Speaker Bios: Bolstering Efforts to Address Human Trafficking

Scott Alexander

Director of International Relations, Houston Airport System

Scott Alexander, director of international relations for The Houston Airport System, is the liaison with 90 consulates in the Houston area and works with federal partners. These include U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Transportation Security Administration, and stakeholders to improve passenger facilitation through Bush Intercontinental and Hobby airports. Alexander coordinates the airports' efforts to combat human trafficking through training and awareness. Previously, he worked for Continental Airlines where he led its international customer service operations at Bush Intercontinental Airport. Alexander is a certified member of the American Association of Airport Executives and president of the South Central Chapter.

Sara Armstrong

Vice President and Managing Director, Federation Relations and Grassroots Advocacy Division, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Sara Armstrong, vice president and managing director of the Federation Relations and Grassroots Advocacy Division at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, manages the relationships with state and local chambers and national trade associations across the country. She also oversees the Chamber’s grassroots advocacy efforts in support of its policy and legislative priorities.

Previously, Armstrong served as chief of staff at the Republican National Committee (RNC) after leading the 58th Presidential Inaugural Committee in 2017 as chief executive officer. Before that, she was vice president of the 2016 Republican National Convention. Armstrong served at the RNC as chief operating officer for the 2014 election cycle and as deputy chief of staff during the 2012 presidential election cycle. She is a former RNC director of member services.

Armstrong was a special assistant to President George W. Bush and deputy chief of staff to first lady Laura Bush. She also served in the Bush administration as director of the White House Visitors Office where she managed a variety of events. She served in the Bush administration from 2002 to 2009.

Armstrong currently serves on the boards of the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, the National Association of State Chambers, and the Public Affairs Council.

She received both her B.S. and M.B.A. degrees from the University of South Carolina.

Richard J. Baier

President and CEO, Nebraska Bankers Association

Richard Baier is president & CEO of the Nebraska Bankers' Association, the voice of the Nebraska banking industry. Baier is avid about growing the Cornhusker state's banking industry, and through his leadership, the organization is aligning the banking needs with community interests.

In 2024, the Nebraska Bankers' Association established the HALT Human Trafficking Fund to support organizations working to eliminate human trafficking in the state. Monies donated to the fund are used for education, data, and technology.

Previously, Baier served as executive vice president of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry, leading an initiative focused on Nebraska's long-term competitiveness. He also worked for over eight years for two different governors as director of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development.

Baier holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas, and a master's degree in public administration from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Michael Billet

Senior Director, Policy Research, Employment Policy Division, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Michael Billet, senior director of policy research at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, keeps members and internal Chamber policy staff up to date on pending labor and immigration legislation, as well as federal regulatory and subregulatory activities. He also serves as the program director of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Task Force to Eradicate Human Trafficking.

Previously, Billet worked as the public policy assistant at the National Business Group on Health where he provided administrative and logistical support for the annual Business Health Agenda conference, conducted research, and wrote policy materials. This included drafting testimony, letters to Congress and the administration, briefings for Hill visits, and other public policy activities.

Earlier in his career, he analyzed public opinion research at the American Enterprise Institute and worked at the Congressional Management Foundation and for former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA).

Billet has a bachelor's degree in English and political science form Muhlenberg College and a master's degree in governmental studies from the Johns Hopkins University.

Ashleigh S. Chapman

President, Alliance for Freedom, Restoration, and Justice (AFRJ)

Prior tAshleigh S. Chapman, president of Alliance for Freedom, Restoration, and Justice (AFJR) and founder and CEO of Altus, has worked on combating human trafficking and protecting vulnerable populations for the past 20 years. She is passionate about helping reform systems of care, strengthening community efforts, and building solutions to increase the impact of justice advocates.

As president of AFRJ®, she leads a global nonprofit that supports 7,500 organizations working together to end human trafficking and protect vulnerable populations worldwide.

Through AFRJ®, the organization has launched the Freedom Council to bring business solutions to the fights against human trafficking; the Hire Hope program, created with the assistance of Randstad USA to provide job training opportunities for survivors; the Student Council to educate high school students about human trafficking; and the Every Day Heroes challenge, which provides training on human trafficking indicators and how to respond to incidences.

She is also the founder and CEO of Altus™, a business for good that exists to end human trafficking by building higher solutions that reach greater impact.

Prior to AFRJ and Altus, she served as co-founder and director of the Center for Global Justice at Regent University School of Law in Virginia, director of a nonprofit serving thousands of at-risk youths in Tennessee, and a court-appointed special advocate for children in foster care.

