minh dang, executive director & CO-Founder

Minh Dang, MSW, PhD is the Executive Director of Survivor Alliance, an international NGO that empowers survivors to be leaders in their own communities. She is also a Research Fellow and Lead in Survivor Scholarship and Wellbeing at the University of Nottingham’s Rights Lab. Her doctoral thesis, Wellbeing in our own Words: Survivors of slavery defining wellbeing, emphasizes the importance of moving beyond psychopathy when discussing survivors’ mental health and focusing on wellbeing. Minh was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area region of California and is a proud two-time UC Berkeley alum. Minh earned her B.A. in Sociology and Masters in Social Welfare, with an emphasis on Community Mental Health. Minh loves the outdoors, is a fan of farmers' markets, and the person making silly faces at your child in the supermarket. You will rarely find her without a journal or post-it notes, and hopes that someone will pay her to launch a stationery line called Minhspiration.

Narit Gessler, Deputy Director

Narit Gessler is a mission-driven advocate for human rights with over 15 years of experience in nonprofit administration, program design, and project management. Throughout her career, Narit has dedicated herself to empowering rights-based organizations and making a meaningful impact in the lives of survivors. As an active member and advocate within Survivor Alliance for the past several years, Narit has worked closely with the community as an ally and champion.

Previously, Narit held roles as the Senior Partnership Manager at United Way Worldwide's Center to Combat Human Trafficking and the Director of Development at Free the Slaves, where she was responsible for designing and implementing global anti-trafficking initiatives. Beyond her professional qualifications, Narit holds dual Masters degrees from the Monterey Institute of International Studies in International Policy Studies (specialized in human rights, norms, and justice) and Business Administration for International Management. In her free time, Narit can usually be found reading a book, exploring the great outdoors, and spending quality time with her family (and cats).

Nancy esiovwa, Movement Building Manager

Nancy is the Founder of Bradford Survivor Alliance Chapter, the first Chapter of Survivor Alliance. Nancy has the privilege of supporting survivors to raise their voices and personally advocate for survivors of modern slavery and human trafficking in the UK. Her passion for this work is founded upon her humanity and compassion, as well as her personal identification as a survivor of modern slavery. Nancy has been an active member of Survivor Alliance since 2018. She raises awareness about modern slavery and human trafficking through public speaking in her local community, at national conferences, and at colleges and training events around the UK. Nancy is currently studying for a Social Work degree.

AMIE RAINFISH, Consulting Program Manager

Amie is the Program Manager of Consulting at Survivor Alliance and an active Lived Experience Subject Matter Consultant. Amie coordinates Survivor Alliance's collaboration with the Office for Victims of Crime's Survivor Engagement Training and Technical Assistance program (SETTA). She regularly works with consultants and organizations focusing on complex issues in the anti-trafficking sector. Amie understands and appreciates diversity, inclusion, accessibility, reparation, and repair as key issues in working with communities for positive change.

Amie has been a capacity builder, consultant, instructor, advocate, and activist for more than 20 years. She has worked with legal, medical, governmental, academic, non-government, and faith-based organizations to create and further opportunities for survivors. Amie is an AmeriCorps Alumna who has been dedicated to improving the lives of others and strengthening communities. She has served 4 years in her local counties as a capacity builder for victim service programs and has developed and facilitated various training and prevention programs.

kathy givens, Leadership Academy Program Manager

Kathy Givens is a wife, mother, writer, speaker, and consultant in the anti-trafficking field.  Throughout her career, she has demonstrated unwavering dedication to raising awareness and implementing effective strategies to combat human trafficking and gender-based violence. Some of her former roles include being program director, where she designed and managed a trauma-informed curriculum for adults who identified as survivors of trafficking; director of outreach, where she launched a youth-focused awareness program in a new city; and co-founder, where she designed a unique mentorship program for individuals who identified as survivors of trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation. With a deep commitment to inclusivity, Kathy actively engages in meaningful conversations around diversity, equity, and inclusion as a consultant. She is devoted to navigating complex social justice issues with empathy, empowerment, and a call to action. Kathy often jokes that her favorite language is poetry. She loves attending poetry shows, reading books, and spending time with her family. 

