Victims operational units placed throughout New York City. During his 16 years as a NYPD Detective Bureau Commander Deputy Chief Osgood has led over 100,000 investigations and has led over 500 detectives.

Deputy Chief Osgood has the distinction of solving every homicide assigned to him; of solving every gang assault assigned to him; solving over 700 stranger rapes; solving hundreds of New York City’s most complex cases and investigating hundreds of New York City’s high-profile cases.

In his assignment as the Commanding Officer of the Special Victims Division Chief Osgood has led the creation and establishment of a Data Science/Machine Learning Group, a Bronx Child Abuse Squad, Special Victims Night Watch Squad, Transit Special Victims Squad, Complex Case Squad, Stranger Rape Cold Case Squad, Stranger Rape Predictive Modeling Group, Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault Team, a Sex Crime Report Classification Unit and a Quality Assurance Group.

During his 8 years as SVD Commanding Officer Deputy Chief Osgood has implemented the Survivor Centered Model, You Have Options, Forensic Experiential Trauma Interview (FETI) method, Advocate Closed Sex Crime Case Review, an Attempted Rape rule, an Unfounded Rape rule, Hospital Response Protocol, an Investigative Framework and a mental model of Investigative Process Discipline

In his assignment with the Hate Crime Task Force Deputy Chief Osgood has managed the investigation of over seven thousand hate crime cases. In his role as the Commanding Officer he has formalized the concept of Right to Identity Predictability, developed a General Behavioral Analysis of NYC Hate Crime Offenders and has developed and utilized a Major Case Violent Hate Crime Offender Predictive Model and has developed and utilized a Local Crimeogenic Network Model to solve hate crimes.

Deputy Chief Osgood, in addition to championing the improvement of Special Victims investigative services throughout the county, has also been an outspoken on the national homicide clearance rate being a National Crisis.

Kutisha T. Ebron

Ph.D. Candidate, Institute for Ethical Leadership
St. Thomas University

Ms. Kutisha Ebron is a passionate social inclusion professional with over 15 years of career experience within the United Nations system. She served on the United Nations Secretary-General High-Level Panel on Women’s Economic Empowerment. The programs she has worked on span the world’s regions, covering social innovation areas that include ending violence against women, gender equality, women, peace and security, and social integration. In addition, she is a Fellow with WEI Forward and Urban Health 360 working on issues pertaining to GBV and the intersection of Urban Health.

Ms. Ebron holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Towson University as well as a master’s degree in Management from St. Thomas University. She is currently working on her Ph.D., Ethical Leadership at St. Thomas University.

The Honorable Kwami Adoboe-Herrera
Member, U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking
Eastlake, Ohio

Kwami Adoboe-Herrera is an anti-trafficking advocate, a consultant and a speaker. As a survivor himself, he understands the unfortunate impact of human trafficking around us. His lived experience guided his career and interests to support policies that help support victims as they navigate life after experiencing trafficking. Kwami was featured in a documentary called Break the Chain. The film provides a detailed look at how trafficking goes unnoticed within our backyards. Break the Chain was developed to provide an accurate and educational entertainment resource that can be utilized in training and community awareness events throughout the United States. Kwami is currently a member of Not for Sale: One Step at a Time, an organization that brings awareness and hope to this hardly seen issue in communities across Ohio, America, and around the world. With the help of God we will defeat this heinous crime against human life.

Kwami’s goals are to raise awareness, reduce the risk of victimization, educate members of the government and the general public, and advocate for victim protection and wellness. Kwami received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education from Walsh University. His ultimate goal is to work for the Department of Justice as an FBI agent to rescue victims from their trafficker.

Rebekah Charleston
Strategic Initiatives Director
The Jensen Project
Irving, Texas

Bekah Charleston is a nationally respected leader and a dynamic public speaker whose story of survival, triumph, and determination has been featured in communities across the United States and at the national level by numerous media outlets including Deadline Crimes, Daystar, Dallas Morning News, and the New York Post. After enduring a decade of abuse and exploitation, she built a career dedicated to the empowerment of Survivors and focused on community collaboration at all levels. In 2013, she launched Bekah Speaks Out to provide customized training and consultancy services to law enforcement, service providers, and community leaders alike. Since then, she has earned degrees in criminal justice and criminology, filed a federal lawsuit against the state of Nevada over the legalized prostitution industry, and worked with senators to advocate for the Trafficking Survivors Relief Act which provides victims the opportunity to vacate or expunge federal convictions resulting from their victimization. She previously served as the executive director of a non-profit that provided emergency housing, advocacy, and customized care to sexually exploited individuals and their families where she managed daily operations, programming, and community outreach initiatives. She has been an active member of the Fort Worth and Dallas Human Trafficking Task Forces for several years, has been publicly recognized for her critical work in the antitrafficking field, and has delivered a passionate talk at TEDx entitled “Tragedy to Triumph” that focused on the importance of resilience.

In her current role, Bekah serves as the Strategic Initiatives Director at The Jensen Project, where she manages projects, partnerships and strategic initiatives that help fuel the end of sexual violence by identifying best practices and leveraging resources to raise the bar at a local and national level. Through her personal and professional platforms, she provides guidance and coaching for program development, strategic planning, and economic empowerment initiatives for survivors of trafficking. Dedicated to creating sustainable changes in policy, culture, and victim-centered responses, Bekah continues to educate audiences on the evolving dynamics of survival, from trauma to healing to community reintegration, and all of the challenges in between. In 2020, her advocacy efforts came full circle when Bekah herself was granted a full pardon by the President of the United States for crimes she was forced to commit during her victimization, reminding us all to hold steadfast to hope and to never stop fighting for justice. Speaking from the heart, she delivers a message of hope rooted in science, empathy, self-empowerment, and transferable skillsets that every audience can grasp. Bekah’s goal is not only to change perceptions, but to leave a legacy that demonstrates the dignity and strength of Survivorship.

Mrs. Kalypso Vassalotti
Advocate
Alumna 2016, Human Trafficking Academy
Florida

Mrs. Kalypso Vassalotti is an advocate against human trafficking, and she focuses on the importance of understanding the humanity of everyone, who went through a life of exploitation.

She is an alumna of the 2016 Summer Human Trafficking Academy Certificate Program of The John J. Brunetti Human Trafficking Academy of St. Thomas University College of Law.

