5th Annual Regional Human Trafficking Summit
ELEVATING INNOVATION AND COLLABORATION IN ANTI-TRAFFICKING WORK
For Advocates Against Human Trafficking
TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 2025 • 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 2025 • 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM
SHERATON BALTIMORE NORTH HOTEL
903 Dulaney Valley Rd, Towson, MD 21204
SPEAKERS
Caroline Brittingham
Deputy Attorney General, Human Trafficking Unit,
Delaware Department of Justice
Caroline Brittingham
Caroline Brittingham was hired by the Delaware Department of Justice in 2013. She is a Deputy Attorney General in the Criminal Division and has served in the statewide Human Trafficking Unit since its inception in January of 2022. During her time at the Department of Justice, Caroline has prosecuted a wide-range of felony and misdemeanor cases in Superior Court, the Court of Common Pleas, Justice of the Peace Court and Family Court. Caroline serves as the Department of Justice representative on the Delaware Anti-Trafficking Action Council (“DATAC”) and is also the Chair of the DATAC Legislative Committee.
Heather Amador
Director of Victim Services Policy and Programs,
Maryland Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy
Heather Amador
Heather Amador is the Director of Victim Services Policy and Programs at the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy. She has been with the Office since January 2019. Some of her projects have included nPEP, witness relocation, Child Sex Trafficking Regional Navigators, the statewide sexual assault evidence tracking system procurement, grant NOFA development and application review, and restitution collection improvements.
Prior to joining the State, Heather served as a victim advocate and the Director of Victim Services at the Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office for over twenty-one years. Heather worked with victims of every type of crime, but specialized in juvenile offenses, human trafficking, animal cruelty, sex crimes, child abuse, and homicide. She served as chair of the County’s Witness Relocation Program and the Anne Arundel County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council. She is a certified forensic interviewer.
Brittany Butler
Resource Specialist I, Child Sex Trafficking Recovery Services Team,
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
Brittany Butler
Brittany Butler is a Resource Specialist with the Child Sex Trafficking Recovery Services Team (RST) at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). RST is a team of regionally assigned Resource Specialists who support child welfare professionals when they report a child missing from care to NCMCE who is suspected or confirmed to be a victim of child sex trafficking. RST provides resources and troubleshooting around safety planning, youth engagement, trauma-informed recovery planning, and connection to specialized resources for child sex trafficking survivors.
Brittany has eight years of experience and an expertise in the topics of domestic violence, child abuse, and human trafficking. Brittany’s focus has always been on uniquely vulnerable populations, and she passionately advocates for those that she serves. Her educational background includes an undergraduate psychology degree from the University of Virginia, and a master’s degree in forensic psychology from Marymount University. Throughout her career, Brittany has served survivor populations in Northern Virginia, Atlanta, New York City, and Baltimore. Presently, in her role as Resource Specialist, Brittany has been able to broaden her impact by supporting child sex trafficking survivors and child welfare professionals across the Northeast (10 states and Washington, DC).
Nathan Earl
Principal Public Health Advisor,
Giantslayer Consulting
Nathan Earl
Nathan Earl is the Co-Director of Men’s Haven Health in New Haven, CT, and Principal Public Health Advisor at Giantslayer, LLC, where he advances research and public health strategies to address human trafficking and related violence through a syndemic lens. His work focuses on health equity for underserved male populations, including boys, men of color, and 2SLGBTQIA+ youth, offering critical insights to federal agencies, state programs, and NGOs. A champion of collective impact, Earl integrates evidence-based practices with innovative prevention strategies to dismantle systemic barriers impacting marginalized groups.
