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ANTI-TRAFFICKING ALLIANCE CONFERENCE OVERVIEW
Build trust and foster collaboration within your team and the larger anti-trafficking community to create a more comprehensive and effective approach to combating trafficking.
Join us for inspiring keynotes, interactive workshops, and panel discussions led by experts across the anti-trafficking field. Although tracks are recommended, you may choose whichever session you want to attend for each breakout session.
Track 1 | Healthcare & Frontline Response
Equip yourself with the skills and knowledge you need to identify and report potential trafficking situations and provide survivors with resources. This track teaches you to recognize the subtle signs of exploitation and know when to report a situation to the authorities. You will learn how to support survivors with immediate assistance and resources and respond in an effective and trauma-informed manner. This track particularly applies to healthcare providers since 88% of survivors report interacting with medical professionals while experiencing trafficking. Learn these skills to become a vital piece of enhancing the anti-trafficking movement’s collective efforts to combat trafficking and protect vulnerable individuals.
Track 2 | Law Enforcement
Learn how to approach trafficking investigations and prosecutions with a victim-centered mindset. This type of approach is crucial for law enforcement officers and partners to effectively interact with and protect survivors of trafficking. A victim-centered approach makes trafficking survivors’ needs, safety, and well-being a high priority, which in turn reduces further traumatization and builds trust with officers. By employing advanced investigative techniques that prioritize survivor cooperation and support, you can begin building stronger cases against traffickers and buyers. This track will help you increase the likelihood of successful prosecutions as well as help to restore survivors’ trust in the justice system, which will encourage more to come forward and contribute crucial evidence in dismantling trafficking networks.
Track 3 | Service Providers & Government Agencies
Organizations in the anti-trafficking industry face a multitude of challenges, including staff resiliency, vicarious trauma, staff turnover, capacity limitations, communication breakdowns, increasing needs, budget constraints, rapid growth, and many more. In this track, you will equip yourself with the perspective and tools you need to navigate the most challenging of periods as a healthy organization. No matter your unique barriers as an individual, a staff, or a multi-disciplinary team, there are always opportunities to press in or shift directions and take the next step. As part of a vital movement, we need to continually evaluate how to best do our parts to serve survivors well and support them on their journeys to freedom and healing.
Track 4 | Leadership (Designed for Leadership Level Positions)
Calling all industry leaders to invest in yourself and empower your team. Strong and healthy leadership forms the foundation of successful organizations. Effective leaders inspire and motivate their teams to strive for greater collaboration, positivity, and productivity in their work environments. Learn how to continue your team’s professional development to strengthen your team, provide excellent support to survivors, gather support for your work, and influence those around you to join the movement to combat trafficking.
Day 1 | building trust
*Times, events, and speakers are subject to change.
8:00 - 8:45
8:45 - 9:00
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Breakfast Welcome to #ATAC24 with Kristi Wells Trust is the key to propel a team towards victory, but it goes beyond your team. By building trust between your staff, partners, and the larger anti-trafficking field, as well as knowing everyone’s respective areas of responsibility, we will win the war on trafficking. Trust is the key that unlocks the full potential of this field to help us face adversity with unwavering determination and consistently serve survivors with excellence. It is time to #ATAC trafficking in every community across America. |
9:00 - 9:45 |
A Collective Mission | Vice Admiral Yancy Lindsey (USN Ret.) The power of a collective mission lies in its ability to unify individuals toward a common purpose. When a team aligns their efforts and passions toward a shared vision, they can achieve extraordinary feats, transcending individual limitations. This sense of purpose fuels motivation, fosters a deep sense of belonging, and drives the collective toward success. Individually, we are only one, but together, we are a movement. |
9:45 - 10:30 |
Going on the Offensive to Combat Trafficking | Bill Woolf & Brittany Dunn Each person in the field is vital, from healthcare workers, law enforcement officers, and social services professionals to nonprofits, government agencies, community members, and business leaders. By working together, we can create a comprehensive approach to systematically increase survivor identification, protect survivors, prosecute traffickers and buyers, and prevent trafficking. |
10:30 - 11:00 | Break - Exhibitors |
11:00 - 12:00 |
