Human Trafficking Unveiled: Advocacy, Care, and Collaboration for Helping Professionals

Kimberly Mull, Legislative Advocate and Public Policy Expert
Kimberly Mull is a survivor-turned-policy expert, consultant, and sought-after public speaker. A victim of domestic child sex trafficking between the ages of 11 and 14, she also endured domestic violence, multiple sexual assaults, and sexual exploitation as an adult. Now dedicated to transforming the national conversation on sex trafficking, Kimberly equips her audiences with the knowledge and tools to drive immediate change in their communities. With over a decade of experience, she has worked extensively with victims of violence against women, providing direct services and resources to more than 400 survivors of sex trafficking. Her expertise has shaped trauma-informed, victim-centered policies, influencing legislators and policymakers. To date, she has helped draft, sponsor, and advocate for nearly 100 laws addressing human trafficking, sexual assault, domestic violence, and victims' rights.

Kimberly holds a Bachelor's degree in Public Policy and a Master's in Victim Services Management. She splits her residence between Texas and Las Vegas, Nevada, with her husband and three dogs.

Evelyn Chumbow, Advocacy & Survivor Leadership Director with The Human Trafficking Legal Center
Evelyn Chumbow is a survivor of child labor trafficking turned anti-trafficking activist and public speaker who focuses her life’s work on ending modern-day slavery. Chumbow was brought to the United States from Cameroon at age 9 and forced to cook, clean, and care for her trafficker’s children. She was never paid for her work, and any hope that she might escape was undermined by the constant beatings she received from her trafficker. After years of captivity, she finally escaped and her trafficker was sentenced to 17 years in prison.

Today, Chumbow works tirelessly to raise awareness and advocate for other survivors in the U.S. and abroad. She has been invited to brief several government agencies about human trafficking from a survivor’s perspective, including the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, the State Department, and the Department of Justice. Chumbow was appointed by President Obama to serve on the U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking. She strongly believes in the need for professional development for survivors and dedicates her time volunteering at the grassroots level to guide communities on how to create employment opportunities for trafficking survivors.

Wendy Barnes, Author, Educator, and Personal Survivor
In January 2018, Dignity Health welcomed Wendy Barnes, a survivor of child sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and intimate partner violence as Human Trafficking Response Program Coordinator. Wendy is a national speaker, using her own experiences to educate and empower audiences in the fight against exploitation. Her story illustrates how abuse can make a young person vulnerable and serves as an example that freedom and restoration are possible.

Wendy has an associate’s degree in general studies and has written a memoir, And Life Continues: Sex Trafficking and My Journey to Freedom. Wendy also co-authored a chapter in Human Trafficking Is a Public Health Issue: A Paradigm Expansion in the United States (Springer, 2017). Wendy’s has appeared on talk shows such as Dr. Phil and her story has been featured in news features and documentaries including Flesh: Bought and Sold in the U.S.

Wendy has consulted for numerous organizations, including Homeland Security’s Blue Campaign; Via Christi Health, part of Ascension; Not For Sale; and ImPact Virginia. Wendy has also provided education to law enforcement officers and students at numerous universities, including Vanguard University and St. Mary’s College of California. Wendy is a member of the National Survivor Network and the International Survivor Alliance.

Zoe Christine Bellatorre, MAICS, National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Center Consultant
Zoe Christine Bellatorre is a graduate of Fuller Theological Seminary with a Master of Arts in Intercultural Studies with Children at Risk and a Bachelor of Science in Education from Ashland University. She has 10 years of experience in the anti-trafficking field. Furthermore, she is a consultant with NHTTAC and the State Department Trafficking in Persons office. She has also served as the services coordinator with the Avery Center and as a survivor advocate with CAST LA and Dignity Health, responding to survivors of human trafficking in the healthcare system and providing emergency services and advocacy to patients. Zoe is a subject matter expert with specific expertise in familial trafficking. In addition, she serves on the board of Ride My Road and the advisory council of the Resilience Fund with Polaris Project.

Highlights include being a published author on the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report in 2021 (Navigating the Unique Challenges In Familial Trafficking); in the 2023 TIP report (Equity In Survivor Leadership); and in 2024, co-author of Child Trafficking Misconceptions and the Impact of Trauma. Furthermore, she is one of the co-authors of an anthology, "Medical Perspectives in Human Trafficking In Adolescents." Zoe has trained numerous professionals including healthcare systems and spoken at conferences such as the National Conference on Ending Sexual Exploitation, GRIT, Crimes Against Women, JUST, Build Beyond, and other similar presentations.