Alicia Ley, Fellowship Program manager

Alicia Ley serves Survivor Alliance as the Fellowship Program Manager. Previous professional adventures include grassroots community development, economic empowerment, direct services, and collective impact work. Alicia has spent the last decade advocating and building holistic, trauma-applied spaces to support survivors as they journey toward becoming their whole healthy selves. It is these face-to-face relationships that fuel her fiery passion to address systemic injustices and fight for economic equity. Alicia is fervent about bringing survivors and allies together in order to provide empowering solutions in the anti-trafficking sector. Her best moments include sharing cups of frothy coffee, mountain climbing adventures, and the simple joy of being present with loved ones.

Christabelle Robinson, Programs Assistant

Christabelle Robinson (she/they) is a Programs Assistant for the Leadership Academy at Survivor Alliance. They are also the Program Coordinator at the Global Center on Human Trafficking. Christabelle has years of survivor advocacy experience including blogs, interviews, and public speaking on human trafficking and related issues focusing on disability and neurodivergent accommodations and awareness, as well as ethical and equitable survivor engagement in professional spaces. They are experienced in program development, training curriculum development and facilitation, writing, and marketing.

In addition to her work in the human trafficking field, Christabelle brings to this position a wealth of experience developing communications strategy and social media campaigns as an independent consultant to private companies and non-profit organizations. Since 2017, her focus has been on ethical and inclusive marketing and product design that is designed to include people from all walks of life.

With a cup of coffee in one hand, when not working, some of Christabelle’s other interests include running an online storefront to be an outlet for her art and macrame, video gaming, makeup artistry, thrifting, curling up with a good book, or attempting to write a couple pages of their own book (but it is definitely a work in progress).

Raven montenegro, People Operations Manager

Raven Montenegro is the People Operations Manager for Survivor Alliance. She studied Creative Writing and Anthropology in her hometown of Atlanta, Georgia and completed a Master’s program in Ethics, Peace and Human Rights at American University’s School of International Service, where she focused on the communications of peacebuilding within social movements. Outside of traditional academia, she is passionate about indigenous rights and bridging cultural gaps within the Filipino diaspora. She has experience building foundational systems and developing efficient strategies for organizational growth. When she’s not accidentally buying too many books at local, independent shops, Raven is probably busy in the kitchen, exploring new recipes or baking cookies for her neighbors.

sharon hawkins-leyden, LCSW

Sharon Hawkins Leyden, MSW, LCSW has more than 38 years of experience working with transitional age youth, adults, and seniors with significant vulnerabilities.  She has been licensed as a Clinical Social Worker in the state of California for the past 21 years.  She has worked predominantly with issues pertaining to trauma from sexual exploitation, placement into the foster care system, isolation, poverty, systemic racism, and chronic homelessness. Throughout her career, her work has focused on three primary issues: raising people out of poverty, helping people re-author stories of trauma, and working for equality of access through social justice practices.

Read more about Sharon here!

Aims Babich

Aims Babich (they/them) is a lived experience consultant, trainer, and speaker on sex and labor trafficking, who approaches their work from a sex-work affirming and anti-oppressive lens. They have been working in various roles at Survivor Alliance since 2021, currently including: Lead Trainer for Survivor Alliance’s training series, Facilitator and Student Coach in the Survivor Leadership Academy, and Curriculum Developer. Aims also supports survivors through mentorship at You Are More Than, and has served on a number of task forces and advisory councils, striving to bring voice and representation to LGBQ+, transgender, and sex working survivors.

In addition, Aims currently works in the mental health and alternative healthcare fields, with an emphasis on supporting the LGBQ+/TGNCI community, individuals living with eating disorders, survivors of violence, and marginalized folx. They take a holistic approach in their work through community-based care, trauma-informed care, harm reduction, and mutual aid. Babich also owns a small business where they practice massage therapy and somatic bodywork.