Breakout Sessions Track 1: Increasing Survivor Identification with Dr. Jordan Greenbaum & Alia Azariah Equip yourself to recognize individuals at risk for human trafficking and respond using a trauma-informed approach, offering appropriate services and support. Track 2: A Victim-Centered Approach to Investigations with Bill Woolf Using a victim-centered approach to your investigation will build trust with the survivor and improve the outcomes of your investigations. Learn skills to strengthen capacity in collecting and protecting evidence and effectively applying the process for “making the case”. Track 3: Building Trust Amongst Your Staff & Those You Serve with Carolyn Potter Learn strategies to promote open communication, authenticity, and accountability in your team, all of which are essential elements in building and maintaining trust. Learn how to create a supportive and inclusive environment, address conflicts constructively, and demonstrate consistency, ultimately enhancing collaboration and loyalty among staff members and building stronger connections with those you serve. Track 4 (Leadership): Extreme Ownership | VADM Lindsey, Amber Stewart, & Kristi Wells Strong leaders have a mindset of complete responsibility and accountability. Join this round table discussion of taking ownership of your team's successes and failures. Learn how to apply principles such as taking ownership of problems, leading by example, prioritizing and executing tasks effectively, and fostering a culture of accountability within your team. By embracing extreme ownership, you can improve your decision-making, communication, and leadership skills, leading to higher-performing teams and more successful outcomes. |
12:00 - 1:00 | Lunch |
1:00 - 2:00 |
Trust Leadership | Speaker, Coach, Author, and Trainer Dave Cornell Strong leaders have a mindset of complete responsibility and accountability. Join this round table discussion of taking ownership of your team's successes and failures. Learn how to apply principles such as taking ownership of problems, leading by example, prioritizing and executing tasks effectively, and fostering a culture of accountability within your team. By embracing extreme ownership, you can improve your decision-making, communication, and leadership skills, leading to higher-performing teams and more successful outcomes. |
2:00 - 3:00 |
Breakout Sessions Track 1: Leveraging Community-Based Services for Survivors | Hannahnolds Without proper care and services, 80% of survivors who escape their trafficker or exit the life will end up back in traffickers' hands. Providing the right services to meet the individualized needs of a survivor and decreasing barriers to access care in our communities are essential steps in their healing journey. Whether you are in the direct care of trafficking-specific survivors or serve a population that has high intersection points with trafficking, learn how you can create effective community partnerships to serve survivors and break cycles of victimization. Track 2: Advanced Investigative Techniques | Det. Rick Hoffman This training covers advanced topics such as forensic evidence collection, digital and cybercrime investigations, undercover operations, interrogation and interview techniques, and legal considerations in criminal investigations. Gain practical insights to improve your investigative abilities, helping you solve challenging cases, gather evidence effectively, and uphold the principles of justice. This training is essential for staying updated with evolving investigative methods and ensuring law enforcement agencies effectively address human trafficking. Track 3: Strength & Resiliency | Corrie Napier Vicarious trauma is real. Learn about the potential psychological impact of repeatedly hearing or witnessing traumatic events and understand coping mechanisms, self-care strategies, and resilience-building techniques to mitigate the risk of vicarious trauma and burnout. Learn how to support one another’s mental and emotional well-being, ultimately improving the culture of teams and strengthening the quality of care and services provided to survivors. Track 4: Leading Through Adversity | Deanna Lynn How are you helping your team grow? Learn to help your people see opportunities where once they saw roadblocks. Teach your team to embrace change and create a vision for new possibilities. Inspire team members to find transforming energy and purpose. Activate simple steps to start moving towards goals you once thought were unattainable. |
3:00 - 3:30 | Break - Exhibitors |
3:30 - 4:30 |
Developing Trust within the MDT Panel | Moderated by Bill Woolf A panel discussion exploring strategies for improving information sharing, confidentiality, and communication among a multi-disciplinary team. Learn to highlight the importance of trauma-informed care, cultural competence, and sensitivity to the needs of survivors while providing actionable intelligence to all team members. Understand practical ways to establish trust and cohesion within the MDT to ensure that survivors receive the comprehensive support and protection they require during their recovery and pursuit of justice. |
5:00 - 6:00 | Welcome Reception |
Day 2 | Fostering collaboration
7:30 - 8:30 | Breakfast | |
8:30 - 9:30 |
The Power of Language | Survivor Leader, Ria Story The words we use and how we use them have incredible power in communication and connection. Language is a tool for communication, but knowing how to use it effectively can determine if that language will become a barrier or a bridge. Leverage your influence with others by learning how to connect through the power of words. |
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9:30 - 10:30 |
