Experience

Collective Liberty

• United States
• Civic and Social Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Chief Executive Officer

  • Nov 2018 - Present

  Washington, DC Identify and elevate hyperlocal strategies to systematically target sex and labor trafficking networks and operations, aiming to increase risk and reduce profit for traffickers while building capacity for stakeholders. Locate loopholes and shift systems to strengthen vulnerabilities; equip local actors and catalyze system-change efforts. Manage fully remote team of up to 14 staff and 4 external vendors. Strong investment in empowerment of individuals as well as teams, helping them reach their… Show more Identify and elevate hyperlocal strategies to systematically target sex and labor trafficking networks and operations, aiming to increase risk and reduce profit for traffickers while building capacity for stakeholders. Locate loopholes and shift systems to strengthen vulnerabilities; equip local actors and catalyze system-change efforts. Manage fully remote team of up to 14 staff and 4 external vendors. Strong investment in empowerment of individuals as well as teams, helping them reach their full potential. Leverage experience prosecuting sex and labor trafficking cases to train investigators and prosecutors across US on best practices. Select Accomplishments • Cross-continental collaboration with 50+ European social service & law enforcement agencies: resource and information sharing, & the global adoption of evidence-based best practices for survivor center anti-trafficking work. • Winner of Inaugural Thomson Reuters Foundation International Stop Slavery Hero award (2018) & numerous additional awards (below). • Expert advisor on Customs and Border Patrol Forced Labor committee, Treasury Department Civil Society Committee, USAID Summit for Democracy, and member of United Nations Alliance 8.7 effort to eliminate child labor globally. • Created bespoke, award-winning technology solutions to shift official approaches to human trafficking to decrease arrests of survivors & increase apprehension of traffickers. • Facilitate passage of 95+ city, county, & statewide laws through advising legislators on ordinance language and advocating for best practices & enforcement mechanisms for those ordinances. • Deliver keynotes and local trainings / conferences to live audiences of ~700, and via webinars & livestreams on case studies & best practices for eradicating trafficking. • TV news appearances across local, state, and national networks, incl. NBC Nightly News (nationally syndicated), & major publications like New York Magazine, The Washington Post, & The Independent. Show less



Polaris (formerly Polaris Project)

• United States
• Non-profit Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Director, Disruption Strategies

  • 2017 - Nov 2018

  Washington, DC Lead public policy and law enforcement reform for improved human trafficking investigations and prosecutions nationally, including survivor empowerment and improvement local, state, and federal legislation. Managed team of up to 17 staff and $2 million+ budget and supported change management across the organization during period of rapid growth. Reported directly to CEO as Director – responsible for cross-team building, corporation wide reputation and programmatic strategy and success, and… Show more Lead public policy and law enforcement reform for improved human trafficking investigations and prosecutions nationally, including survivor empowerment and improvement local, state, and federal legislation. Managed team of up to 17 staff and $2 million+ budget and supported change management across the organization during period of rapid growth. Reported directly to CEO as Director – responsible for cross-team building, corporation wide reputation and programmatic strategy and success, and balancing competing priorities of brand management and programmatic task-level details. Maintained network of 150+ partners and stakeholder partnerships across disciplines and states. Select Accomplishments • Facilitated passage of 12 city/county-based laws and three statewide laws through advising local and state legislators on ordinance language and advocating for best practices and enforcement mechanisms for those ordinances. • Influenced increased resources for law enforcement human trafficking initiatives by delivering national level keynotes and local trainings / conferences to live audiences of ~300, and via webinars, on team’s findings, methods, case studies, and best practices for eradicating trafficking. • Served as lead author on Polaris-published, comprehensive national report on Illicit massage business (IMB) trafficking covered by 20+ mainstream media outlets, including NBC, Fox, NPR, and Buzzfeed. Report garnered in-depth local coverage generating awareness and resulting in legislative change in top five states affected by IMB trafficking.

