TRAFFICKINGLAWCENTER.ORG - Key Persons
Addie (she/her) is a law student at the University of Oregon with an undergraduate degree in philosophy, politics, and economics. She hopes to work in criminal law, though her passion for social justice extends to youth services, public policy, and survivor-centered initiatives. She aspires to provide a voice and a platform for the silenced or unheard by creating opportunities for trafficking awareness, accessibility to community resources, and a sense of genuine understanding. She will assist TLC with legal research, policy initiatives, and client advocacy.
Job Titles:
- Co - Founder
- Program Director
Andrea (she/her) co-founded Trafficking Law Center after realizing the need for trauma informed legal advocacy for trafficked persons. She brings over 25 years of legal representation, law and policy analysis, victim's advocacy, NGO experience, and legal writing to the center. She is a pro bono Attorney with the Oregon State Bar.
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Co - Founder
- Executive Director
- Policy Advisor
Joel Shapiro (he/him) is an attorney and policy advisor. He has served as Chief Counsel to U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, Policy Counsel to Multnomah County Commissioner Diane McKeel, and as a Deputy District Attorney. As lobbyist for the "Kids Are Not For Sale" coalition, Joel has advocated on behalf of sex trafficking victims and survivors. He also represents trafficking victims and survivors in litigation.
Melissa (she/her) spent the past 9 years working with vulnerable populations in teacher and site director capacity for local Head Start organizations. As a teacher, Melissa witnessed first-hand the negative impact of human trafficking in Oregon by working with parents and students who were survivors of sex trafficking. Attending law school at Willamette University, she hopes to bring awareness to the severity and frequency of trafficking among at-risk populations and provide systems to create an avenue for survivors to access justice. While interning at TLC, Melissa will work on grant writing, fundraising, and logistics to help aid survivors of human trafficking.
Nina (she/her/they) attended the University of Oregon with focuses in: political science, public policy, international relations, and nonprofit administration. She has spent the last several years working in the nonprofit sector focusing on critical advocacy and centering the experiences and needs of marginalized and disenfranchised peoples for more accessible and equitable outcomes. Her beliefs in transformative justice and accessibility are integral to her goals of community organizing, trauma-informed care, mutual aid, and bolstering criminal justice reform and public policy change.