She is a strong advocate for policies and programs that help marginalized communities. As a transgender woman of color, Mrs. Vassalotti bravely shares her personal journey, and her lived experiences, with the anti-trafficking community to foster compassion and understanding for those on the fringes of society. She does not shy away from telling her story that transitioned from a formerly uneducated, sick, and homeless immigrant without status, who was desperately seeking love and a family, to a survivor of human trafficking currently living a life of liberation, and bringing to the fore issues that matter for true change in policy and care for survivors.

Highlighting the importance of immigration status for survivors, she writes: “I finally won my … freedom in 2016 with my residency. I finally could move, I could travel… My citizenship brought with it the gift of speech and the ability to liberate my voice and my journey here. Liberation allow a woman of my experiences to take on opportunities much like this one, painting a picture of words about that which I have seen. Hopefully, my story would one day free someone without her having to take the journey I took.”

Mrs. Vassalotti hopes that those who hear her message would open their eyes and hearts to reach out to those in society that some would consider “unsavable.”

Maria Florencia Cornu Laport, Esq.
Assistant Professor of Academic Success
Member, Catholic Identity Committee
St. Thomas University College of Law

Maria Florencia Cornu is an Assistant Professor of Academic Success at St. Thomas University College of Law. She is a foreign attorney, graduated as a Doctor in Law and Social Sciences in Montevideo, Uruguay, where she served as a Professor Candidate in Civil Law Torts and Contract. She was a member of interdisciplinary academic organizations working on consumer and patients’ rights. She researched, authored, and co-authored publications on consumer and patients’ rights, access to health as a human right, and judicial ethics. As a private practitioner, she focused on litigation on access to medical treatment on constitutional grounds. In 2016, she earned an LL.M. in Intercultural Human Rights at St. Thomas University College of Law and the J.D. degree in 2020.

Sambra Zaoui, LCSW, CCTP, Certified EMDR

Assistant Professor, School of Social Work
Center for Human Rights & Social Justice: Lead Faculty Human Trafficking Initiative
Barry University

For the past twenty years Sambra Zaoui has practiced and studied the relationship childhood sexual abuse (CSA) has on adult intimate interpersonal functioning; and for the last ten years, its direct relationship to domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST) and commercial sexual exploitation (CSE). In fall 2016, The Lighthouse Effect: A therapeutic conversation about childhood sexual abuse and its relationship to commercial sexual exploitation/sex trafficking was published in Crime and Punishment in America: An Encyclopedia of Trends and Controversies in the Justice System, and in summer 2018, Mrs. Zaoui completed a chapter: Humanizing Sex Trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploitation through a Trauma Informed Person-In-Environment Lens for Social Work Practitioners in the Gender, Sexuality and Peace Education: Issues and Perspectives in Higher Education.

As an active licensed clinical social worker, certified clinical trauma professional, and an EMDR therapist, she actively engages individuals and couples with complex sexual trauma histories in her private practice. She further served as an advisory board member to The Life of Freedom Center (an anti-trafficking organization that serves adult women), as well as an educational consultant, community trainer, and crisis phone and community outreach specialist to women affected by commercial sexual exploitation and domestic sex trafficking. In broadening her anti-trafficking efforts, for a season, she also served as an advisory board member to Ark of Freedom Alliance (an anti-trafficking non-profit organization that serves males and the LGBTQ community). Mrs. Zaoui is often invited to present locally and nationally on the aforementioned population from a trauma informed care and trauma intervention stance, as such, Mrs. Zaoui was asked to join the Florida Human Trafficking Clinical Treatment & Intervention sub-group charged to identify research based best practices for DMST, CSEC and adults.

In her most recent accomplishment, Mrs. Zaoui successfully piloted the first Advanced Clinical Trauma Informed Human Trafficking Certification Program designed to equip practitioners working with survivors of sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation at Barry University, where for the past ten years she has served as a faculty member in the School of Social Work. Currently, she is working on a phenomenological research study which focuses on the resilience of both female and male survivors who use their lived experiences (survivor leaders/thrivers) to serve, mentor, counsel and/or guide other survivors on their restorative healing journey.

ACCREDITATION:

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of The University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine and St. Thomas University Human Trafficking Academy and Familias Unidas International Inc. The University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

CREDIT DESIGNATION:

The University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. This course is fully online. Fulfills the Florida Board of Medicine and Florida Physician Assistants requirement for human trafficking: The purpose of this course is to increase awareness among Medical Doctors and Physician Assistants of the reality of this phenomenon, how victims can be identified and the resources available for health care practitioners.

DISCLOSURE AND CONFLICT OF INTEREST RESOLUTION:

All conflicts of interest of any individual(s) in a position to control the content of this CME activity will be identified and resolved prior to this educational activity being provided. Disclosure about provider and faculty relationships, or the lack thereof, will be provided to learners.

NURSING (FLORIDA):

This program has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and Policies of the Florida Board of Nursing for Continuing Education. Provider #50-2105. Credit Designation: The University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies designates this seminar series for a maximum of 1.5 CEU credits for Florida Licensed Nurses only.

Prof. Juan Mezzich, MD, MA, MSc, PhD

Tenured Professor of Psychiatry
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, New York

Juan Enrique Mezzich was born in Lima and graduated from Cayetano Heredia Peruvian University Medical School. He then completed Psychiatric Residency Training, a M.Sc. degree program in Academic Psychiatry and M.A. and Ph.D. degree programs in Mathematical & Statistical Psychology at Ohio State University, as well as certification by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

He served as chair of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA) Section on Classification and Diagnostic Assessment, member of the World Health Organization ICD-10 Mental Disorders Workgroup and the American Psychiatric Association DSM-IV Task Force, and chair of the US NIMH Group on Diagnosis and Culture. He has authored over 350 scientific journal articles and book chapters and over 30 books, and received seven Doctor Honoris Causa degrees from universities in the Americas and Europe.

He has been President of the World Psychiatric Association and Founding President of the International College of Person Centered Medicine. Currently he is Tenured Professor of Psychiatry at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, Hipolito Unanue Chair of Person Centered Medicine at San Marcos University School of Medicine in Lima, and Editor of the International Journal of Person Centered Medicine.

