Melanie Thompson, Survivor Leader and Chief Advocacy & Outreach Officer- CATW (Coalition Against Trafficking in Women)
Opening speaker and Survivor Panel
Survivor Panel session objectives:
Understand what a day in the life of a trafficking victim is like
Understand why so many systems that should help victims fail to
Understand how important systems can be improved to benefit trafficking victims
Melanie Thompson is an expert speaker, activist, and leader in the global fight to end prostitution and commercial sexual exploitation. Trafficked and sold into prostitution at the age of 12, Melanie was later arrested, served time in detention, and then placed into the foster care system. She became an activist at age 14. Melanie is both a national and international subject matter expert consultant and speaks to the intersectionality of race, child welfare, juvenile justice, LGBTQ+ rights and other systems of oppression. Melanie has testified before numerous legislatures and entities, including the United Nations and various parliaments, about the need to pass strong anti-trafficking laws and end the arrests of sex trafficked and prostituted people. She has an extensive media presence, including Netflix, PBS, the NYTimes, CNN and more. Melanie sits on several Survivor Advisory Boards working to implement inclusivity and create more effective strategies for survivor leaders everywhere. By day, she serves as the Chief Advocacy & Outreach Officer at CATW.
Jayne Bigelson, Chief Policy/Education Officer National Organization for Women NYC, Women's Justice NOW
Opening speaker
Jayne Bigelsen is the Chief Policy and Education Officer at Women’s Justice NOW(WJN)- the sister agency to the NYC branch of the National Organization for Women (NOW-NYC.) At WJN/NOW-NYC, Jayne works to eradicate human trafficking and all forms of gender-based violence through uplifting the voices of survivors and fighting for systemic change. Prior to her work at WJN, Jayne was VP of Legal/Advocacy at Covenant House New York (CHNY) where she founded CHNY’s first anti-human trafficking department, supervised CHNY’s legal response to the current migrant crisis, created and led a youth leader advocacy program and co-led the first ever large-scale study on the relationship between human trafficking and youth homelessness.
Prior to her work at CHNY, Jayne was the Director of Legislative Affairs at the NYC Bar Association for eight years. At the City Bar, Jayne advocated for NYS’s first anti-trafficking law and a safe harbor law for child victims of commercial sexual exploitation.
Jayne has an undergraduate degree from Brandeis University, a law degree from Harvard and an MA in Applied Developmental Psychology from Fordham University.
Cristian Eduardo, Survivor Leader & Human Trafficking Consultant
Survivor Panel
Session objectives:
Understand what a day in the life of a trafficking victim is like
Understand why so many systems that should help victims fail to
Understand how important systems can be improved to benefit trafficking victims
Cristian Eduardo is a powerful advocate for human rights and social justice. He is a dedicated champion of anti-trafficking initiatives, particularly the Equality Model, which centers the voices of survivors in the fight against human trafficking. This focus on survivor leadership is evident in his role as a Survivor Leader and Steering Committee Member at New Yorkers for the Equality Model. His advocacy extends beyond anti-trafficking. Cristian is a vocal advocate for the rights of immigrants and LGBTQ+ individuals, drawing on his own experiences as a queer Mexican immigrant. His lived experiences as a survivor of international and domestic human trafficking, an individual living with HIV, and someone who has faced the challenges of trauma provide invaluable insights into the mental health struggles faced by many survivors.
Cristian Eduardo’s impact is far-reaching. He actively participates in various Survivors’ Advisory Boards and Councils, including the Alliance to End Human Trafficking, Sanctuary for Families, and the United States Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, among others. This involvement allows him to influence policy and practice at a broader level. He plays a key leadership role in anti-trafficking coalitions. As co-chair of the New York State Anti-TraffickingCoalition and a board member of the New Jersey Coalition Against Human Trafficking, Cristian is at the forefront of efforts to combat human trafficking within these states.
Cristian Eduardo is a community builder. He co-founded Mujeres en Resistencia,a coalition of immigrants that raises awareness about gender-based violence, including femicide, and provides vital resources to Spanish-speaking and Latino-immigrant communities.
Lisa Nolan, Director of Prevention Education, Willow Center, NY
The Intersection of Domestic Violence and Trafficking
Session Objectives
Participants will gain an understanding of basic domestic violence dynamics.