Chapman is a licensed attorney in Virginia. She graduated magna cum laude with a Juris Doctorate from Regent University School of Law, where she recived the school's Most Outstanding Graduate Award, and summa cum laude with a B.S. from Tennessee Technological University.

Katherine Chon

Director, Office on Trafficking in Persons (OTIP), Administration for Children & Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Katherine Chon, founding director of the Office on Trafficking in Persons (OTIP) and senior adviser on human trafficking at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), develops strategies and implements programs to prevent trafficking, increases victim identification and access to services, and strengthens the health and well-being of survivors.

OTIP raises public awareness, identifies research priorities, and informs policy to strengthen the U.S.' public health response to human trafficking. The office also determines eligibility of services for human trafficking survivors and supports the HHS Task Force to Prevent Human Trafficking.

Chon is the federal executive officer of public-private collaborations, including the National Advisory Committee on the Trafficking of Children and Youth in the U.S. and the Joint Forced Labor Working Group.

Previously, she was co-founder and president of Polaris.

Chon received a Master of Public Health from the Johns Hopkins University with the distinction of Delta Omega, a Master of Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School, and a Bachelor of Science in psychology from Brown University.

Eric Choy

Executive Director, Trade Remedy Law Enforcement, Office of Trade, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Eric Choy is executive director for trade remedy law enforcement at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). He is responsible for special investigations and enforcement programs focused on detecting, deterring, and disrupting illicit trade with an emphasis on forced labor violations, tariff evasion, and civil penalties.

Previously, Choy served as deputy assistant for the trade policy at the Office of Strategy, Plans, and Procedures at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. There he was accountable for policies and initiatives that enable the flow of legitimate trade, services, capital, and technology across our nation's borders to ensure a fair, competitive, and safe trade environment.

Earlier, Choy led the Chemical Sector Specific Agency in the National Protection and Programs Directorate where he oversaw engagement with regulatory stakeholders and industry partners.

In addition, he served 23 years in the U.S. Army in numerous field and joint duty assignments inside and outside the Pentagon and in Southwest Asia, the Asia-Pacific, and North America.

Choy received his Master of Arts in National Security Strategy and Policy from the United States Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, and his Master of Business Administration from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

Geri-Louise Dimas, Ph.D.

Co-Director and Fellow, Stopping Trafficking and Modern-day Slavery Project (STAMP) Research Lab

Geri Louise Dimas is an assistant professor at Bryan University in Smithfield, Rhode Island, and the co-director of the Stopping Trafficking and Modern-day exploitation Project lab (STAMP) at the Institute for the Quantitative Study of Inclusion, Diversity and Equity (QSIDE).

QSIDE is a nonprofit organization that uses cutting-edge data science and mathematical modeling to develop projects addressing issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion. STAMP looks at the broad landscape of human trafficking and human exploitation seeking ways to leverage data and analytics to support efforts to disrupt these activities.

Dimas has been working in the anti-human trafficking movement since 2018. Her work centers around understanding the challenges and expanding opportunities for data and analytics to focus on the varying aspects of trafficking.

She has Ph.D. in data science from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, a master's in applied statistics from Bowling Green State University, and bachelor's degrees in computer science and actuarial science from Roosevelt University.

Daniel Emr

Founder and Executive Director, Worthwhile Wear

Daniel Emr is founder and executive director of Worthwhile Wear, an organization that rescues and restores women from sex trafficking through vocational training centers. Emr provides oversight and strategic guidance throughout the organization while working with staff to continually monitor and improve services. His passion for helping those who have been harmed stems from growing up in Ukraine as a missionary kid.

Earlier, he spent close to six years working in marketing and sales at an engineering firm before he left everything to follow his desire to help survivors of human trafficking.

Emr holds a B.S. in business administration from Clearwater Christian College in Clearwater, Florida.

Mike Harley

Managing Director, Cybersecurity & Business Intelligence, The Next Solutions Group

Mike Harley, managing director of cybersecurity & business intelligence at the Next Solutions Group, provides companies with strategic advice to address cybersecurity risks. The firm provides consulting services in crisis and issues management, media relations, corporate communications and cybersecurity, government and public affairs, investigations, cybersecurity, executive engagement, and corporate partnerships.

Harley has 20+ years of combined senior military intelligence and corporate C-suite experience. He worked at the National Security Agency and is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force in the United States Special Operations Command serving as a linguist, electronic warfare subject matter expert, and a survival, evasion, resistance, and escape instructor.

He has been recognized twice as airman of the year by the U.S. Air Force and awarded the Bronze Star to accompany his 12 deployments spanning South America, Africa, and Eurasia. He supported Japan’s government efforts for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic games to counter sex trafficking.

