About

Our Mission

To end human trafficking through preventing exploitation, educating the community, and empowering survivors.

Our Vision

We fight so that all may live free.

We believe that no human life should be for sale. Children and teenagers, men and women are exploited for sex and labor in our city every day. We exist to change that.

Awareness inspires action. Through awareness, we turn our community’s attention to the atrocity of human trafficking. Our neighbors become empowered to join our strategy to address this human rights violation.

Education prepares the community.
Through education, we prepare professionals, first responders and community members to recognize and address human trafficking situations. Institutions become qualified to aid victims and survivors with a trauma-informed approach.

Outreach prevents exploitation and empowers victims and survivors. Through programs, support groups, and direct outreach, we bridge the gap between service providers and those who need them. We interact with overlooked people to identify exploitation and connect them with appropriate resources for restoration.

Human trafficking is a violation of basic human rights and should be addressed as such. We must restore that basic human right to every trafficked person—freedom.

Our History

2007 UAHT Established as “Houston Rescue and Restore Coalition” (HRRC)

UAHT received IRS designation as an official 501(3) in December 2007 and launched a billboard media campaign with the message to Stop Modern Day Slavery in Houston.

2009 UAHT Partnered with Crime Stoppers

UAHT co-authored the 911 Crime-Stoppers protocol for handling calls of human trafficking. The protocol was approved by the National Emergency Number Association and is now available to 911 call centers across the country.

2010 UAHT Joined the Texas Task Force

The Attorney General of Texas appointed to serve on the statewide task force on human trafficking (The Human Trafficking Prevention Task Force), effective January 1, 2010.

2010 UAHT Advised the White House

The White House and Department of Health invited UAHT to participate in a stakeholder meeting to advise the government on how best to strengthen victim services for survivors of human trafficking.

2011 UAHT Conducted a Field Assessment

UAHT completed a Field Assessment on Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking in the Harris and Galveston Counties. The report is used by local officials and agencies as a guide to develop better services for this victim population.

2014 UAHT Received Community Leadership Award

UAHT received the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award. Staff traveled to Washington, D.C. to receive the award from the FBI Director. The Houston Rescue and Restore Coalition re-branded as the organization you know now: United Against Human Trafficking.

2015 UAHT Launched First E-Learning Course

UAHT launched its first Human Trafficking 101 e-Learning course, allowing the small organization to reach more people.

2016 UAHT Created New Media Campaign

UAHT launched “Watch For Traffick” in partnership with the City of Houston, the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, and the Houston Police Department.

2017 Uaht Launched Prevention Courses, Direct Outreach and Supportive Services

UAHT launched programming to help prevent human trafficking and serve current victims and survivors.

Our Team

TIMEKA WALKER

Executive Director

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ELAINE ANDINO

Director of Donor and External Partnerships

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TARA CONVERSE

Director of Administration & Operations

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JENNA COOPER

Director of Programs

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NATE ARNESON

Coalition Manager

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ANNA FORNARIS

Programs Manager

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JESSICA KIM

Partnership Manager

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MISA NGUYEN

Manager of Strategic Initiatives

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VERONICA BUCIO

Community Engagement Coordinator

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RACHEL DAWSON

Administrative Coordinator

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SARAH KORANSKY

Education Coordinator

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ELEANOR POLLO

Outreach Coordinator

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BRIANA ACOSTA

Outreach Specialist

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AU’VONNIE ALEXANDER

Youth Specialist

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SARA JAYNE BREUER

Education Specialist

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DALTON TAYLOR JOHNSON

Programs Specialist

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CLAIRE HOLMES

Programs Assistant

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ANNA JOHNSTON

Communications Specialist

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SAMANTHA LEDEZMA

Outreach Specialist

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Annual Reports

United Against Human Trafficking pledges good stewardship in every donation received. We are transparent with our finances, annual reports and internal revenue service disclosure forms. We acknowledge your contributions are investments towards our mission to end and prevent human trafficing through education, outreach and awareness.

When you give to United Against Human Trafficking, over 81% of our total revenue goes directly to programs and services; 11% to general operations and 8% to fundraising efforts.