Eseosa Eguamwense

Eseosa is the Membership Programs Assistant at Survivor Alliance. She finds joy in supporting the survivor community, as well as facilitating capacity building and development and support programs.

Prior to this, she worked as Community Impact Advisor at United Way’s Center to Combat Human Trafficking where she co-created the Ethical Storytelling Policy for executing storytelling consultations involving survivors of human trafficking in an ethical and non-exploitative manner through Survivor Alliance’s LEAD program.

She has been involved in grassroots community organizing to increase participation in victim protection, destigmatization, and survivor perception. She enjoys dancing, cooking, and watching crime & documentary films.

Patty Bennett | Academy Module Facilitator - Trauma Informed Direct Services

Patty Bennett is a seasoned trainer, leadership coach, and consultant. She is an award-winning entrepreneur and international speaker. With over 16 years dedicated to empowering people in their personal, professional, and leadership development, Patty masterfully integrates life and leadership coaching to foster transformative growth. Her journey from zero to hero began when she became a Senior Sales Director, reaching the top 2% of her company and breaking records in team building and leadership development. After 12 years in that career, Patty launched her own coaching and consulting firm to expand her reach, helping more women strengthen their spiritual and personal life formation alongside their leadership skills. 

Patty holds a Master of Arts in Human Services Counseling with a specialization in Life Coaching. She is a certified Trauma-Informed Coach, HearthMath Trauma-Sensitive Facilitator, HearthMath Trainer, Trauma-Informed Equine Assisted Learning Facilitator, Relationship Coach, and DISC and Imposter Syndrome Facilitator. Patty is the creator of the trauma-informed leadership approach, supporting leaders in organizations on how to better equip themselves when working with trauma survivors.

Her consulting work extends across state, national, and international levels, where she contributes as a professional Labor Trafficking - Domestic Servitude Expert. Patty's roles have been multifaceted – from serving as a Board Member to being an active member of the Advisory Council on Labor Trafficking. As a Program Director at Elevate Academy, she has significantly influenced the expansion of the model she developed for trauma-informed leadership practices, offering her profound expertise in training, prevention, identification, and comprehensive services for human trafficking survivors and leaders in the fight against human trafficking.

Shamere McKenzie | Academy Module Facilator - Systems Change

Shamere McKenzie is a dedicated consultant, activist, and internationally recognized speaker known for her expertise in human trafficking. With a remarkable journey of turning personal adversities into opportunities for liberation and protection, Shamere has become a catalyst for social and political change both in America and across the globe.

As the Chief Executive Officer of Sun Gate Foundation, an anti-trafficking organization, Shamere passionately channels her commitment to education and policy into providing survivors of human trafficking with essential educational opportunities. Her influential role extends to the Maryland State Human Trafficking Task Force, where she co-chairs the victim's services committee.

Beyond her impact in the United States, Shamere responded to a call from the Ministry of Justice in her birthplace, Jamaica, and holds the distinguished title of the first appointed Anti-Human Trafficking Ambassador for Jamaica since 2018.

Drawing on her experiences as a former Program Director, Shamere authored a groundbreaking anti-trafficking program and oversaw an emergency residential program for adult survivors. She is a sought-after resource, having trained various professionals, including the FBI, Homeland Security, and Bureau of Diplomatic Security, as well as personnel from churches, hotels, and airlines, on identifying and responding to human trafficking victims.

Shamere's compelling narrative, rooted in her lived experiences with sex trafficking, has been featured in several books, documentaries, and media outlets, serving as an impactful educational tool. Her most recent documentary, "False Promises," released in 2018 on the island of Aruba, specifically addresses sex trafficking awareness among Caribbean youth.

In 2015, Shamere graduated from Loyola University Chicago with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice. She actively contributes to various boards, advisory boards, and speaker's bureaus, garnering numerous awards in recognition of her outstanding work.

Shamere's unwavering determination, passion for success, and her faith in Jesus Christ serve as guiding principles, reinforcing her commitment to the cause. Refusing to be labeled a victim or survivor, she proudly identifies as a liberator – breaking free from the chains of her past to pave the way for others who have endured enslavement.