He holds masters’ degrees from the National Defense University and the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterrey, as well as multiple language certificates from the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center.

Fred Hefer

Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Pomerol Partners

Fred Hefer is the co-founder and managing partner of Pomerol Partners, a consultancy company that provides data and visualization services to companies that need a strategic process to analyze their data. Hefer leads Pomerol's U.S. operations, with a business development focus of web app integrations as well as the Qlik and Microsoft technology stack partnerships.

Pomerol Partners has collaborated with Qlik, a leader in data analytics and Engage Together®, an organization created by the Alliance for Freedom Restoration and Justice to create an interactive community assessment. This tool enables communities to understand the resources available to them in the fight against human trafficking. This work also won Qlik's Global Transformation Award for leveraging active intelligence for transformation and impact.

Pomerol Partners was spun off from Deutsche Bank in London, England. During his tenure at Deutsche Bank, Hefer served in the Equities Prime Services Division in various finance roles, from analyst to controller to manager, with a specialization in securities lending. The idea of a business solution approach to data analytics was borne from realizing significant direct funding savings for the bank. Hefer relocated from Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom, to Kansas City, Missouri, to serve Pomerol's existing U.S. client base and continues to grow its operations at a national level.

Hefer holds a B. Comm in economic and business management and a Hons B. Comm in financial analysis from Stellenbosch University in South Africa.

Abbe Horswill

Director, Human Rights and Social Impact, Marriott International

Abbe Horswill, director of human rights and social impact at Marriott International, oversees the company's human rights initiatives, manages strategic partnerships and programs with nonprofit organizations, and provides guidance on human rights. In 2021, Horswill led the development of Marriott's human trafficking awareness training, which is required for all on-property associates and available to the entire hotel industry.

Previously, she worked at Booz Allen Hamilton where she stood up the U.S. Department of Justice's Office for Victims of Crime Human Trafficking Capacity Building Center, which builds nationwide capacity to serve trafficking victims.

Earlier in her career, Horswill worked at the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, the National Center Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and Polaris.

She has a B.A. in leadership studies with additional majors in women's studies and international relations from the University of Richmond and a Master of Arts in international development studies with a self-designed concentration in human trafficking from the Elliott School of International Affairs at The George Washington University.

Horswill received an Advanced Graduate Certificate in Transnational Organized Crime from The John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification from the Project Management Institute.

Mackenzie Kelly

Council Member, Austin City Council District 6

Mackenzie Kelly was elected to serve on the Austin City Council (District 6), which oversees and decides on the city budget, local taxes, amendments of laws, and the creation of policies.

Before being elected to the council, Kelly served at the Round Rock Fire Department Training Division, Williamson County Emergency Management, and the City of Austin Community Emergency Response Team. She was elected president in 2019 of the 100th class of the Austin Police Department's Citizen Police Academy.

Kelly volunteered with the Jollyville Fire Department from 2005 to 2013, where she completed a fellowship through the Disaster Science Academy.

Earlier, Kelly worked in home health care for several years and was appointed by then-Gov. Rick Perry to the Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities.

She has an associate degree in emergency management from Austin Community College.

Stefan J. Marculewicz

Shareholder and Co-Chair, Business and Human Rights Practice Group, Littler Mendelson P.C.

Stefan J. Marculewicz is shareholder and co-chair of the business and human rights practice group at Littler Mendelson P.C.

Marculewicz, a recognized authority on international labor standards, serves as co-chair of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s International Law Subcommittee and chair of the U.S. Chamber’s Task Force to Eradicate Human Trafficking.

He advises multinational corporations on issues involving employer efforts to address and respond to international labor standards and helps corporations respond to efforts by labor unions and non-governmental organizations to discredit them through global campaigns.

His work includes developing global labor relations strategies, advancing supply chain management systems, establishing corporate codes of social responsibility and human rights policies, and negotiating international framework agreements with Global Union Federations.

He has represented employers before the ILO and OECD National Contact Points.

Marculewicz received his B.A. from Lawrence University in Wisconsin and his J.D. from The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law.

Eliza McCoy

Vice President of Awareness and Prevention Programs, American Hotel and Lodging Association Foundation

Eliza McCoy, vice president of awareness and prevention programs at the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA) Foundation, plays a critical role in bolstering and expanding the No Room For Trafficking Program—a national initiative that builds on the industry’s ongoing commitment and work to end human trafficking. McCoy is the administrator for a survivors’ fund for human trafficking victims, which provides long-term support and economic stability for survivors and advances training and education to prevent human trafficking in the lodging industry.

