{"id":145029,"date":"2025-02-06T12:33:26","date_gmt":"2025-02-06T17:33:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/?p=145029"},"modified":"2026-03-05T14:33:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T19:33:06","slug":"18-anti-human-trafficking-champions-honored-by-ucf-rosen-college-united-abolitionists-inc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/18-anti-human-trafficking-champions-honored-by-ucf-rosen-college-united-abolitionists-inc\/","title":{"rendered":"18 Anti-Human Trafficking Champions Honored by UCF Rosen College, United Abolitionists Inc."},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The fight against human trafficking requires tireless efforts from law enforcement officials, nonprofit organizations, educators, survivors and hospitality industry leaders \u2014 and it can be a particularly daunting task in a state that is among the leaders in the nation for the volume of calls to anti-trafficking hotlines.<\/p>\n<p>Thankfully, Florida is home to many champions dedicated to ending human slavery. Eighteen of those champions recently were honored with Polaris Star Awards by UCF\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/hospitality.ucf.edu\/htms\/\">Center for the Study of Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/stophumantrafficking.com\/\">United Abolitionists Inc.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cCollectively, our honorees have invested decades of their lives to stopping human traffickers, helping victims rebuild their lives and advocating for survivors,\u201d says Jessica Wickey, director of the center. \u201cWe are fortunate in Central Florida to have so many advocates and organizations working closely together with a shared mission of ending the horrors of trafficking.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Center for the Study of Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery focuses on comprehensive community engagement, as well as research, educational programs and raising awareness of human trafficking and modern slavery in Florida. The center became a part of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/college\/rosen-college-hospitality-management\/\">Rosen College of Hospitality Management<\/a> in 2023, a significant step forward in its curriculum, as many human trafficking cases occur in hotels and other hospitality-related businesses.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to the center, anti-trafficking collaborators include the Central Florida Human Trafficking Task Force, the Tri-County Alliance on Human Trafficking and Valencia College. Each year they host the Annual Human Trafficking Forum, where 27 state task forces, coalitions, commissions, residential programs, universities and other experts come together to share best practices, new trends in trafficking and challenges they face in their pursuit to end human trafficking. This collaborative system-wide approach allows the community to advance anti-trafficking efforts as a united community of abolitionists.<\/p>\n<p>Florida ranks third nationwide in reported human trafficking cases, just behind California and Texas, and many cases involve multiple victims. The state mandates all lodging establishments provide training for their staff about human trafficking via House Bill 851, and the center\u2019s mission includes strengthening education and training within the hospitality industry on how to identify and respond to trafficking.<\/p>\n<p>At Rosen College, more than 5,700 students \u2014 the future leaders of the hospitality industry \u2014 have participated since 2020 in a curriculum demonstrating how to identify and report trafficking in their workplaces.<\/p>\n<p>The 15th-annual Polaris Star Awards honored the following 18 individuals and organizations for their outstanding contributions to the fight against trafficking:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Lifetime Achievement Award<\/strong>: Sue Aboul-Hosn<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 1rem\">Aboul-Hosn is a retired child welfare expert who worked for the Florida Department of Children and Families for more than 20 years. She specialized in child risk assessment, missing children and human trafficking. With a background in international social work, she contributed to policy development, training programs and academic research, including co-authoring multiple publications on human trafficking.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>William Wilberforce Award<\/strong>: Doug Gilmer<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Gilmer is a board member for the center and the president and founder of Resolved Strategies LLC, a global justice solutions group focused on combating human exploitation through collaboration, training and resource development. A 35-year law enforcement veteran, he spent 25 years with the Department of Homeland Security, culminating as senior advisor and law enforcement liaison at the Center for Countering Human Trafficking in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Frederick Douglass Award<\/strong>: Ezekial McKine Sr.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>McKine is an advocate and former educator from Fort Lauderdale. He is now a regional advocate II with the F.L.I.T.E. Center, where he provides trauma-informed support to young survivors of human trafficking. Drawing on his personal experiences as a father and educator, he connects with survivors and families to foster trust and drive meaningful change.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Spotlight Award<\/strong>: McKibbon Group (Ally Martin &amp; Greg Burnes)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Martin and Burnes are seasoned hospitality leaders in Orlando with extensive experience in hotel management and community engagement. Martin, general manager of Hyatt House Orlando Airport, has been with McKibbon for more than a decade, earning accolades for her leadership and commitment to local schools. Burnes, general manager of Hampton Inn &amp; Suites Orlando Airport, brings 30 years of operational expertise, having led various hotel brands and received multiple awards for his dedication to hospitality and community service. Both are actively involved in the Central Florida Hotel &amp; Lodging Association and have been recognized for contributing to the industry and local community.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Catalyst Award<\/strong>: Evan Patel<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Patel, a Lake Highland Preparatory School senior, is dedicated to advocacy, marine conservation and mentorship. During the pandemic, he worked with United Abolitionists, a network of first responders to the national human trafficking crisis, raising funds and donating hundreds of essentials-filled backpacks to their cause. He plans to continue this commitment in college.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Volunteer of the Year \/ Carol Welker Award<\/strong>: <strong>Misti Spencer \u201918<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Spencer, a UCF alumna with a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/degree\/psychology-bs\/\">degree in psychology<\/a>, is a leader and advocate dedicated to empowering trafficking survivors through her life coaching platform, Reflections and Impressions. As an advisory board member for the UCF Center for the Study of Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery, she works to shape survivor-centered policies, raise awareness and provide pathways for healing and growth.