Earl leads and consults on impactful initiatives, including the 2024 International Conference on Violence Against Men and Boys, where he co-developed a curriculum focused on syndemic-based public health interventions for violence prevention among vulnerable male communities. His collaborative work with organizations such as the National Center on Child Trafficking, National Center for Youth Law, Yale School of Public Health, Quinnipiac School of Law, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and HEAL Trafficking reflects his dedication to equity and inclusive approaches, helping these entities create safer, more responsive systems for male survivors. Earl’s recent publications and research, including studies on service access barriers and biases impacting trafficking survivors, as well as his focused work on risks and trajectories for the commercial sexual exploitation of males, contribute to critical policy and practice reforms. His findings help shape a more equitable landscape in anti-trafficking and public health, particularly for underserved male populations.
Jessica Emerson
Director,
Human Trafficking Prevention Project
Jessica Emerson
Jessica Emerson, LMSW, Esq. began the Human Trafficking Prevention Project (HTPP) in August of 2015. The project focuses on reducing the collateral consequences of involvement in the criminal legal system for survivors of human trafficking and those populations made most vulnerable to exploitation. Prior to attending law school, Ms. Emerson was a clinical social worker at the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center in New York City, where she provided intensive, individual mental health counseling and case management services to HIV-positive and sexually high-risk adolescents. Ms. Emerson received her Master of Science in Social Work degree from Columbia University in 2001 with a focus on health, mental health, and disabilities. She trains statewide and nationally on criminal record relief for survivors of trafficking, trauma and traumatic reactions, and the collateral consequences of criminal convictions for people in the commercial sex industry. She also co-authored a national report rating all 50 states and the District of Columbia on the effectiveness of their trafficking-specific criminal record relief laws. Ms. Emerson is a barred attorney in Maryland, and a licensed social worker in New York state.
Tanya Gould
Director of Anti-Trafficking,
Virginia Office of the Attorney General
Tanya Gould
Tanya Gould is a dedicated solutionist in the fight against human trafficking, passionately working to influence legislative policy and elevate public awareness. She currently serves as the Anti-Human Trafficking Director for the Office of the Attorney General in Virginia and was appointed to the Governor’s Commission on Human Trafficking Prevention and Survivor Support.
In 2022, Tanya received the prestigious Presidential Award for Extraordinary Efforts to Combat Human Trafficking in Persons. She has served two terms on the U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking and has been a member of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) International Survivors of Trafficking Advisory Council (ISTAC).
Tanya is a sought-after speaker, having delivered lectures and training sessions at universities and participated in numerous podcasts, articles, and public service announcements. She co-produced the documentary short film *Groomed*, which sheds light on the dark realities of human trafficking.
As a keynote speaker at anti-human trafficking conferences, Tanya has engaged with various communities and raised awareness both nationally and internationally. She has consulted for multiple agencies, including the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime, the Department of Education, the Department of Transportation, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Blue Campaign, Global Strategic Operatives for the Eradication of Human Trafficking, Inc., and the U.S. Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Office. Tanya also serves on boards such as Polaris, Beloved Haven, the Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum Task Force on Human Trafficking, and The National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE).
In addition to her professional endeavors, Tanya is deeply committed to her community. She has served as a Museum and Fine Arts Commissioner for the city of Portsmouth, started an after-school program, and co-led the annual Cradock Festival. Tanya has also supported families at crisis pregnancy centers in Virginia and was a candidate for the Virginia House of Delegates District 21 race in 2021.
Tanya’s exceptional contributions have been recognized with the Attorney General Alliance Sword and Shield Award in 2023. She represented the Commonwealth of Virginia at the 11th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime as an official member of the U.S. delegation.
With a wealth of experience and a tireless commitment to eradicating human trafficking, Tanya Gould is a powerful keynote speaker who brings passion, insight, and inspiration to every engagement.