Before joining the AHLA Foundation, McCoy served as an executive director at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. There she led the organization’s transformation of outreach, training, and prevention. McCoy also worked for the Center for Alexandria’s Children, helping expand awareness and support of community-based programs to prevent and respond to child abuse.

She began her career as an investigator with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office after graduating from the Westchester County Police Academy.

McCoy holds a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University and a master’s degree from George Mason University.

Molly McCoy

Associate Deputy Undersecretary for International Labor Affairs, U.S. Department of Labor

Molly McCoy, associate deputy undersecretary for International Labor Affairs at the U.S. Department of Labor, focuses on promoting worker voice in the agency's international technical assistance programs and spearheaded the rollout of M-POWER, Multilateral Partnership for Organizing, Worker Empowerment, and Rights.

Previously, she served as policy director for the Solidarity Center, the largest U.S.-based international worker rights organization. There she worked on union organizing and worker empowerment globally.

McCoy holds a master's degree in economic and political development from Columbia University and a master's degree in international relations from the Institut des Etudes Politiques (Sciences Po) Paris.

Arthur Nelson

Sergeant, Organized Crime Division, Human Trafficking Unit, Austin Police Department

Art Nelson, a sergeant in the Organized Crime Division’s Human Trafficking Unit in Austin, Texas, is an experienced law enforcement professional and a former U.S. Army infantry officer spanning 25 years of public service.

As a commissioned master peace officer, Nelson has spent over 17 years serving the community in Austin. He has held a variety of investigatory and supervisory positions in the department examining transnational and interstate criminal organizations. In addition, he leads, trains, and oversees large team of detectives in the department’s Human Trafficking Unit.

Earlier in his career, Nelson served 8 years in the U.S. Army as a combat proven leader and infantry officer where he was deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Paul Pellizzari

Vice President, Global Social Responsibility, Hard Rock International

Paul Pellizzari is vice president of global social responsibility at Hard Rock International and Seminole Gaming where he leads corporate strategies and operational programs. This includes environmental sustainability, anti-human trafficking, responsible gambling, and community impact. He also worked with PACT-USA and ECPAT-Mexico to create an international anti-human trafficking education program.

Programs that Pellizari developed have won more than 20 global and national awards, including the World Lottery Association's best overall global Responsible Gambling program in 2014 and 2017. Also, he was named the World's Top 50 Social Responsibility Leadership Talents at Global Corporate Social Responsibility Day hosted in Mumbai, India.

He was an adjunct professor at the Queen's University Smith School of Business in Kingston, Ontario, and is the author of two books, including Conscious Consumption: Corporate Social Responsibility and Canada's Grocery Giants.

Earlier, Pellizzari was executive director of social responsibility at Ontario Lottery & Gaming Corporation, director of purpose marketing strategy at J. Walther Thompson, and director of research and ratings at EthicScan Canada. In addition, he worked in corporate communications at Noranda Inc.

He holds a Master of Arts from University of Montreal, an Honours Bachelor of Arts from the Queen's University, and an Honours Bachelor of Commerce, also from Queen's.

Thomas Ruck

Senior Adviser, Blue Campaign, U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Thomas Ruck, senior adviser at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Blue Campaign, leads engagement with the private sector to raise awareness of human trafficking.

Previously, Ruck worked at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs where he first served as director of the Fayetteville National Cemetery before being appointed director of the Los Angeles National Cemetery. In 2019, he brought to fruition the first National Cemetery Administration’s Urban Initiative Columbarium Project.

While at the Los Angeles National Cemetery, Ruck created and jointly produced with local affiliate ABC7 Memorial Day television programs in 2020 and 2021 honoring the veterans of Southern California.

Earlier in his career, he spent over 20 years in national accounts sales, marketing, and management in the clinical laboratory field.

Ruck is the author of Sacred Ground; A Tribute to America’s Veterans, which reached No. 5 on Amazon’s bestsellers list and garnered 5 book awards. Royalties from book sales are donated to the Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund for children of veterans who either lost a parent or their parent was severely injured while wearing the uniform of our country.

He is a visiting fellow at the Freedom Alliance Foundation, a member of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, and a member of the Newport Beach, California Post 291, Sons of the American Legion.

Ruck holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Missouri in Columbia (Mizzou).

Glenn Spencer

Senior Vice President, Employment Policy Division, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Glenn Spencer, senior vice president of the Employment Policy Division at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, oversees the Chamber’s work on immigration, retirement security, labor relations, human trafficking, wage hour and worker safety issues, EEOC matters, and state labor and employment law.