Dr. Heidi Schaeffer, MD

Visiting Scholar Faculty, University of Miami School of Nursing & Health Studies
Miami, Florida

Dr. Schaeffer earned her MD from the University of Miami School of Medicine; she was the Class of 1998’s elected “Ethics Representative” and inducted into the ODK Honor Society. Her Internal Medicine internship was completed at Jackson Memorial Medical Center. In 1993, she graduated college as Valedictorian with two Bachelors of Science (Psychology & Biology) and a Minor in Chemistry. Dr. Schaeffer has been a licensed FL physician since 2000 and has helped patients in private and public healthcare settings. For almost a decade, Dr. Schaeffer has committed her efforts to increasing awareness of Human Trafficking in fellow clinicians: She has educated Emergency Department staff and thousands of students and faculty throughout South Florida (e.g., Florida International University School of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University’s College of Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Bethesda Nursing School, Keiser University, and FAU’s College of Counselor Education). She is a Clinical Affiliate Assistant Professor at FAU College of Medicine and an Advisory Board member of NSU’s College of Healthcare Sciences. Most recently, she joined the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies to assist its efforts aimed at addressing Human Trafficking as the critical public health issue that it is; she contributed greatly to these initiatives and named the Academic Lab for Education & Training Against Human Trafficking in the SONHS Simulation Hospital for Advancing Research and Education (S.H.A.R.E. TM): As a proud alumna, Dr. Schaeffer recognizes UM’s excellence in clinical education and their survivor-centered approach to identifying and facilitating care for patients who are being, or have been trafficked.

Dr. Schaeffer is a nationally recognized expert in HT awareness and intervention; she has already been invited twice to Washington DC to speak before US Congress members—last presented this January. Dr. Schaeffer has been instrumental in developing and helping to pass Human Trafficking legislation at local, state, and federal levels. She has lectured before criminal justice and post-Doc (policy) students at FAU, NSU, and the esteemed Human Trafficking Academy at the St. Thomas School of Law. Dr. Schaeffer’s work has been featured in multiple media interviews/videos and publications. She was awarded the State of Florida’s “Human Trafficking Advocate of the Year Award” at the 2017 Human Trafficking Summit. Dr. Schaeffer closely collaborates with several HT Task Forces and has served on the executive boards of many coalitions (Broward Human Trafficking Coalition, 1HTC, CREATE, and [Immediate Past-President of] Human Trafficking Coalition of the Palm Beaches). She is an Advisory Board member of KidSafe Foundation and Place of Hope, and has been re-elected the District 1 Director of Soroptimist International of the Americas’s Southern Region. For many years, Dr. Schaeffer has been an active voice of the American Medical Women’s Association and its Physicians Against the Trafficking of Humans Committee.

Virginia Akar, Esq.

Founder & President
Strong Girls Inc.
Miami, Florida

Virginia M. Akar is an attorney and human rights advocate who is dedicated to bringing about positive social change in her community, with particular focus on disrupting the cycle of poverty. Her vision of eliminating poverty through education led to the founding of Strong Girls, Inc., an anti-poverty initiative whose mission is to eliminate the obstacles to higher education and career faced by girls in disadvantaged communities. Ms. Akar has had a career in the public interest sector since her early days of practicing law as an Assistant State Attorney for Miami-Dade County in 1994. From there, she took a few years off to raise her family, and gradually returned to a service-oriented career. In 2013, she co-founded her first non-profit organization Young Musicians Unite, which currently provides free in-school and after-school music programs throughout Miami-Dade County. She maintains an active role on the Executive Committee and Board of that organization. In 2016 she earned her Master of Laws in Intercultural Human Rights from St. Thomas University School of Law, which was in large part the catalyst for the founding of Strong Girls, Inc.

Ilaria Borrelli

Italian Actress and Activist

Illaria Borrelli started her career as an actress in film and television. She evolved into writer, screenwriter, actress, and director. Born in 1968, she graduated in piano at the Conservatory of Santa Cecilia. She attended the Academy of Dramatic Art and later studied in the United States where she attended the Actors’ Studio. Soon after, studied Directing & Screenplay at New York University. She starred in several Italian and French television series and films. Her first novel, “Scosse”, awarded by the Italian Literary Club, received an honorable mention from the Florence Prize and the Prévert Prize, and was a finalist in the Calvino Prize. Her other novels include Tremblings, Luccatmi, Tomorrow We Shoot, and Much Noise About Tullia, which are mainly autobiographical stories from her personal experience dealing with gender discrimination in Italy–with just a touch of irony.

Her artist works and passion led her to work on Our Italian Husband was born, with Brooke Shields, Mariagrazia Cucinotta, Pierfrancesco Favino and Chevy Chase. She wanted to do a feminist comedy that showcased women making it out on their own. Light and funny, easy to digest, but still an antithesis to the environment she grew up in. Her second Film Wine with Kisses starring Murray Abraham and Bernadette Peters hit the same mark, but everything changed creatively when she made The Girl from the Brothel. Ms. Borrelli explored the darker aspects of humanity and touched upon the subject of child trafficking. Her first real taste in visual advocacy.

Dr. Cheyenne Luzynski

Affiliate Faculty, Institute for Ethical Leadership
St. Thomas University
Teaching Assistant Professor, Leadership Studies
West Virginia University
Morgantown, West Virginia

Dr. Cheyenne Luzynski received her PhD in educational leadership from Eastern Michigan University. Her dissertation was a historical analysis of women’s emergence into intercollegiate athletic leadership at a Normal institution. While at EMU, she was the catalyst in creating and directing the Interdisciplinary LEADership minor and taught in the higher education student affairs master’s program. Prior to EMU, she was a head volleyball coach and assistant athletic director at Alma College. She has a rich playing, coaching and mentoring background with NCAA Division I and III intercollegiate athletic programs. Dr. Luzynski graduated Magna Cum Laude from Central Michigan University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Master of Science in Sport Administration. In her graduate pursuits, she was a 2014 NCAA Research Grant recipient, a 2013 ASHE policy seminar graduate fellow and honored as “Lecturer of the Year” by the Eastern Michigan University Honors College. With passions in athletics, leadership and student development, her research agenda includes issues related to equity and culture within the organizational context of higher education.

Maria Vega

Instructor, Institute for Ethical Leadership
St. Thomas University
Miami, Florida

Maria Vega serves as the Graduate Assistant for the Institute of Ethical Leadership. She earned her B.A. in Business Management from St. Thomas University in 2019 with a cumulative GPA of 3.83. She is now pursuing her Masters in Ethical Leadership while continuing her soccer career at St. Thomas.

Ms. Vega brings a unique perspective of leadership to the team as she is the St. Thomas University Women’s Soccer Team Captain. She has been an invited Guest Speaker at Captain’s Summits for Student Aces for Leadership and contributes to building better student-athletes by coaching at Mater Lakes High School. Ms. Vega is the President of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee at St. Thomas University where she serves to enhance the total student-athlete experience by promoting opportunity for all student-athletes; protecting student-athlete welfare; and fostering a positive student-athlete image.