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Survivor Champions \/ Individual<\/strong>: Kim Figueroa<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Figueroa, a survivor of abuse, exploitation and homelessness, now advocates for victims of human trafficking through her work with law enforcement, the Department of Children and Families and various human trafficking boards. Recognized as Survivor Advocate of the Year 2023 and with more than six years at MoreTooLife, she is passionate about legislative reform and justice for victims&#8217; rights.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Survivor Champions \/ International<\/strong>: A21<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>A21 is a nonprofit dedicated to ending human trafficking and slavery worldwide by raising awareness, protecting survivors and prosecuting traffickers. Their mission also includes sharing resources with other anti-trafficking organizations.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Survivor Champions \/ Regional Organization<\/strong>: Her Song (Kelly Posze)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Posze is the co-founder and national programs director of Her Song, a ministry of The Tim Tebow Foundation dedicated to providing hope and support to human trafficking survivors. She oversees outreach, survivor care and safe house programs and has been recognized for her collaboration with law enforcement in combating trafficking.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Survivor Champions \/ Well-being<\/strong>: Christine Frederick, FLITE Center<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Frederick, a Puerto Rican-born New York native, is the CEO of FLITE Center, an organization supporting youth aging out of foster care and survivors of human trafficking. With more than 12 years of leadership experience, Frederick has grown FLITE Center\u2019s impact across Florida, increasing its budget from under $600,000 to more than $6 million. She has expanded its services to several counties, including opening a new location in West Palm Beach, Florida.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Agent of Change \/ Law enforcement<\/strong>: Undercover special agent, Seminole County Sheriff\u2019s Office<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The Seminole County Sheriff\u2019s Office human trafficking special agent collaborates with local, state and federal agencies to combat trafficking. More than 200 investigations have resulted in multiple arrests and the rescue of survivors. They continue to use trauma-informed methods to help victims access services and rebuild their lives.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Agents of Change \/ Major Events<\/strong>: Rotary District 6980 (Sonya Hightower LaBosco)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Hightower LaBosco is the district governor for Rotary District 6980, leading more than 1,550 Rotarians across five counties and empowering them to create impactful change. With a distinguished 24-year law enforcement career and a focus on human trafficking prevention, Hightower LaBosco is driving collaborative statewide efforts to combat trafficking and support survivors through education, community engagement and strategic partnerships.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Agents of Change \/ Legal<\/strong>: Janet Owen<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Owen\u2019s remarkable contributions to the fight against human trafficking have been transformative, especially in her role at UCF, where she champions anti-trafficking initiatives. As vice president for government and community relations, Owen has played a pivotal role in fostering relationships with legislators and advocating for vital funding and policy changes.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Agents of Change \/ Media<\/strong>: Angel Studios (Jordan Harmon)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>Sound of Freedom<\/em> is a gripping film based on a true story that follows a federal agent who rescues a young boy from traffickers and embarks on a dangerous mission to save his sister. The film became a surprise box office hit, grossing $250.6 million worldwide on a $14.5 million budget. It has sparked important conversations about human trafficking and raised awareness of the ongoing fight against this global issue.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Education\/Nonprofit Education<\/strong>: Dawn Hawkins, The National Center on Sexual Exploitation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Hawkins has served as the director of the National Center on Sexual Exploitation for 14 years and continues as a senior advisor, driving bipartisan public policy and coalition-building efforts that have led to significant changes in federal and state legislation and corporate policies. She co-founded the Law Center with Patrick Trueman to challenge those profiting from sexual exploitation through civil litigation, and her leadership has been key in addressing the demand for commercial sex, weakening the pornography industry and advocating for stronger child safety measures on technology platforms.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Education \/ Corporate Partners<\/strong>: G6 Hospitality (Sean Walker and Devon Burch)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Walker, managing director of Safety and Security at G6 Hospitality LLC since 2018, oversees initiatives focused on safety, security, loss prevention and anti-human trafficking efforts while building strong relationships with local, state and federal agencies to mitigate risks and reduce criminal activity around G6 properties. Since 2021, Burch, director of talent development at G6, has led the development of impactful programs like the anti-human trafficking training program The Room Next Door, which educates and empowers employees across industries and is freely available to external organizations to foster broader safety and security.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Education \/ International<\/strong>: ECPACT, Yvonne Chen<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The mission of ECPACT is to protect every child\u2019s right to grow up free from sexual exploitation and trafficking. They achieve this through education, legislative advocacy and strategic partnerships.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Education \/ Community<\/strong>: Shelly Wagers, University of South Florida BRIGHT Project<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Wagers is director of the BRIGHT Project, a digital platform connecting human trafficking service providers to support victims and survivors with individualized resources. With more than 25 years of experience in the field, Wagers has contributed to developing evidence-based practices, publishing research and collaborating with community partners to expand BRIGHT statewide, and securing multi-million-dollar funding from state and federal agencies.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Polaris Star Award winners include anti-trafficking advocates and educators as well as survivors who have become leaders in combating human trafficking.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":242,"featured_media":145041,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"lazy_load_responsive_images_disabled":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":"","_wp_rev_ctl_limit":""},"categories":[5,6],"tags":[54659,18219,2211,8965,12745,4068],"tu_author":[],"class_list":["post-145029","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-colleges","category-community","tag-center-for-the-study-of-human-trafficking-and-modern-slavery","tag-community-impact","tag-hospitality","tag-human-trafficking","tag-public-safety","tag-rosen-college-of-hospitality-management"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v22.3 (Yoast SEO v27.7) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>18 Anti-Human Trafficking Champions Honored by UCF Rosen College, United 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