Survivor-Centered Approach: Keeping the End in Mind Panel | Moderated by Kristi Wells Combatting human trafficking requires a complex approach and a multi-disciplinary, multi-sector response. However, supporting the survivor should be the center of any response throughout all steps of the process, including exit, criminal investigation, trial, and restorative care. Practitioners, academics, and survivors agree that success is made much more likely when a survivor-centered and trauma-informed approach is implemented. This session will discuss best practices for survivor-centered approaches across multiple disciplines and will make the case for why these policies and practices should be prioritized. |
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10:30 - 11:00 | Break - Exhibitors | |
11:00 - 12:00 |
Breakout Sessions Track 1: Coordinated Response & Screening in the Healthcare Setting | Holly Gibbs Learn best practices for establishing a coordinated response protocol while ensuring the safety and well-being of individuals who may be at risk. Understand options for facilitating access to appropriate resources and services, including coordinating support services out of state. Unpack case studies to show the practical implementation of these response models and how to deploy them to your healthcare network. Track 2: Coordinated Response & Best Practices for MDTs | Alissa Huntoon, OVC & Sergeant Carlos Lisboa The Enhanced Collaborative Model Task Force program is the U.S. Department of Justice’s flagship response to human trafficking. Over the last several years, many lessons have been learned, compiled, and contributed to the shaping of the program. This session will identify the challenges that investigators face, particularly those in law enforcement when engaging with other disciplines during the course of active criminal investigations. It will also offer solutions to help officers navigate those challenges while protecting the integrity of evidence and the investigation. The session will showcase best practices and resources for developing a task force structure that respects each sector’s mission while ensuring a coordinated and effective response. Track 3: Moving from Incentive to Intrinsic-based Program | Kathleen Arnold Learn how to transition from relying on external rewards and incentives to fostering intrinsic motivation among their team members. This training explores the science of motivation, emphasizing how factors such as autonomy, mastery, and purpose play a crucial role in driving individuals. Learn strategies for creating an environment that supports intrinsic motivation, including promoting meaningful tasks, providing opportunities for skill development, and aligning individual values with goals. Track 4: The Ladder of Influence for Leaders | Ria Story The Ladder of Influence provides a powerful, yet simple, framework to help you develop your leadership and increase your influence, equipping you to create a high-impact culture and lead a high-performance team in your department or organization. |
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12:00 - 1:00 | Lunch | |
1:00 - 2:00 |
Expanding Our Aperture | Judge Robert Lung As we continue to improve as a field, we must consider how we expand the aperture of who we serve and how our current response and service models across the field must either expand or adjust to meet the differences in needs. |
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2:00 - 2:15 | Break - Exhibitors | |
2:15 -3:15 |
Breakout Sessions Track 1: Creating Wins for Patients Exploited Through Human Trafficking: Capturing the Opportunities | Stacy Reynolds This talk uses lessons learned from a hospital-based response team to illustrate how we play the long game toward better outcomes in survivor recovery. Research from our program and case illustrations will be used to create a roadmap to build the safety net against trafficking. This talk uses experience from the healthcare lens to educate healthcare professionals, policy makers, service providers and organizational leaders on potential wins in the war against trafficking. Track 2: Building Capacity to Combat Trafficking | Steve Vinneau Human trafficking is unique among crimes investigated by law enforcement. Knowing how to conduct investigations is just the beginning. The job is made more challenging as personnel shortages affect many law enforcement agencies. This session will discuss how to build effective teams, communicate the value of the mission to decision-makers, and take care of people along the way. Track 3: Best Practices for Service Expansion | Landon Dickeson Trafficking survivors represent a cross-section of our population, however, service provision in the United States largely serves only a fraction of those impacted, leaving many with access to services. In order to ensure that each survivor who escapes does not experience re-victimization we must broaden the aperture of those we are able to serve and ensure that male, transgender, disabled, pregnant and other survivors are able to access healing services. Track 4: The Shifting Paradigms in Anti-Human Trafficking Initiatives: Embracing Multi-Agency Collaborative Solutions and Holistic Funding Approaches | UBS Foundation | Liam McCormick The seminar focuses on the complexity of combating human trafficking, emphasizing the need for collective action. Individual efforts are simply insufficient to effect sustainable change and the importance of collaboration between donors, law enforcement, service providers, safe houses, and survivors' recovery programs will be explored. The seminar aims to provide insights from the UBS experience of constructing effective collaborative anti-trafficking programs. |
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3:15 - 3:30 | Break - Exhibitors | |
3:30 - 4:00 | Looking to the Future with Cindy Dyer, Ambassador At Large | |
4:00 - 4:30 | Closing Remarks |