As a senior, Ms. Vega participated in the International Leadership Association’s 21^st Annual Global Conference in the Undergraduate Case Competitions in Ottawa, Canada where the team placed 3^rd globally. The case that they created addressed the cognitive, emotional, and physical wellness of student-athletes through a three-phase leadership development initiative with the NAIA.

Ms. Vega brings a vast amount of experience from previous internships that she has worked in. In 2019, Maria worked with CONCACAF as the Women’s Football Intern under FIFA Legend, Karina Leblanc. CONCACAF is one of FIFA’s 6 continental governing bodies for football. It governs 41 countries throughout North America, Central America & the Caribbean. She assisted in analyzing data from each Member Association and developing a Women’s Football Strategy development and implementation plan. Ms. Vega has also worked in internships such as Eberjey, a clothing brand that produces intimate apparel, loungewear, resort wear, and swimwear where she was Purchasing Intern and in Sherwin-Williams, an American Fortune 500 company in the general building materials industry, as a Sales/Management Intern.

Mariela Drago

Ligas Femeninas de Fútbol 7
Lima, Peru

Professional accountant with over five years of experience in banking, analyzing credit risks of corporate companies. She has an MBA in Sports Management from Escuela Universitaria Real Madrid (Spain). Currently, she is CEO of Ligas Femeninas de Fútbol 7, a Peruvian social enterprise that promotes the empowerment of women through soccer.

Thalia Simich

Ligas Femeninas de Fútbol 7
Lima, Peru

Professional Lawyer holding a Diploma of Specialist on Sustainable Development and Community Leadership. Since 2017, is dedicated to organizing, alliance building, public relations, fundraising and program development that involve youth, women and communities to promote awareness, development and growth. Currently, is the Director of Strategic Partnerships and Sustainability of Ligas Femeninas de Futbol 7, a Peruvian social enterprise that promotes women empowerment through football.

Sadick Abubakar

Youth President
United African Congress
Washington, D.C.

Chair of Youth Affairs Sadick Abubakar is a Graduate from the University of Maryland-College Park, where he received his Master’s degree with honors in Mechanical Engineering in May of 2014. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. There he led a team in the redesign of the Mini Baja Car intended for farmers in Ghana, West Africa. He is the recipient of the Emerging Leaders Award given to him by Council woman Diane Foster and is a political advisor to many aspiring politicians and strategists. He can speak 5 languages and considers himself to being once a Ghanaian but now identifies as an African – meaning he believes in a United Africa. He is the National Youth President and Coordinator at the United African Congress, where he represents African youth throughout the United States of America. He is a proud Muslim and represented the Muslim community as the Logistics Coordinator at I am a Muslim too Rally. He continually gives back to the community by mentoring and tutoring in the subjects of both mathematics and science.

Mr. Abubakar represented the Kwame Nkrumah family to retrieve Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s (First elected president of Ghana and a father of Pan Africanism) 40 years lost dairy. He is an advocate for humanity in the areas of women and children, ending violence, and an Africa that is self-sufficient and continues to develop strategic means of achieving this. He was an architect of the Million signatures for Africa’s unification which was accepted by 16 African Heads of States for the need to lay out mechanisms for unification. He is a founding partner of Legatum Strategies, an African owned lobbying group in Washington, D.C.

Aderonke Ige, Esq.

Humanitarian Attorney
Lagos, Nigeria

Ms. Aderonke Ige is a humanitarian attorney, equity advocate, social impact practitioner, and currently Associate Director at the Corporate Accountability & Public Participation Africa.

She has been actively involved in the promotion of a humane and efficient society that enhances participatory development and inclusive governance through legislative advocacy, development knowledge facilitation, training, grassroots enlightenment, youth mentoring and child rights advocacy.

With visible passion for subject matters of social justice, governance, human rights and gender justice, she has undertaken several public interest and humanitarian projects on gender-based violence, child’s rights, youth development and criminal justice reform. Ms. Ige also founded Help Initiative for Social Justice & Humanitarian Development in 2018 to advance humane causes.

Dr. Roza Pati

Founder & Director, The John J. Brunetti Human Trafficking Academy
Executive Director, LL.M./J.S.D. in Intercultural Human Rights
St. Thomas University School of Law
Member, Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace (2012-2017), The Vatican

Dr. Roza Pati is a tenured Professor of Law at St. Thomas University School of Law, where she also co-directs the programs of Master of Laws (LL.M) and the Doctorate of the Science of Law (J.S.D.) in Intercultural Human Rights. Inspired by her work and expertise against human trafficking since the early 1990s, Dr. Pati founded in 2010 the Human Trafficking Academy, an institute she continues to direct. She is a former Member of Parliament and Cabinet Member serving as the Secretary of State for Youth and Women of Albania.

Dr. Pati is a polyglot and a prolific scholar, who has written extensively in the field of international law, human rights, comparative law and jurisprudence, human trafficking, international criminal law, and she is a proponent of the New Haven School of Jurisprudence. She is a globally published author of books, book chapters and law review articles in multiple languages and she lectures at academic, governmental and inter-governmental institutions around the world. She earned a Doctorate of the Science of Law (J.S.D.) degree, summa cum laude, at the University of Potsdam, Germany; a LL.M., summa cum laude, at St. Thomas University School of Law, and a B.A., highest honors, and LL.B., honors, at the University of Tirana, Albania. Dr. Pati is Faculty Adviser of the Intercultural Human Rights Law Review and member of the Editorial Board of the international series: Studies in Intercultural Human Rights, published by BRILL/ Martinus Nijhoff Publishers.

She is recipient of multiple honors and awards, including the academic award of the Wolf Rüdiger Bub Prize for the Promotion of the New Generation of Legal Scholars, for the best doctoral dissertation, University of Potsdam School of Law, Germany (2009), and she serves in several civil society boards and committees. Dr. Pati was the Commencement Speaker at the 2014 ceremony at the Carlos Albizu University, Miami, and in 2010 at the Luarasi University School of Law (country’s leading private law school), Tirana, Albania.