Lenny Hayes
Executive Director,
Tate Topa Consulting
Lenny Hayes
Lenny Hayes, MA, is a citizen of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate of the northeast corner of South Dakota. Lenny is also the owner and operator of Tate Topa Consulting, LLC and is currently in private practice specializing in Marriage Family Therapy. He has extensive training in mental and chemical health issues that impact the Two-Spirit/Native LGBTQ and Native community. Lenny has traveled nationally and locally training and presenting on the issues that impact both the Two-Spirit/Native LGBTQ individual and community. These issues include the Impact of Historical and Intergenerational Trauma on this population, violence of all forms, child welfare issues, the impact of sexual violence, human trafficking and missing and murdered men and boys which are topics that is rarely discussed. Lenny is the former Missing and Murdered Two-Spirit Project Assistant for Sovereign Bodies Institute. Lenny is also a 2020 graduate of the Human Trafficking Leadership Academy Cohort 5. Lenny is a member of various boards and advisory committees nationally.
Katherine Klausmeier
Baltimore County Executive
Katherine Klausmeier
Katherine A. Klausmeier was sworn in as Baltimore County’s 15th – and first female – County Executive on January 7, 2025.
Prior to her appointment as Baltimore County executive, Klausmeier served as a member of the Maryland State Senate since 2003, representing District 8. As state senator, Klausmeier served as vice chair for the Finance Committee, chair for the Joint Committee on Workers’ Compensation Benefit and Insurance Oversight, and chair of the Joint Committee on Unemployment Insurance Oversight. Klausmeier has additionally served in multiple leadership positions within the General Assembly such as assistant deputy majority whip, deputy majority leader, president pro tempore, and Senate chair for the Baltimore County Delegation where she consistently advocated on behalf of Baltimore County families and delivered solutions to make their communities safer and more equitable.
In addition to her more-than 20 years of experience in the State Senate, Klausmeier also represented District 8 as a member of the House of Delegates from 1995-2003 and also served as the vice president for the Baltimore County Commission for Women from 1991-1993. A resident of Baltimore County, Klausmeier has been named as one of Maryland’s Top 100 Women and has been recognized by the Maryland Association of Counties, the Mental Health Association of Maryland, and the Maryland Retailers Association for her efforts to improve communities and connect residents with the services and resources they rely on.
A Perry Hall resident, Klausmeier is married with two daughters.
Kristina Lauren
President,
Virginia Coalition Against Human Trafficking
Kristina Lauren
Kristina “K.” Lauren, Esq. (she/they) is a poverty law attorney from Hampton, VA. She holds a B.A. in Political Science from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., as well as a J.D. and an LL.M. in Human Rights. Their policy focus is harm reduction for survivors of human trafficking and interpersonal violence. Admitted to the Virginia State Bar in 2019, she recently joined the Board of the Virginia Coalition Against Human Trafficking and was elected President for 2025.
Kristina has lived and worked with vulnerable communities in California, Washington D.C., and Virginia, focusing on issues such as intimate partner violence, sexual violence, child abuse, and human trafficking. Her volunteer work includes organizations such as Edmarc Hospice for Children, LGBT Life Center, Transitions Family Violence Services, and FreeKind. Kristina has presented on human trafficking at various universities and conferences, including the 2024 National Sexual Assault Conference.
Outside of work, Kristina loves spending time with their spouse, nieces, and ever-changing crew of cats, as well as traveling, baking, and sharing laughs with friends.
Heather LaRocca, LCSW
Director, New Day to Stop Trafficking Program,
The Salvation Army
Heather LaRocca, LCSW
Heather LaRocca, LCSW is the Director of Anti-Trafficking for The Salvation Army and provides leadership and clinical oversight to the New Day to Stop Trafficking Program (NDSTP). NDSTP delivers trauma informed, wholistic, and victim centered services to survivors of trafficking including task force response to trafficking in Philadelphia and Montgomery counties, transitional housing, 24 hour hotline, intensive mobile clinical case management, a drop in center, court advocacy, Police Assisted diversion program, and trainings.