Before joining the Chamber in July 2007, Spencer spent six years at the U.S. Department of Labor in the Office of the Secretary serving as the deputy chief of staff and then chief of staff to Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao.

Earlier in his career, Spencer was engaged in issue advocacy and grassroots lobbying for Citizens for a Sound Economy in Washington, D.C., and also worked as a senior analyst in the research departments of the National Republican Senatorial Committee and the Republican National Committee.

Spencer’s articles have been published in numerous leading newspapers, and he has appeared on nationally syndicated radio and television news programs. Spencer holds an M.A. in international affairs from The George Washington University.

Amanda M. Stylianou Ph.D.

LCSW, CEO, HEAL Trafficking

Amanda M. Stylianou is CEO of HEAL Trafficking, an integrated network of multidisciplinary professionals dedicated to ending human trafficking and supporting survivors from a public health perspective.

Earlier in her career, Stylianou worked at Safe Horizon, Rutgers Health, and Easterseals, with her work centering on multidisciplinary approaches to supporting human trafficking survivors.

Stylianou served as a member of the National Institute for Justice's Violence against Women Research Consortium hosted by Rutgers University's Center for Research in Ending Violence and as an expert on the development of the Office for Victims of Crime's Human Trafficking Action Research Kit.

She has published peer-reviewed articles in BMC Public Health; the Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Trauma, Violence & Abuse; and the Journal of Interpersonal Violence, and Violence against Women and is the co-author of Building Financial Empowerment for Survivors of Domestic Violence.

She earned a Bachelor of Arts from Westmont College in Montecito, California, and earned both a M.S.W. and Ph.D. in social work from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

Tsvetelina Thompson

Managing Director, Twentyfour-Seven Inc.

Tsvetelina Thompson, managing director of Twentyfour-Seven Inc., helps businesses strengthening their corporate responsibilities and mitigates their liabilities under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA). She uses her personal experience and knowledge as a survivor to help corporations, law enforcement, and civic organizations combat this heinous crime.

Twentyfour-Seven Inc. created the Twentyfour-Seven Anti-trafficking QR Code®, which provides information to victims, gives everyone the ability to report trafficking, and helps corporations limit their liability under the TVPA.

Thompson is the voice of and an advocate for victims of human trafficking, focusing primarily on women forced into sex. She first started helping sexually enslaved women in the Amsterdam Red Light District. She also facilitated the human trafficking training program for the Dutch Royal Gendarmeri and was instrumental in providing instruction and exercises to the military and the regional police on how to attend to the needs of victims, especially those trafficked across international borders.

Michael Watson

Secretary of State, Mississippi

Mississippi Secretary of State Michael David Watson, Jr., is responsible for protecting the integrity of elections and working to reduce regulations and red tape for small businesses.

Prior to taking office, Watson served three terms in the State Senate, where he advocated for pro-life policies and wrote Mississippi's first law tackling illegal immigration. He began his political career as an intern for then-U.S. Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott.

Watson is a member of the National Rifle Association, the American Council of Young Political Leaders, the Mississippi Bar Association, the Ole Miss Alumni Association, and the Ole Miss Hall of Fame.

He has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Mississippi and a J.D. from the University of Mississippi School of Law.

Kimberly Williams

MBA, CEO, Faith Collaborative

Kimberly R. Williams is CEO of Faith Collaborative, a network of organizations that provides emotional and spiritual support to human trafficking victims and those at risk of exploitation. There she oversees the strategic planning, administration and operation of the organization.

Previously, as the program director at St. Luke's Health in Houston, Texas, Williams secured over $4.3 million grants and educated health care professionals to improve the identification and care of human trafficking victims.

She founded the Houston Area Human Trafficking Healthcare Consortium and was pivotal in establishing the PATH Collaborative, a unified response to human trafficking in the Texas Medical Center, the largest medical center in the world. She also developed comprehensive data-driven reports to inform decision making and enhance outcomes to support victims on their road to recovery.

Her prior roles included program coordinator at Christ Church Cathedral, community relations manager at On Eagles Wings Ministries, and marketing manager at the Pensacola Area Chamber of Commerce.

Williams dedicates her time and expertise to numerous impactful causes, serving on the boards of Healing Hands of Joy and the American Hospital Association's Human Trafficking Advisory Council, among others. In addition to her volunteer work, Williams is a 2023 graduate of the FBI Houston Citizens Academy. She is also a recipient of the Lion's Award recognizing her work in anti-human trafficking initiatives to create a safer, more just society for all.

She earned a B.S. in agriculture from the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, and an M.B.A. in health care administration from Texas Women's University in Denton, Texas.