Some of her publications on human trafficking include:

Global Regulation of Corporate Conduct: Effective Pursuit of a Slave-Free Supply Chain, 68 American U. L. Rev. 1821 (2019); Trafficking in Human Beings: The Convergence of Criminal Law and Human Rights Law, in the SAGE Handbook of Human Trafficking and Modern Day Slavery (2018, SAGE Publications); People on the Move: The Vulnerability of Migrants and Human Trafficking, in Refugiados, Imigrantes e Igualdade dos Povos – Estudos em Homenagem a António Guterres (2017, Brazil); From the Graceful Sari to the Scourge of Dowry: Indian Women in the Crucible of Tradition, 8 Kerala U. J. of Legal Studies (2015, India); Marshalling the Forces of Good: Religion and the Fight Against Human Trafficking, 9 Intercultural Hum. Rts. L. Rev. 1 (2014), also published as Blueprint, by Caritas in Veritate Foundation, Geneva, Switzerland; The Categorical Imperative to End Modern-Day Slavery: Subsidiarity, Privatization, and the State’s Duty to Protect, in Der Staat Im Recht. 1219 (2013, Germany); Trading in Humans: A New Haven Perspective, 20 Asia Pacific L. Rev. 135 (2012, Hong Kong); Human Trafficking: An Issue of Human and National Security, 4 Nat’l Security and Armed Conflict L. Rev. 29 (2014); No Cierre Sus Ojos: La Trata Existe–The Global Effort to Combat Human Trafficking: Its Strengths & Weaknesses, in Libro de Derecho Penal Especial (2012, Colombia); Combating Human Trafficking Through Transnational Law Enforcement Cooperation: The Case of South Eastern Europe, in Policing Across Borders: The Role of Law Enforcement in Global Governance (2012, Springer); Beyond the Duty to Protect: Expanding Accountability and Responsibilities of the State in Combating Human Trafficking, in The Diversity of International Law: Essays in Honour of Kalliopi Koufa 319 (2009, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers); Der Schutz der EMRK bei Menschenhandel: Rantsev v. Zypern und Russland, 3 Neue Juristische Wochenschrift (2011, Germany).

Gabriela DeBellis

J.S.D. Candidate 2020, Intercultural Human Rights
St. Thomas University School of Law
NGO Strategy Advisor & Consultant

Gabriella DeBelis is a strategic bilingual executive with a demonstrated history of working in marketing and distribution, corporate settings, social ventures and non-profit organizations. Skilled in business development, integrated marketing, diversity and corporate responsibility, negotiations, project management, developing relationships, public speaking, research and writing. She has a Master’s degree focused on International Law and Intercultural Human Rights.

Her human trafficking expertise include her experience as:

▪ Co-Editor-in-Chief, Intercultural Human Rights Law Review, St. Thomas University School of Law

▪ Law Research Assistant with Professor Roza Pati, St. Thomas University School of Law

▪ Guest Lecturer on Human Trafficking, Florida International University

▪ South Florida Human Trafficking Task Force

▪ Diocese of Orlando Human Trafficking Task Force

▪ Vice President, Chair of Board of the organization: The Ignition Fund

▪ Director Marketing & Distribution (Fox Networks)

Liza E. Smoker, Esq.

Managing Director
The John J. Brunetti Human Trafficking Academy
St. Thomas University School of Law

Liza E. Smoker, Esq., is Managing Director of The John J. Brunetti Human Trafficking Academy. She graduated from Florida State University with degrees in Multinational Business and Real Estate, where she returned to receive her law degree. She was formally educated on human trafficking at St. Thomas University School of Law’s LL.M./J.S.D. Program in Intercultural Human Rights, and served as LL.M. Editor-in-Chief of the Intercultural Human Rights Law Review.

Prior to joining the Academy, Ms. Smoker spent ten years in the private practice of law where she became the first woman partner in her firm’s 90-year history. She served as president of the Broward County Bar Association Young Lawyers Section, which was recognized as Affiliate of the Year by the Florida Bar YLD largely due to her leadership.

Ms. Smoker also served in the public sector. She worked in the Executive Office of the Governor of Florida, prosecuted crimes as a CLI in the Leon County State Attorney’s Office, and served as a White House Legal Intern in the Office of the Counsel to the President of the United States.

In 2017, Ms. Smoker spearheaded more than twenty events focused on the harmful effects of pornography and its link to commercial sexual exploitation as one of the prevalent forms of human trafficking. She led a grassroots campaign in support of Florida House Resolution 157 on the issue that passed in 2018 with bipartisan support.

Ms. Smoker is a Women’s History Month Honoree of the Broward County Commission on the Status of Women, recipient of the Paul May Professionalism in Practice Award from the Broward County Bar Association, an AV Preeminent rated attorney for the highest level of legal ability and ethical standards, and a national semi-finalist and regional champion in trial advocacy competitions by the American Bar Association.

In 2019, Ms. Smoker was one of 60 Scholars chosen nationwide as a Presidential Leadership Scholar (PLS). The PLS Program is a partnership among the Presidential Centers of George W. Bush, William J. Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Lyndon B. Johnson, and designed for mid-career leaders from diverse backgrounds who share a commitment to helping solve society’s greatest challenges.

Lerina Bright

Founder, Mission 89
Geneva, Switzerland

Lerina Bright is the founder of Mission 89, a research, education and advocacy NGO headquartered in Geneva, which addresses child trafficking in sport. Through grassroots and digital campaign initiatives the organization raises awareness of the trafficking phenomena among youth in a space that has become increasingly targeted by fraudsters posing as agents. The ultimate goal of the organization is to advocate for and facilitate a process that brings about policies which create a safe pathway for youth in pursuit of a professional career in sport.

Ms. Bright has a long history in sports management and administration which include roles with national and international sport federations in Europe, the Middle East, North America, and the Caribbean. She holds an M.A. Sport Administration from the AISTS in Lausanne, Switzerland and B.A. International Studies & Economics from the University of Miami, Florida.

Savannah Parvu

Survivor Leader & Speaker
Florida, U.S.A.

Savannah Parvu has a passion for writing and speaking about the hope she has found after many years of abuse. She is involved in survivor leadership through active prevention and awareness activities. She routinely shares her experiences with the public to grow knowledge of the tragic issue of familial trafficking within the commercial sex trafficking arena. She is a nationally recognized speaker on the subject. She has lived a life of abuse and she refuses to sit back and continue to be a victim. In 2017, Savannah received the Freedom Award from Florida Abolitionist. In 2016, she received the Polaris Star Award from The Greater Orlando Human Trafficking Task Force for Survivor of the Year. The wounds from her past are being healed and it’s her desire to be a voice for the voiceless.