Participants will gain an understanding of the complexities faced by domestic violence survivors.
Participants will gain an understanding of how domestic violence and trafficking behaviors overlap.
Participants will learn strategies for recognizing abuse and trafficking and how to respond to and support survivors.
Lisa Nolan has been part of the Willow Team for nearly 6 years. Lisa’s role at Willow is as the Director of Prevention Education and includes training, educating, and consulting on all things related to trauma and domestic, dating and intimate partner violence throughout the community. She also serves as aliaison for many community partners back to Willow’s services or to other resources in the community. During her time at Willow, Lisa has trained over 20,000 members of our community in spaces such as K-12 schools, college campuses, mental health and healthcare settings, service provider settings, law enforcement and more. Lisa received her bachelor’s degree from SUNY Oswego and her master’s degree in education from Penn State University. She is a lifelong Rochestarian and loves a good garbage plate. When she’s not educating the community you can find her hiking local trails, drinking coffee at the Public Market, or planning her next trip abroad.
Session title: The Intersection of Domestic Violence and Trafficking
Hon. Ellen M. Yacknin (ret.)
Rochester SAFE Court: Lessons Learned About Survivors of Human Trafficking
Session Objectives: This session will discuss the creation and implementation of Rochester’s Surviving and Finding Empowerment [SAFE] Court, Monroe County’s treatment court for victims of sexual exploitation, and discuss both the Court’s benefits and strengths as well as its weaknesses.
Hon. Ellen M. Yacknin (ret.) was a Rochester City Court Judge, and later an Acting Monroe County Court Judge, from 2003 until her retirement in 2023. In addition to presiding over civil and criminal cases, Judge Yacknin created and presided over Rochester’s SAFE [Surviving and Finding Empowerment] Court, a problem-solving court for victims of human trafficking and sexual exploitation, and frequently presided over Teen Court.
Before assuming the Bench, Judge Yacknin was an attorney with the Greater Upstate Law Project, Inc. in Rochester, NY, a public interest law organization, where she litigated several landmark federal and state court actions involving health, welfare, civil rights, and housing issues on behalf of low-income persons. Before then, she was the managing attorney of the Buffalo Office of NY Prisoners’ Legal Services, law clerk to federal Chief Judge John T. Curtin of the Western District of New York, and staff attorney at Pennsylvania Legal Services Center in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Besides the cases she litigated in her employment capacity, Judge Yacknin brought several pro bono cases throughout her career. On behalf of her pro bono clients, she obtained a court order requiring the Buffalo, NY bus authority to display a pro-choice public service advertisement on its buses, a court order permitting demonstrators against President Ronald Reagan to hold signs attached to sticks, and a court order requiring Rochester, NY to grant tax-exempt status to a community building owned by the Gay Alliance of Genesee Valley. Additionally, for nearly 15 years, she was informal, and later formal, co-counsel for the 1,200 Attica Prison inmates who sued New York State for violating their constitutional rights by killing, torturing, and depriving them of medical care when the State quashed the inmates’ rebellion in September 1971.
Judge Yacknin has served on several community agency boards, including AIDS Community Health Center, Greater Rochester Association for Women Attorneys, Inns of Court, Rochester Area Task Force on AIDS, Empire State Pride Agenda, Gay Alliance of Genesee Valley, National Health Trust Foundation, and Mary Magdalene House. She is the author of several law-related articles and the recipient of several awards, including, most recently, the Cornell Law School Alumni Public Interest Law Award, the Monroe County Bar Association’s Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye Award, and the Greater Rochester Association for Women Attorneys’ Dolores Denman Award.
Session title: Rochester SAFE Court: Lessons Learned About Survivors of Human Trafficking
Dr. Celia McIntosh, DNP, RN, FNP – C, PMHNP – BC, CCRN, CNRN, SCRN, CEN
In Plain Sight, Yet Overlooked: The Intersection of Social Determinants of Health and Human Trafficking in Clinical Settings
Session Objectives
Recognize social determinants of health affecting trafficking survivors through case scenarios.
Learn to spot signs of human trafficking by analyzing potential case scenarios.
