Survivor Leaders and Advocates
Jessica Kim
Program Director, Educational Pathways at the Center for Justice and Reconciliation at Point Loma Nazarene University
She is developing the OnRamps Collaborative, a multidisciplinary, collaborative effort to build financial opportunities for survivors of trafficking, and the Flourish Academy, a 12-week life skill program. Jessica is also a Survivor Advocate with 10+ years of experience. She is the co-creator of the Know More program to educate teens about human trafficking. She sits on the CSEC Advisory Board for the state of California under the National Center for Youth Law.
Andrea Powel
Co-founding Executive, Karana Rising
Andrea supports survivor-led efforts to advance survivor justice and healing nationally. She currently directs the Survivor Justice Initiative to prevent the arrest and incarceration of survivors of human trafficking in the United States and abroad. She is a survivor of sexual exploitation who combines her lived-expertise with 18 years of experience. Prior to Karana Rising, Andrea founded and led FAIR Girls and the first safe home for survivors of human trafficking in the nation's capital. She has been published in the Washington Post, New York Times, BBC, NYC, and beyond.
Vanessa Russell
Founder and Executive Director, Love Never Fails
Vanessa has developed children in dance, teaching hundreds, ages 3-25, lyrical, flags, hip hop, mime, since 2000. Vanessa founded Love Never Fails in 2010 focus on the restoration, education, and protection of those involved or at risk of becoming involved in domestic human trafficking.
Vanessa graduated from the University of San Francisco with a B.S. in Information Systems Management. She is a sought-out keynote speaker, a Professor of Computer Science and Information Systems for Peralta Colleges, a Vistage Worldwide Professional Speaker, and published author of the Fight For Love workbook.
Marjorie Saylor
Survivor Leader & Founder/CEO, The Well Path
Marjorie is the Program Director of Alabaster Jar Project's long-term shelter program and drop-in resource center for adult women survivors of sex trafficking. She is also the Board President of the Survivor Leader Network of San Diego, which advocates for legislation recommendations for victims of trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation while working to mentor other survivors into leaders. In 2017 she became the Founder and CEO of The Well Path, which provides emergency shelter services to survivors across the U.S. with her hotel voucher program.
Tika Thorton
Crisis Response Case Manager, Journey Out
Tika has dedicated her life to ending human trafficking. Her passion comes from being a survivor herself. After being in "the life" for 11 years, she understands its traumatic effects and the struggles of exiting. For the past four years, Tika has been an advocate against human trafficking and the recovery of its victims. She is a Crisis Response Case Manager, is on the core teams of task forces and career prep programs, and does public speaking to bring awareness and testimony to the human trafficking crisis.