Ms. LaRocca has been working with victims of Domestic Violence and Human Trafficking since 2006. Ms. LaRocca was employed by Women Against Abuse (WAA), the lead domestic violence agency in Philadelphia, for over a decade where she supervised and coordinated the Philadelphia Domestic Violence Hotline as well as intake to two 100 bed shelters. Ms. LaRocca has advocated for the rights and identification of Human Trafficking and Domestic Violence survivors and participates in collaborations of service providers and law enforcement in the greater Philadelphia area. Ms. LaRocca holds her master’s degree in Social Work from Widener University and bachelor’s in Social Work from Messiah College.
Neil Mallon, LCSW-C
Senior Training Specialist, Prevention of Adolescent Risks Initiative,
University of Maryland Baltimore School of Social Work
Neil Mallon
Neil Mallon, LCSW-C is a Senior Training Specialist with the Prevention of Adolescent Risks Initiative at the University of Maryland, School of Social Work.
In his role, Mr. Mallon is responsible for implementing and overseeing several grant funded initiatives to improve outcomes for child and young adult victims of sex and labor trafficking in Maryland. Mr. Mallon is also an Advisor to the University of Maryland Support, Advocacy, Freedom, & Empowerment (SAFE) Center; a multi-disciplinary service center for survivors of human trafficking. He has also previously served in leadership roles with the Maryland Child Labor Trafficking Learning Collaborative and the Washington County Human Trafficking Task Force. nmallon@ssw.umaryland.edu
Jordan Masciangelo
Creative Director,
MenHealing
Jordan Masciangelo
Jordan Masciangelo is an advocate, storyteller, and creative professional with over 15 years of experience supporting male survivors of human trafficking and sexual violence. Originally from Ontario, Canada, and now based in South Florida, his work is profoundly shaped by his own experiences as a survivor, fueling his passion for creating change and fostering healing.
As a trauma-informed trainer, speaker, and consultant, Jordan has collaborated with organizations ranging from local nonprofits to international agencies. He helps them better understand and address the unique challenges faced by male survivors. His work shines a light on how societal norms and the socialization of boys and young men often amplify the impacts of sexual exploitation. By examining the intersections of trauma, concepts of masculinity, and the male experience, Jordan provides valuable insights into the complex factors that shape a survivor’s journey and equips professionals with the tools and insight to engage male survivors with respect and empathy.
A natural storyteller, Jordan uses creativity to bridge gaps and build stronger communities. Whether speaking at an event, leading training sessions, developing content, or designing survivor-centered programs, he prioritizes survivor-centered solutions that make a tangible impact.
Currently, Jordan serves as the Creative Director at MenHealing, where he leads efforts to support healing and raise awareness through innovative projects and community outreach. In all his work, Jordan strives to bring compassion, insight, and authenticity, making a meaningful difference in the lives of survivors and those who support them.
Patrick J. McKenna, Esq.
Co-Founder and Director,
Virginia Coalition Against Human Trafficking
Patrick J. McKenna, Esq.
Patrick J. McKenna, Esq., is one of the co-founders and Director of the Virginia Coalition Against Human Trafficking (VCAHT), an alliance of service providers, attorneys, survivor-advocates, and community members on a mission to remove barriers preventing survivors from achieving a full and healthy life through public awareness campaigns, policy reform and enacting survivor-centered human trafficking legislation.
Mr. McKenna has also co-founded and is the President of Human Trafficking Justice & Freedom International (HTJFI) HTJFI exists to seek justice and freedom for those who have been afflicted and abused by human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation through legal advocacy, education and policy reform. It works with survivors of trafficking to address their legal needs beyond criminal defense.
He is also a Co-Founder and former Executive Director of the Virginia Beach Justice Initiative (“VBJI”) a faith-based non-profit organization founded in 2011, dedicated to ending human trafficking and restoring those victimized by it throughout southeastern Virginia.
Since 2011, Mr. McKenna has been raising awareness, training groups about the ploys of traffickers and signs of human trafficking, facilitating case management for victims, partnering with governmental and non-governmental organizations to form local and statewide coalitions advocating for better state laws and partnering with others to develop protocols and wrap-around services for victims in the Hampton Roads area. As a local expert in the area of human trafficking, Mr. McKenna has done interviews with TBN, CBN, local television ABC, NBC & CBS affiliates, radio, and newspaper/internet news sources.