Formulate effective response strategies for healthcare providers when encountering trafficking survivors in clinical settings.
Dr. Celia McIntosh, DNP, RN, FNP-C, PMHNP-BC, CCRN, CEN, SCRN, CNRN is a powerhouse in healthcare and a fierce advocate for justice. A dually certified nurse practitioner, international and national speaker, and anti-trafficking advocate, Dr. McIntosh is known for showing up where it matters—at the bedside, in the boardroom, and on the frontlines of policy change.
With dual certification in family and psychiatric mental health, she brings a rare and deeply informed perspective to clinical care—treating the whole person while challenging the systems that harm them. She earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice, Family Nurse Practitioner, and post-master’s Psychiatric Mental Health NP certifications from St. John Fisher College, and has built a career grounded in equity, action, and community-centered leadership.
Dr. McIntosh is the past president of the Rochester Regional Coalition Against Human Trafficking (RRCAHT), the immediate past president of the Rochester Black Nurses Association (RBNA), and currently serves as RBNA’s Health Policy and Black Maternal Health Chair. She also serves as Health Policy Co-Chair for the National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) and is a board member for The Children’s Agenda, where she advocates for policy change that centers child well-being, health equity, and family support.
During her leadership at RRCAHT, she led initiatives that shifted the local response to human trafficking:
Launched the “Yes Here” Campaign to raise awareness about human trafficking and amplify survivor voices
Created the Survivor Fund, offering direct financial support to survivors navigating reentry
Partnered with Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) to expand education and outreach
Built community training programs for law enforcement, healthcare providers, educators, and faith-based leaders
Founded the Human Trafficking and Social Justice Conference, now an annual regional event
Secured nonprofit status for the coalition to ensure long-term sustainability
Rolled out fundraising and recognition events, honoring mission-aligned community partners
In her clinical leadership role, Dr. McIntosh developed a system-wide human trafficking protocol that has been embedded in the Rochester Regional Health electronic medical record system for over five years—ensuring frontline teams are equipped to identify and respond to trafficking victims with care and accountability.
Dr. McIntosh is a nationally and internationally recognized voice and thought leader on neurological disorders, post-stroke depression, Black maternal health, and human trafficking. Her presentations blend evidence-based insight with advocacy and bold truth-telling—sparking action and influencing change across healthcare, academic, and policy spaces.
Whether she’s mentoring future leaders, driving policy conversations, or redesigning care systems from the inside out, Dr. Celia McIntosh is a disruptor for good—unapologetic, compassionate, and relentlessly committed to building communities where health equity, dignity, and justice are non-negotiable.
Session title: In Plain Sight, Yet Overlooked: The Intersection of Social Determinants of Health and Human Trafficking in Clinical Settings
Melanie Blow, Executive Director, Stop Abuse Campaign
Survivor Panel, Moderator
Session objectives:
Understand what a day in the life of a trafficking victim is like
Understand why so many systems that should help victims fail to
Understand how important systems can be improved to benefit trafficking victims
Melanie Blow, a survivor of incest, psychological abuse, and a host of other childhood trauma, now uses her talents to prevent Adverse Childhood Experiences as the Executive Director of the Stop Abuse Campaign. After getting a Bachelors of Science in Biochemistry from SUNY Geneseo, Melanie worked for the American Red Cross Biomedical Services for 15 years.
Melanie has experience organizing survivors and empowering them to discuss their abuse and advocate for social change. She has been involved with the Rochester chapter of Love146, the legislative advocacy committee of the American Professional Society against the Abuse of Children, and served on the Board of Directors for Prevent Child Abuse NY. She is a founding member of the Rochester Regional Coalition Against Human Trafficking, and has her Champions of Trauma certification from the Trauma Institute at the University of Buffalo.
Melanie has over two decades of legislative advocacy regarding children’s issues, and she has been published in peer-reviewed journals, newspapers, magazines, and blogs all across the country.
Session title: Survivor Panel
Sue Kirby, Founder and Executive Director/Brightstar Community, Inc.