• Director, Strategic Initiative: Illicit Massage Businesses

  • 2016 - 2017

  Washington D.C. Metro Area Oversaw national-level programming designed to end human trafficking in illicit massage businesses (IMBs), managing budget of $1 million and team of 15. Build partnerships with law enforcement, code enforcement, government agencies, service provider stakeholders, and advocacy organizations across over 65 jurisdictions in U.S. to develop investigative and victim service best practices. Select Accomplishments • Served as law enforcement and trafficking advisor to Google’s “Attorney… Show more Oversaw national-level programming designed to end human trafficking in illicit massage businesses (IMBs), managing budget of $1 million and team of 15. Build partnerships with law enforcement, code enforcement, government agencies, service provider stakeholders, and advocacy organizations across over 65 jurisdictions in U.S. to develop investigative and victim service best practices. Select Accomplishments • Served as law enforcement and trafficking advisor to Google’s “Attorney General Guidance” initiative focused on improving national laws and statewide approaches toward buyers of sex from juvenile trafficking victims. • Tripled number of jurisdictions equipped to end IMB trafficking by strategically leveraging data to compel them to action; shifted landscape of culturally competent, trauma-informed service providers and equipped additional six providers throughout year to increase total number by 100%.



Philadelphia District Attorney's Office

• Law Practice
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Assistant District Attorney, Family Violence and Sexual Assault (FVSA) Unit

  • 2010 - Jul 2016

  Greater Philadelphia Area Prosecuted gender-based violence crimes (including 20 solo jury trials and 20,000+ misdemeanor and felony cases), involving significant tech and web-based investigation and data collection. Collaborated with law enforcement and municipal agencies focused on training and prevention. Select Accomplishments • Secured conviction in Philadelphia’s first two human trafficking trials involving pimp-controlled sex trafficking of minors and adults. • Prosecuted additional cases… Show more Prosecuted gender-based violence crimes (including 20 solo jury trials and 20,000+ misdemeanor and felony cases), involving significant tech and web-based investigation and data collection. Collaborated with law enforcement and municipal agencies focused on training and prevention. Select Accomplishments • Secured conviction in Philadelphia’s first two human trafficking trials involving pimp-controlled sex trafficking of minors and adults. • Prosecuted additional cases involving the following trafficking types: pimp-controlled sex trafficking of adult and minor victims, domestic servitude, personal sexual servitude, remote interactive sexual acts, illicit massage parlor trafficking, outdoor solicitation, residential brothels, child sex trafficking, and escort services. Advised on the prosecution of the above types of trafficking, as well as peddling and begging, agriculture, construction, and factory based labor trafficking cases at county and state levels. • Won motion of first impression in Philadelphia to protect victims from sustained trauma during cross-examination in pro se cases, which led to transformation of policy of the Common Pleas bench. • Advised on 2014 statutory amendment to Pennsylvania’s criminal human trafficking statute. • Facilitated consistent communication and cross-agency collaboration of local agencies including the local police department, the FBI, the Assistant United States Attorney, and the mayor’s office on public safety. Show less



Feminist Public Works

• Founder, Director (pro bono)

  • 2011 - Jun 2016

  Philadelphia, PA Established nonprofit focusing on ending gender-based violence and insecurity. Collaborated with local, national, and international organizations to maximize reach and representation. Led up to five volunteers. Select Accomplishments • Coordinated TEDx-style event at Temple University featuring nationally renowned anti-trafficking experts: social justice advocates, doctors, educators, and law enforcement officials. • Launched viral advocacy campaign, GeeksForCONsent, which brought… Show more Established nonprofit focusing on ending gender-based violence and insecurity. Collaborated with local, national, and international organizations to maximize reach and representation. Led up to five volunteers. Select Accomplishments • Coordinated TEDx-style event at Temple University featuring nationally renowned anti-trafficking experts: social justice advocates, doctors, educators, and law enforcement officials. • Launched viral advocacy campaign, GeeksForCONsent, which brought international attention, via coverage from dozens of mainstream and niche media outlets including CBS and NBC, to sexual harassment at comic conventions, starting with San Diego and New York Comic-Cons. Efforts led to ongoing culture shift that emphasizes and enforces thorough event anti-harassment policies. • Coordinated 2013 City Council hearing on gender-based public safety, presenting testimony and self-compiled and analyzed survey data from local organizations and 450+ community members. Show less



Hollaback!

• United States
• Social Networking Platforms

• Treasurer, Board of Directors (pro bono)

  • Apr 2010 - Dec 2013

  New York, NY •Inaugural Board of Directors: filed state incorporation and Federal 501(c)(3) paperwork; advised on all legal issues. •Founded and led the HollabackPHILLY chapter, which pioneered and led innovation in the national movement, including creating an organizing comic book and shared transit ads for use in public education.