Mr. McKenna has practiced law for over 30 years and is a member of the Virginia State Bar. He earned his B.A. and B. Mus. Degrees cum laude from S.U.N.Y. at Potsdam and his J.D. degree from Regent University School of Law. He has been happily married to Lori for over 31 years and is the proud father of three adult children.
Shamere McKenzie
Chief Executive Officer,
Sun Gate Foundation
Shamere McKenzie
Shamere McKenzie is a dedicated consultant, activist, and internationally recognized speaker known for her expertise in human trafficking. With a remarkable journey of turning personal adversities into opportunities for liberation and protection, Shamere has become a catalyst for social and political change both in America and across the globe.
As the Chief Executive Officer of Sun Gate Foundation, an anti-trafficking organization, Shamere passionately channels her commitment to education and policy into providing survivors of human trafficking with essential educational opportunities. Her influential role extends to the Maryland State Human Trafficking Task Force, where she co-chairs the victim’s services committee.
Beyond her impact in the United States, Shamere responded to a call from the Ministry of Justice in her birthplace, Jamaica, and holds the distinguished title of the first appointed Anti-Human Trafficking Ambassador for Jamaica since 2018.
Drawing on her experiences as a former Program Director, Shamere authored a groundbreaking anti-trafficking program and oversaw an emergency residential program for adult survivors. She is a sought-after resource, having trained various professionals, including the FBI, Homeland Security, and Bureau of Diplomatic Security, as well as personnel from churches, hotels, and airlines, on identifying and responding to human trafficking victims.
Shamere’s compelling narrative, rooted in her lived experiences with sex trafficking, has been featured in several books, documentaries, and media outlets, serving as an impactful educational tool. Her most recent documentary, “False Promises,” released in 2018 on the island of Aruba, specifically addresses sex trafficking awareness among Caribbean youth.
In 2015, Shamere graduated from Loyola University Chicago with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice. She actively contributes to various boards, advisory boards, and speaker’s bureaus, garnering numerous awards in recognition of her outstanding work.
Shamere’s unwavering determination, passion for success, and her faith in Jesus Christ serve as guiding principles, reinforcing her commitment to the cause. Refusing to be labeled a victim or survivor, she proudly identifies as a liberator – breaking free from the chains of her past to pave the way for others who have endured enslavement.
Sidney McCoy
Director of Advocacy,
Shared Hope International
Sidney McCoy
Sidney McCoy is the Director of Advocacy at Shared Hope International, a non-profit dedicated to preventing, restoring, and bringing justice for survivors of child and youth sex trafficking. Prior to joining Shared Hope, Sidney was Staff Attorney & Policy Counsel at Amara Legal Center, a non-profit that provides free legal services for those involved in commercial sex. Sidney also serves on the Virginia Coalition Against Human Trafficking (VCAHT), an alliance seeking to remove barriers to trafficking survivors by passing survivor-centered legislation, and her advocacy efforts resulted in the unanimous passage of affirmative defense and vacatur legislation in the Virginia General Assembly in 2021. Ms. McCoy holds her J.D. from Penn State Law School and is licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Virginia and the District of Columbia.
Amanda Rodriguez Esq.