Daphne Njie

Cameroonian Afro Beats Vocalist & Performing Artist

Daphne Njie is a Cameroonian singer who has become beloved by her fans for incorporating a wide variety genre into her music, including afrobeat, R&B, makossa and bikutsi. Some of her most popular songs are “Calée,” “Promets Moi” and “Jusqu’à La Gare.” She is also an Activist for Gender Based Violence and CEO of BeWoman.

Dr. Abadir Ibrahim

LL.M. & J.S.D. in Intercultural Human Rights
Head of Secretariat, Legal and Justice Affairs Advisory Council
Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

Dr. Abadir M. Ibrahim received his J.S.D. from St. Thomas University School of Law LL.M./J.S.D. Program in Intercultural Human Rights and has two LL.M. degrees, one in international law and one in human rights law. His experience encompasses work in both practical and academic settings including in advocacy. As a legal practitioner he has had a working experience with criminal law and procedure and has some experience in labor rights and constitutional litigation. His academic experience includes teaching, among others, human rights law, private international law, constitutional law, and legal history. He currently lectures at St. Thomas University School of Law on the topic of human rights and religion in relation to Islamic law-ethics. He has published in academic journals on a variety of human rights and international law topics and his advocacy publications also extend to non-academic outlets. His current research interests include democratization and human rights in Islam.

Kanathy N. Haney, PhD, CHES, CPH

Professor of Health Sciences and Education
PBSC Human Trafficking Coalition Chair
Palm Beach State College

Dr. Kanathy Haney is a health sciences professor and chair of the human trafficking coalition at Palm Beach State College and guest lecturer at the University of Florida. Dr. Haney is working to spread awareness and prevention of human trafficking from a public health social work perspective. She believes that by better understanding the nature of trauma she can create evidence-based community interventions and harm reduction strategies. Dr. Haney advocates for a multi-disciplinary approach to reduce mental health and substance use issues among human trafficking victims and survivors by implementing an effective trauma-informed and survivor-centered continuum of care. She also places importance on the ability of professionals in the field to identify those affected by human trafficking, associated risk factors and intersections. Dr. Haney is a member of the Human Trafficking Coalition of the Palm Beaches and the Palm Beach County Human Trafficking Task Force. Her goal is to advocate the public health issue of human trafficking around the globe to reduce health disparities and enhance social justice. Dr. Haney received her doctorate in public health at the University of Florida in which she focused her dissertation on sex trafficking in the United States. She received a masters of science in health education and promotion as well as her bachelors of social work degree with a child welfare certificate from Florida Atlantic University.

Ronke Giwa Onafuwa

Broadcaster and Girl-Child Advocate

Ronke Giwa Onafuwa is an award-winning broadcaster, a girl-child advocate and convener of Who’s that Girl Nigeria (Awtg_Nigeria), a forum that has been successfully held for four years and is geared at empowering impressionable young girls in their teenage years. She is also the convener of @ TalkMummy, an online support group/community for Mums based in Ibadan.

She currently works with SPLASH 105.5 FM, Ibadan where she is a manager, and also hosts the Morning Splash. She is married with children.

Irene Atim, LL.M.

UN Women

Irene Atim is a feminist lawyer and policy analyst at UN Women in New York. Her work focuses on empowering women and ending violence against women and girls – particularly those most marginalized and at greater risk of experiencing violence.

Irene is interested in creating platforms that give access to women’s voices and which provide content that fully acknowledges and respects women’s humanity in their different capacities and complexities. As a practitioner of feminist politics, she co-founded an online platform that provides a space for African women to counter patriarchal narratives in the news.

She is a graduate of Harvard Law School.

Kutisha Ebron

PhD in Ethical Leadership Student
UNDP, UN Women, WEI Forward

Kutisha Ebron is a passionate social inclusion professional with over 15 years of career experience within the United Nations system. She served on the United Nations Secretary-General High-Level Panel on Women’s Economic Empowerment. The programs she has worked on span the world’s regions, covering social innovation areas that include ending violence against women, gender equality, women, peace & security, and social integration. Ms. Ebron has a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Towson University and holds a Master’s Degree in Management from St. Thomas University. She is currently working on her Ph.D. in Ethical Leadership at St. Thomas University.

Dr. Lujain Alhajji, MD

Psychiatry, THRIVE Clinic
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
Miami, Florida

Dr. Lujain Alhajji completed her Psychiatry Residency as well as her Consultation-Liaison (CL) Psychiatry fellowship at University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Dr. Alhajji currently serves as an Assistant Professor, working mainly in the Division of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry at University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. She is the psychiatry attending at the University of Miami’s THRIVE (Trafficking Healthcare Resources and Intra-Disciplinary Victim Services and Education) collaborative care clinic for survivors of human trafficking. She is board-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and is highly involved in clinical education, working closely with medical students, psychiatry residents, and CL fellows.

Dr. Stephen N. Symes, MD, FACP

Primary Care Clinician, THRIVE Clinic
University of Miami Miller School Of Medicine
Miami, Florida

Dr. Stephen Symes, M.D., FACP is a Internal Medicine Specialist in Miami, Florida, and has over 31 years of experience in the medical field. He completed his medical education at Howard University in 1989, and Internal Medicine residency at Jackson Memorial Medical Center in 1992. Dr. Symes joined the faculty in 1997 as Associate Director, and then Program Director for Internal Medicine, until 2015. With his main clinical activities in HIV and AIDS, he developed a pathway to train future physician leaders in global and domestic health program administration and advocacy. With medical students at Miller, and JMH Internal Medicine residents, Dr. Symes started the Human Rights clinic at San Juan Bosco for asylum seekers who are victims of torture and abuse. The clinic has seen over 200 patients. Dr. Symes also serves as primary care clinician in T.H.R.I.V.E. a UM-JMH clinic for victims of Human Trafficking here in South Florida. Dr. Symes’ background as a medical educator, and work with disadvantaged populations, allows him to mentor young scholars toward health equity and advocacy in medical care and public health.

Prof. Panagiota V. Caralis, MD, JD, FACP

Medical Director, THRIVE Clinic
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
Miami, Florida

Dr. Panagiota Caralis is a triple graduate of the University of Miami, receiving her BS, MD and JD degrees. She is a Professor of Medicine at the Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami and serves as a Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff and Medical Director of the Women Veterans’ Health Program at the Miami VA. She has taught courses at both the medical and law school in ethics and health law and has published research which spans both disciplines. Currently, she directs a Medical Legal clinic serving veterans and a Health Law Pathway Program, which integrates the legal education for medical students throughout their medical school careers. She is a part of the T.H.R.I.V.E. clinic which is an interdisciplinary clinic at JMH/UM which provides medical care for survivors of Human Trafficking. She and Dr. JoNell Potter received the Innovators Award for their efforts from the State Attorney’s Office for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit, and she serves on the State Attorney’s Council addressing Human Trafficking.