2019 Report

2018 Report

2017 Report

2016 Report

Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax – Form 990

Board of Directors

CHAIR

WENDY FONG
Chief Gigs

VICE CHAIR

ERIC BARTZ
Community Volunteer

TREASURER

CAROLINE VETTERLING
Blazek & Vetterling

MICHELLE BRESSER
Community Volunteer

KRYSTAL CARTER
Danny Kay Cloud

MONICA DE LA CERDA
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

ANGELA KOHL
Air Liquide

NICK LONGO
Chevron

LJ MOODY
Opportune

RADHIKA RAJENDRA
AstraZeneca

ABNET TSEGAI-HURST
Center for Clinical Studies

ANNIE WADE
Comcast

Timeka Walker

Executive Director

Master of Social Work, University of Houston | Bachelor of Science in Psychology, University of Houston| Non-Profit Leadership Alliance | Executive Leadership Certification at Rice University | FBI Citizens Academy

Timeka is an avid sports fan-playing team sports taught her how to serve others at a young age. She’s always had a passion for service and justice, so becoming a social worker was a dream come true. As a Licensed Master Social Worker, she’s served at-risk youth, HIV positive men and women, and those suffering from mental illness. In graduate school, she learned about the atrocities of modern-day slavery. This knowledge further intensified her belief in the dignity and worth of every human being. As a servant leader, Timeka is committed to unifying the Houston community in the fight to end human trafficking.

Elaine Andino

Director of Donor and External Partnerships

Master of Public Policy, George Mason University | Bachelor of Arts in English, Baylor University

For 15 years, Elaine’s passion for ending human trafficking has fueled her work. From research and legislative work in Washington DC, to working with survivors in South Korea, to hosting an anti-trafficking conference in Virginia, to running fundraising and communication efforts in Houston, her zeal for ending exploitation continuously deepens. Elaine loves partnering with donors and coalition members who are dedicated to creating systemic change in Houston.

Tara Converse

Director of Administration & Operations

Master of Liberal Arts at St. John’s Graduate School | Bachelor of Arts in English, Sam Houston State University

Tara is passionate about supporting the overarching goals of organizations that strive to eradicate socioeconomic barriers and fight for justice and equal opportunity. Over the course of six years, Tara supported and advanced operation systems and processes at non-profits in Houston. Tara took what she learned during those years and brought it to UAHT. Here, she oversees the overall administration and operations of the agency, developing and implementing enhanced systems and infrastructure to support overall functions of the agency.

Jenna Cooper

Director of Programs

Master of Social Work, University of Houston

As a transplant from New York, Jenna first learned of human trafficking while studying Social Work at the University of Houston. During her time there, Jenna worked directly with trafficking survivors, which inspired her to make this her life’s work. She realized that many people know of human trafficking, yet the issue remains a prevalent injustice in the Houston community. Jenna strives to implement, develop, and enhance programs that educate every part of the community to prevent and combat trafficking while supporting survivors.

Nate Arneson

Coalition Manager

Bachelor of Science in Biology, University of Minnesota—Moorhead

Aspiring to see a sustainable and unified effort to fight human trafficking, Nate manages the Rescue and Restore Coalition led by UAHT. Nate brings his experience with nurturing inter-agency relationships in Guatemala to facilitate a culture of collaboration within the coalition and analyze our needs as a unified voice to fight this crime at a macro level. His passion for building partnerships ensures that our communities within and external to Houston are ready to address those needs and assist survivors from identification to restoration.

Anna Fornaris

Programs Manager

Master of Science in Psychology, California Coast University | Bachelor of Science in Psychology, West Texas A&M University

Throughout her career Anna has worked extensively with adolescents and adults experiencing problems directly related to substance use, mental health, homelessness, and other significant life challenges. After providing direct services to individuals, groups, and families for 14 years, Anna spent 11 years in program development, implementation, and management. Over the years, she has internalized the importance of actively helping those that are suffering and often overlooked in our community. She is excited to join UAHT and bring her passion and skills to help fight the travesty of human trafficking.