Executive Director,
TurnAround
Amanda Rodriguez, Esq
Amanda K. Rodriguez, Esq. graduated from the University of Maryland at College Park in 2005 as the only candidate to receive the prestigious Arts/Law degree in her class. She received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Baltimore School of Law in 2007. During her legal study, she was the first student attorney in the Immigrants’ Rights Clinic at the University of Baltimore. Subsequently, she wrote numerous articles on the topic of the international implications of human trafficking on the United States’ economy, human trafficking, prosecution, investigation, and domestic minor sex trafficking. Her articles have been published nationally and
She accepted her current position of Executive Director of TurnAround, Baltimore’s rape crisis center, and a comprehensive domestic violence and human trafficking service provider in December of 2019. She is also currently the Co-Chair of the Legislative Subcommittee for the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force and the Chair of the Legislative Committee of the Board of Directors for the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence. She has received numerous awards for her work on human trafficking in the state including the Breakthrough Award from the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, a special citation from Baltimore County, two citations from the State of Maryland, a special recognition from the Baltimore U.S. Attorney’s Office for her successful prosecution of traffickers involved in child exploitation and her commitment to human trafficking survivors. Additionally, she was recognized in 2014 as a Leading Woman by the Daily Record.
Caren Schiffman, Esq.
Assistant Attorney General,
Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia
Caren Schiffman, Esq.
Caren Schiffman, Esq. is dedicated to public service and volunteer efforts aimed at making our communities safer, achieving justice for victims, advocating for vulnerable populations, and championing human rights.
Caren takes great pride in her work. With an exemplary work ethic, a get-it-done attitude, and meticulous attention to detail, Caren sets challenging goals and consistently exceeds expectations. She is extremely resourceful, skilled at thoughtfully and expeditiously investigating issues, and excels at cultivating relationships with diverse populations to accomplish objectives.
As a trial attorney, prosecutor, and child advocate, Caren has a proven track record of leaving no stone unturned to get to the truth. Her opponents know that she comes prepared, fights hard, and is always fair.
Caren also has significant experience as a marketing/business development specialist, project manager, trainer, and supervisor. Caren’s experience spans multiple industries including corporate, legal, and nonprofit. Examples of her work include: managing multi-million dollar software consulting projects for Fortune 1000 companies, hiring personnel from around the globe and staffing projects, managing project teams, creating business plans and marketing strategies, delivering trainings, and managing events.
Licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia
Dawn Schiller
Training Director,
Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking (CAST), LA County Project
Dawn Schiller
Dawn Schiller is the Training Director, L.A. County Project for the Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking (CAST). She is an expert survivor-leader in the anti-trafficking, domestic violence and sexual assault movements. Abused and trafficked on the streets of Hollywood in her youth her subsequent years of struggle to survivorship, education and service to others offer valuable first-hand insight to community advocates. Today, she is a national speaker, educator, consultant and author.
Dawn earned her undergraduate degree summa cum laude in 2012 from Eastern Oregon University with honors in communication and gender studies. She received the “Women of Vision and Courage” award from EOU President’s Commission on the Status of Women. She is a Phi Kappa Phi Kathleen Greey Fellow and received a teaching fellowship from Oregon State University earning her Master of Arts in Women, Gender, & Sexuality in 2020. Dawn is a VISTO volunteer and regularly visits the girls in Los Angeles juvenile halls who struggle with substance abuse, sharing her experience, strength, hope, and recovery.
Dawn taught Women’s Studies and Activism at Oregon State University. Her academic presentations and trainings infuse lived experience on topics of anti-violence, anti-trafficking (Commercial Sexual Exploitation & Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children), trauma and trauma-informed care, teen/child abuse, the media, ally-ship, resilience, addiction, recovery and healing. Her memoir, “The Road Through Wonderland,” was published by Medallion Press.
Nationally, Dawn is a violence and human trafficking expert consultant with the U.S. Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime, the Department of Health & Human Services Office on Trafficking in Persons (NHTTAC) and the U.S. Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. She is a founding member of “Survivor 2 Survivor” (S2S) and member of the Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking’s (CAST) “Resilient Voices.”
Above all else, Dawn’s greatest joy is the privilege to be a parent to her talented daughter.