Street Outreach Trends and Response in Rochester to Support HT Victims
Learning Objectives:
Having local resources readily available
Understanding Safe Harbour (funding) and Trafficking
Knowing how to engage local communities and law enforcement
Sue Kirby is a dedicated advocate in the fight against sex trafficking, working to raise awareness, support survivors, and drive systemic change. With her background as the Founder and Executive Director of the nonprofit agency, Brightstar Community, Inc., she has created a home for women survivors of sex trafficking, sexual exploitation and addiction where the women can live for two years, rent free, while they heal and rebuild their lives. It is the first program of its kind in the Rochester, NY, area. She has also joined with other nonprofit agencies in the community to do weekly street outreach to be able to meet more individuals that are experiencing sexual exploitation, addiction and homelessness to provide hygiene bags and build trust within the community to let them know that they matter and that there is hope and a way out.
Brightstar is a member of the Rochester Regional Coalition Against Human Trafficking and the Western District of New York Human Trafficking Task Force. Through collaboration with organizations, law enforcement, and community leaders, Brightstar works to address the root causes of trafficking and provide resources for those affected and they are committed to fostering education and action to combat this very important issue in our community.
At this conference, Sue will share insights on her work since starting this grassroots program and, specifically the work they do in street outreach, and the increasing need for offering practical strategies and inspiring change in the collective fight against trafficking.
Session title: Street Outreach Trends and Response in Rochester to Support HT Victims
Michael Brennan, DNP, Family Nurse Practitioner, Regional Health Reach
Street Medicine: Care on the Margins
Learning Objectives:
Describe how a Street Medicine approach increases access to care.
Understand the intersectionality of health, housing, substance use, human trafficking, and mental health.
Michael Brennan, has 30 years of experience in providing primary care to underserved populations such as refugees, migrant farmworkers, the uninsured, and those experiencing homelessness. For the last several years, Michael has worked with Health Reach’s "Street Medicine" program in Rochester, NY, that brings health care to those living under the bridges, in tent encampments, and on the streets. Street Medicine meets people “where they are at” - providing access to care and addressing the social determinants of health. Michael is the PCP for hundreds of individuals who have fallen through the cracks of our societal and healthcare safety nets. Trauma, mental illness, substance use disorder, and STIs are ubiquitous in his line of work. He describes the work as “gritty but gratifying.”
Session title: Street Medicine: Care on the Margins
Laura Mullen, Survivor Advisory Board Founder, ECLI-VIBES
Survivor Panel
Session objectives:
Understand what a day in the life of a trafficking victim is like
Understand why so many systems that should help victims fail to
Understand how important systems can be improved to benefit trafficking victims
Laura Mullen, is Co-Founder and President of the Human Trafficking Survivor Advisory Board for the Empowerment Collaborative of Long Island (ECLI/VIBES)
Laura is a survivor of human trafficking. She is the Co-Founder and President of the Human Trafficking Advisory Board for the Empowerment Collaborative of Long Island (ECLI/VIBES), which is the first human trafficking survivor advisory board on Long Island.
Laura actively participates in curriculum writing and program development for anti-human trafficking training. As a community engagement leader, she frequently attends public speaking events for Suffolk County’s Anti-Trafficking initiative to educate and raise awareness about human trafficking. Laura is a Survivor Leader and dedicated Anti-Trafficking Services Advocate, who gives direct support to victims of trafficking by lobbying for legislative bills and successfully campaigning for the “START Act”, which was passed in 2021. Laura is also the Project Coordinator for Girl Vow Task Force for missing and murdered.
As one of the newest Executive Board Members of Cycling for Change, Laura brings valuable insight on how to better serve our communities who are battling human trafficking.
Session title: Survivor Panel
Brittany Schulik, Program Manager of Monroe County Safe Harbour, Street Outreach, and National Safe Place in Monroe County/Center for Youth
Street Outreach Trends and Response in Rochester to Support HT Victims
Learning Objectives:
Having local resources readily available
Understanding Safe Harbour (funding) and Trafficking
Knowing how to engage local communities and law enforcement
Brittany Schulik has been working with the at-risk, adolescent population since 2010 post working in education after college. Brittany has 4 daughters of her own, which leads her passion to support and educate the county and world about the risks of trafficking and how it does NOT always look like the movie, Taken. Brittany has been with the Center for Youth services for almost 7 years and has overseen Safe Harbour for the last 3. Brittany is committed to the support of the young people in our community and truly hearing their stories. Brittany believes step 1 to making changes in the world is Youth Voice, Youth Choice and working together from there to development prevention and change.