Ignacio J. Vázquez Jr.

Chief of the Special Prosecutions Section
U.S. Attorney’s Office, SDFL

Ignacio J. Vázquez Jr. is an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. Mr. Vázquez received a Bachelor of Arts in English from Florida State University. He received a Juris Doctor from St. Thomas University, where he graduated magna cum laude and served as the St. Thomas University Law Review’s Managing Editor. Mr. Vázquez continued his legal education, completing a Master of Laws in Ocean and Coastal Law from the University of Miami. While serving as a prosecutor, he has participated in various continuing education programs, including completion of a Graduate Certificate in Death Investigation from the University of Florida.

Before joining the United States Attorney’s office, Mr. Vázquez practiced law as a civil and criminal litigator. After completing his Juris Doctor, Ignacio was employed as an associate attorney with Blank and Cooper, P.A., where he specialized in catastrophic injury and wrongful death maritime litigation. During his service as an Assistant State Attorney, Mr. Vázquez held positions in the County Court, Juvenile, and Felony Divisions, until his last assignment with the Gang Prosecution Unit. During his final post in the Gang Prosecution Unit, he served as a cross designated Special Assistant United States Attorney, where he participated in the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative coordinating State and Federal firearm and gang-related prosecutions.

Mr. Vázquez has served as an AUSA since January of 2013 and has rotated through the Appellate Division, Major Crimes Section, before starting his tenure in the Special Prosecutions Section in April of 2014. In 2019, he was promoted to serve as the Special Prosecutions Section’s Deputy Chief. In February 2020, Mr. Vázquez was assigned to serve as the Special Prosecutions Section’s Chief and the District’s Violent Crime Coordinator. He has prosecuted several criminal groups engaged in racketeering, homicides, robberies, human trafficking and smuggling, along with the fraud and money laundering offenses used to keep these schemes afloat. Mr. Vázquez’s has received a commendation from the City of Miami, the United States Office’s Timothy Evans Award, the Miami-Dade County Chiefs of Police Federal Prosecutor of the year, and the Executive Office of United States Attorneys Director’s Award for Superior Performance as Assistant United States Attorney.

Mr. Vázquez is admitted to practice law before State of Florida Courts and United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. He is also a member of the Florida Bar Criminal Law Section, Florida League of Prosecutors, the International Homicide Investigators Association, and the International Association for the Study of Organized Crime. He has previously served as an instructor for the Miami-Dade Public Safety Institute in the fields of organized crime, gangs, and conspiracy investigations.

Johanna Oliver Rousseaux, Esq.

Of Counsel, Jones Day
President, Americans for Immigrant Justice
Presidential Leadership Scholar

Ms. Johanna Rousseaux advises clients on the resolution of complex disputes before U.S., foreign, and international tribunals. With almost 30 years of experience working in Latin America and Europe, Ms. Rousseaux understands the cultural contexts of disputes and brings a unique perspective to resolving them. She works closely with in-house and foreign counsel, witnesses, and experts to develop a cohesive strategy capable of straddling widely different legal systems. Ms. Rousseaux has extensive experience with state, federal, and appellate litigation, cross-border discovery, trial before foreign tribunals, private and treaty-based arbitration, mediation, and consultation with government agencies.

Ms. Rousseaux represents one of the world’s largest energy companies and saw the company through an historic case involving a foreign government, its state oil company, individual plaintiffs, and the international coalition of lawyers and activists who supported them.

Ms. Rousseaux also is a dedicated pro bono lawyer, repeatedly winning recognition from the nonprofit agencies she collaborates with. She helped establish the Firm’s Laredo Project, serving as one of the lead lawyers “on the ground” on the Texas border providing representation to asylum seekers in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention.

Before joining Jones Day, Ms. Rousseaux headed the conflict resolution and prevention program at the Arias Foundation, founded by Nobel Peace laureate and president of Costa Rica, Oscar Arias. Working closely with Dr. Arias taught Ms. Rousseaux the power of leadership through service. In addition to her pro bono work, Ms. Rousseaux sits on the board of directors of Americans for Immigrant Justice, the public policy committee of United Way, and the executive council of United Way’s Women United.

Myriam Mézadieu

Chief Operating Officer
Catholic Legal Services
Archdiocese of Miami, Inc.

Ms. Myriam Mézadieu began her career with the Catholic Emergency Legal Aid for Haitians in Miami, a branch from the Catholic Legal Immigration Network. She not only took over the daily operation of CELAH, she acted as community liaison with local partners and the USCIS, formerly known as INS. On June 1, 1994 she co-founded the G.W.L. Legal Project, which subsequently was restructured as Catholic Legal Services, Archdiocese of Miami, Inc., (CLS) when CLINIC-Miami merged with G.W.L. Legal Project. She currently serves as the chief operating officer of Catholic Legal Services. Supervising a seasoned team of immigration professionals, Ms. Mézadieu is committed to serving the under-privileged immigrant community of South Florida, as well as religious workers from all over the world. Volunteering for Catholic and social causes is a mission close to her heart, actively volunteering in several Catholic parishes in Haiti and United States and community centers. She holds a BA in Business Law with a minor in Communications and Management and a master’s degree in International Affairs.

Thear Suzuki

Americas Advisory Talent Leader, Ernst & Young
Presidential Leadership Scholar

Ms. Thear Suzuki’s personal purpose is to inspire courageous in others so they can lead more impactful lives. As EY’s Americas Advisory Talent Leader, Ms. Suzuki aims to create an inclusive culture for 21,000 professionals to grow their careers and build a better working world as part of $7B consulting business. Previous roles have included Advisory Mananging Partner for the Southwest Region and client service roles focused on large and complex technology programs. Thear is passionate about building leadership and philanthropic capacity in others to improve lives. At EY, she serves on the Americas Advisory Women’s Leadership Steering Committee, the Americas Inclusiveness Advisory Council, and Executive Sponsor of leadership development programs that build strong, innovative, and courageous leaders for the 21st century.