Dawn welcomes you to connect with her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawn-schiller-m-a-54586316/
Glenn Sterner
Associate Professor of Criminal Justice,
Criminal Justice Research Center, Pennsylvania State University
Glenn Sterner
Dr. Glenn Sterner is an Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice at The Pennsylvania State University, Abington Campus. He serves as the coordinator of the Criminal Justice Research Center’s Greater Philadelphia Office for the University. As an expert on the opioid epidemic, he sits on the Opioid Overdose Task Force for the State of Pennsylvania. He is also a founding member of the Penn State Consortium to Combat Substance Abuse advisory board. He serves as a faculty fellow of the Penn State University Administrative Data Accelerator. He is the founder of the Share Your Opioid Story initiative, found at www.shareyouropioidstory.com.
His main research agenda is focused on the application of social network analysis in understanding illicit, illegal, and covert networks, and he is experienced with both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies. Dr. Sterner has been awarded over $6.7 Million in local, state, and federal grants to study and address the opioid epidemic, including funding from the National Institute of Justice, Department of Justice, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). His work includes the examination of opioid abuse networks, illegal opiate distribution, networks of legitimate opioid distributors and overdose deaths, hot spots of opioid availability, intelligence-based interventions in rural areas, and stigma associated with opioid and other substance use disorders.
Dr. Sterner collaborates extensively with law enforcement agencies on the local, state, and federal level in his work to address the opioid crisis and other substance use issues. He has several active grants with the Pennsylvania State Police, and partners with local district attorneys, coroners, and police departments. Within the Pennsylvania State Police, he regularly works with individuals in the Pennsylvania Criminal Intelligence Center (PaCIC), the data fusion center at State Police Headquarters in Harrisburg.
Marq Taylor
Founder and CEO,
The Buddy House
Marq Taylor
Mark (Marq) Taylor is a victim advocate in the fight against domestic minor sex trafficking and shares his own story of victimization to educate others about this horrific crime. He is mobilizing his church in Mableton, Georgia, to address the issue. Mr. Taylor was 11 years old when he met a man who offered to be the mentor he so badly wanted and needed. Instead, the man coerced him into commercial sexual exploitation and trafficked him from age 11 to 17. He finally escaped by jumping from a window when five adult men arrived to participate in his abuse.
Today, Mr. Taylor made the journey from victim to survivor to overcomer and advocate. He participates in the Georgia Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force and collaborates with national organizations, such as Shared Hope International and the Nation Center for Missing and Exploded Children providing Training and leadership from a survivor’s perspective in the effort to protect children from sex slavery. He speaks at varies conferences and churches across the country raising awareness and telling his story.
Mr. Taylor started a website for his organization called The Buddy House, Inc., and is seeking funding and a location to open a drop-in center for young boys and men who are survivors of human trafficking to receive services in one place that will allow the survivors to return to the community as productive citizens. Mr. Taylor has his associate degree in Medical Assisting, bachelor’s degree in Business Management and Communications, and he his Master’s Degree in Elementary Education and Administration. He is currently working on is Doctoral degree in Education in organizational Leadership k-12.
Sasha Taylor
Founder and Principal Consultant,
SK Sultana LLC
Sasha Taylor
Sasha Taylor is the leading authority in the United States on honor violence-based violence, child and forced marriage, trafficking, and visa exploitation in the refugee and immigrant communities. She founded SK Sultana LLC in 2021 after spending over a decade at the FBI as an investigator in the Counterterrorism, Counterproliferation, and Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorates.
Ms. Taylor provides legislative policy advice to Congress and capacity-building capabilities to non-profits, and the private sector. Ms. Taylor is also a lived experience expert who was forced into an unwanted engagement, a forced legal marriage for visa acquisition, and a forced religious marriage at age 15.
Ms. Taylor serves on the Office of New Americans Advisory Board for the State of Virginia and as chair of the Access to Services committee.
Ms. Taylor also serves on the Policy and Legislative subcommittee for the Regional Interdisciplinary Collaborative (The RIC) – a region-wide collaboration for ending human trafficking and supporting survivors in the states of Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
Ms. Taylor is a Survivor Advisor on the Board of the Virginia Coalition Against Human Trafficking and is a member of the FBI Association of Intelligence Analysts (FBI AIA).