Session title: Street Outreach Trends and Response in Rochester to Support HT Victims
Kelly Galloway, Founding Director/Project Mona's House
The Intersectionality of Foster Care and Human Trafficking
Learning Objectives:
Understand the Unique Vulnerabilities of Foster Youth
Examine how instability, multiple placements, and lack of permanent support increase trafficking risk.
Identify the systemic gaps that traffickers exploit within the foster care system.
Recognize the Warning Signs & Pathways to Exploitation
Learn how traffickers specifically target foster youth through manipulation, false promises, and coercion.
Develop strategies to identify high-risk behaviors and intervene before exploitation occurs.
Enhance Prevention & Support Strategies for Foster-Involved Youth
Explore trauma-informed approaches to protect foster youth from trafficking.
Discuss policy recommendations, community collaborations, and advocacy efforts to create stronger protective measures.
Kelly Diane Galloway, is a renowned activist, humanitarian, and founder of Project Mona’s House, a national leader in the fight against human trafficking. Under her leadership, Project Mona’s House has become the only restorative shelter in the U.S. where over 92% of its two-year graduates achieve homeownership and financial independence. The organization’s holistic approach focuses on prevention, outreach, and restoration, operating The FreeTHEM Center, a drop-in resource hub, and a comprehensive residential program for survivors.
A policy advocate and legislative strategist, Kelly is a member of the Western New York Human Trafficking Task Force and serves on the New York State Task Force on Missing Women and Girls Who Are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). She is widely respected for her efforts to address systemic pathways that lead to trafficking, integrating trauma-informed care and economic empowerment into the survivor recovery process.
Her advocacy extends globally, having worked in safe houses in Greece and overseeing children’s homes and schools in India, Nepal, Brazil, Pakistan, Mozambique, and Tanzania, where she actively supports a school. She is the founder of RAMP Global Missions, a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to serving those in need around the world.
Kelly’s work was catapulted into global missions through her role as a charter member of The Ramp Church International, which helped shape her vision for faith-driven humanitarian service.
Session title: The Intersectionality of Foster Care and Human Trafficking
Nicola Dell, Associate Professor at Cornell/Director of the Clinic to End Tech Abuse
Mitigating technology-facilitated abuse and navigating digital safety
Session Objectives: Equip attendees with an understanding of common ways technology is weaponized for abuse in trafficking, along with strategies for mitigating technology-facilitated abuse and helping survivors stay safe.
Nicola (Nicki) Dell is an Associate Professor of Information Science at Cornell University based at the Cornell Tech campus in New York City. She is also a part of the Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute. At Cornell, she co-founded and co-directs the Clinic to End Tech Abuse (CETA). She is the recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship (2024), a SIGCHI Societal Impact Award (2023), an NSF CAREER Award (2018), and was the 2023 Siegel Faculty Impact Fellow in the Public Interest Technology (PiTech) Initiative. Nicola received a Ph.D. in Computer Science & Engineering from the University of Washington and has published over 90 peer-reviewed conference and journal papers.
Session title: Mitigating technology-facilitated abuse and navigating digital safety
Andrea Tudisco, RN, BSN, Street Medicine RN
Street Medicine: Care on the Margins
Learning Objectives:
Describe how a Street Medicine approach increases access to care.
Understand the intersectionality of health, housing, substance use, human trafficking, and mental health.
Andrea Tudisco, has 19 years of experience in providing nursing care to underserved populations such as people experiencing homelessness, living with HIV/AIDS, mental health and substance use disorders. Since 2022, Andrea has worked as an RN with Health Reach’s Street Medicine Program in Rochester, NY. As a member of a multidisciplinary outreach team, she provides medical support, health education, and advocacy to individuals experiencing homelessness and those with limited access to traditional healthcare. With a background in acute care, mental health and substance use, Andrea brings both clinical expertise and a deep commitment to equity and dignity in healthcare. Her work focuses on building trust, reducing barriers to care, and meeting people where they are—literally and figuratively.
Session title: Street Medicine: Care on the Margins