In the community, Ms. Suzuki is active through board service. With the Texas Women’s Foundation, Thear serves as co-chair of the Economic Leadership Council and a proud founding member of the Orchid Giving Circle. Ms. Suzuki also serves on the SMU Lyle Engineering School Executive Board, the Dallas Holocaust & Human Rights Museum Board, the Boy Scouts of America Board, Circle Ten Council, the National Asian/Pacific Islander Chamber of Commerce & Entrepreneurship Board, and she co-chairs the 2020 Women on Boards – National Conversation on Board Diversity – Dallas initiative.

Ms. Suzuki is a 2019 Presidential Leadership Scholar and has received several recognitions, including Women Leaders in Consulting Future Leader Award, NAAAP 100 Award, WING’s Mentors & Allies Award, Each Moment Matters Award, and the Nomi Network Abolitionist Award. Ms. Suzuki has been included in several publications including a book called “Powering Up! How America’s Women Achievers Become Leaders”, the Everest Project research study called Women Redefining Corporate America, Understanding and Engaging High Net Worth Donors of Color, and EY Journeys that Inspire.

Ms. Suzuki earned her BS in Electrical Engineering with Biomedical Engineering Specialization from SMU. She lives in Plano, Texas with her husband Eric and their four sons.

Mary Anne Silvestri

Co-founder, ESTHER Ministry
St. Joseph Parish
Long Beach, CA

Mary Anne Silvestri is the co-founder of ESTHER ministry of St. Joseph Parish, Long Beach, California – a parish group that strives to understand the issues, causes, and consequences of human trafficking in today’s world and educate our parish and community about this modern slavery. As a ministry, ESTHER takes parts in efforts that promote education, awareness, prevention, justice and healing for the tragedy of trafficking.

Mary Anne Silvestri is originally from Detroit, has been married for 40 years and has two children who went through Faith Formation at St. Joseph. After retiring as an attorney, Mary Anne became a Master Catechist involved in Confirmation and Adult Faith Formation. ESTHER Ministry evolved from a small group in Adult Faith Formation six years ago and now has over 30 members. St. Joseph is about 25 miles south of Los Angeles, has about 1500 families in the parish, a K-8 elementary school and several very active Ministries. Its Pastor, Msgr. Kevin Kostenik, recently came to St. Joseph from the Los Angeles Cathedral.

Shima Rostami, Ph.D.

Executive Director, Gateway Human Trafficking
Professor, Department of Sociology
University of Missouri
St. Louis, MO

Shima Rostami is a faculty at the University of Missouri in St. Louis (UMSL) in the Department of Sociology and has a Doctorate in Educational Leadership. Her doctoral study focused on ‘developing moral education to combat human trafficking’ by creating a Positive Youth Development (PYD) environment with an emphasis on Character Education (CE). Currently, she serves as the Executive Director of Gateway Human Trafficking (GHT).

Ms. Rostami is a human rights activist who is involved in the prevention of human trafficking in the Greater St. Louis metroplex, the state of Missouri, the U.S., as well as international communities. She studied Child Protection from violence, exploitation, and neglect at Harvard FXB Center for Health and Human Rights. Under Ms. Rostami’s leadership, GHT put together the first teacher training event in St. Charles County, MO, to educate teachers about human trafficking and protect our children.

Besides her academic training, Ms. Rostami has experience working in several agencies affiliated with the Humanities and Humanitarian efforts including the American Red Cross of the Greater St. Louis Area where they received the International Services Award for their outstanding International Humanitarian Law (IHL) project known as Raid Cross. Additionally, she has been chosen as a Peer Reviewer to the Office of Justice Program (OJP) Department of Justice (DOJ) about human trafficking. Ms. Rostami is also a member of the U.S. Attorney’s Human Trafficking and Hate Crime Task Forces.

Lisa Lungren, M.A.

National Education and Outreach Coordinator
Immigration and Anti-Trafficking
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Washington, D.C.

Lisa Lungren, M.A., National Education and Outreach Coordinator, Immigration and Anti-Trafficking brings a decade of experience leading and coordinating grassroots outreach, coalition-building in multi-lingual settings, and developing educational resources for varied audiences. Ms. Lungren previously oversaw the development and implementation of multi- and cross sector initiatives in Mexico, Colombia, and Panama to combat illicit activity and promote the rule of law (a culture of lawfulness). The project, which involved faith-based leaders as well as stakeholders from civil society and law enforcement, was recognized by the U.S. Department of State, the World Bank, and the United Nations as an effective crime and corruption prevention strategy.

Susan Patterson

Author & Advocate
SoCal Faith Coalitions Against Human Trafficking
Irvine, CA

Susan Patterson is a national leader in the fight against human trafficking and author of the book “How You Can Fight Human Trafficking, Over 100 Ways to Make a Difference” which has been acclaimed by anti-human trafficking advocates nationwide to be one of the best resources out there because it is practical. Her book has also been highlighted by the Anti-Trafficking Program of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops as an excellent tool for Catholic and other faith communities that want to respond to the call of Pope Francis to take on the fight against human trafficking. Her website, ThroughGodsGrace.com has speaker presentations on a variety of subjects. Her main focus is working with faith communities to facilitate their efforts to take action in what God has called them to do. She speaks to thousands every year about the dynamics behind Human Trafficking in such a way that the path becomes clear as to where one can use one’s gifts and talents to join the fight. Her latest endeavor, SoCal Faith Coalitions Against Human Trafficking, engages over 200 leaders from faith communities a year, to look at what they can do next in the fight against human trafficking.

Jordan Bruxvoort

Founder & Director, The Naomi Project
Sioux Falls, SD

Jordan Bruxvoort is the founder and director of the Naomi Project – a Sioux Falls workers’ and immigrant’s rights organization that leads workers’ rights trainings throughout the community on important topics such as wage and hour, workers’ compensation, and labor trafficking. The Naomi Project accompanies workers whose rights have been denied and develops worker-leaders who can stand up for themselves and others in the workplace.

Naomi Project receives its inspiration from the example of Naomi who helped her immigrant daughter-in-law Ruth understand what her rights were as an immigrant and a worker, how she could exercise those rights, and establish herself in her new land.

Mr. Bruxvoort previously served as the director of the Micah Center, a coalition of churches to advance justice in Grand Rapids, Michigan. During Mr. Bruxvoort’s time at the Micah Center, the organization spearheaded a campaign which passed a responsible contracting policy with the city of Grand Rapids in 2012 and started a workers’ center in 2014

Director

Professor Dr. Roza Pati

Administration & Staff

Liza E. Smoker, Esq.

Karla Garcia

Graduate Fellows

Donovan A. McFarlane, LL.M.

Minglu Michele Guo, M.P.A.

Jakerrian M. McGruder

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