Jessica Kim

Partnership Manager

Bachelor of Arts in Women’s Studies, Moody Bible Institute

In 2015, Jessica arrived in Houston, unsure of what to expect from the city. Over the years, she fell in love with it’s variance in culture, breadth of opportunity, and the tenacity of its residents. As a Women’s Studies major, Jessica learned how to apply community solutions to complex problems around the world. However, the more she traveled and researched, she couldn’t help but notice the disparity between the way we perceive problems internationally versus in our back yards. While her fight for freedom includes a global perspective, her unique passion is to train, equip, and mobilize local communities to fight human trafficking from their doorstep. As the Partnership Manager, Jessica helps volunteers and community members connect with their role in the fight for freedom.

Misa Nguyen

Director of Strategic Initiatives

Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts, University of Texas at Austin

“What Starts Here, Changes the World.” Misa internalized this motto from her alma mater and believes that individual efforts create a collective impact against human trafficking and social justice issues. With her eyes on the future, Misa plans and strategizes projects today that propel UAHT’s mission and vision into tomorrow. Aside from her dedication to UAHT, Misa delights in sharing with others Houston’s culturally diverse food scene and Fair Trade food, clothing, and goods.

Veronica Bucio

Community Engagement Coordinator

Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, University of Houston

A former career newspaper journalist, Veronica has transitioned her communication skills to the nonprofit sector and considers her work within it a most personal and impassioned second act. As a native Houstonian, she has long been aware of the susceptibility of labor exploitation and trafficking in immigrant communities, and, as a mother of a young daughter, her troubled concern over the problem of sex trafficking has grown as its shadow has expanded ever wider online. Because of this, Veronica is honored to work with UAHT toward abolishing the slavery that is human trafficking, and she embraces the opportunity to encourage and celebrate the generosity of spirit of UAHT’s volunteers as its community engagement coordinator.

Rachel Dawson

Administrative Coordinator

Bachelor of Science in Health Fitness, Sam Houston State University

Rachel loves her hometown of Houston, TX. She enjoys exploring the city and immersing herself in the diversity of its various neighborhoods. After learning about the prevalence of human trafficking in her city, she knew she needed to be a part of the fight. Her background experience in various non-profit positions and passion for assisting those in need are what drew her to UAHT. As Administrative Coordinator, Rachel works to ensure the daily operations of the UAHT team run smoothly so that we can focus on our mission – To end human trafficking through awareness, education, and outreach.

Sarah Koransky

Education Coordinator

Master of Science in International Development, University of Edinburgh; Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs, James Madison University

Sarah aspires to create a community of people with the knowledge and passion to see the overlooked. From her time serving with the Peace Corps in Comoros, Sarah understands the importance of creating effective and sustainable programs by bringing all voices to the table; it is this shared drive that pulled her to UAHT. Sarah believes that the first step of finding a solution to an issue as pervasive as human trafficking starts with a realistic understanding of it, which can only happen through education. As the Education Coordinator, Sarah hopes to equip Houston with the knowledge and resources necessary to continue fighting human trafficking.

Eleanor Pollo

Lead Outreach Coordinator

Bachelor of Science in Linguistics, Evergreen State College

Eleanor’s passion to help vulnerable populations is what led her to her position as the Outreach Coordinator at UAHT. After working for several years at an adult literacy organization, she realized that she wanted to help people at their most fundamental level, which to Eleanor meant helping restore their freedom. She does not believe in “saving” people, she instead believes in meeting them where they are- to help those experiencing trafficking find the tools and strengths within themselves.

Briana Acosta

Outreach Specialist

Bachelor of Science in Global Health and Cultural Anthropology, Duke University

Driven by her passion for helping diverse populations achieve health in contexts of marginalization, Briana has worked extensively on complex health issues such as domestic/sexual violence, alcohol use disorders, and HIV/AIDS. Her field experiences related to this work have spanned from the U.S. to Mexico, Chile, Costa Rica, and even Kenya. Upon returning to her hometown of Houston, Briana felt called to use her diverse experiences to serve her own community as UAHT’s Outreach Specialist. In this role, Briana empowers the most vulnerable members of the greater Houston community with knowledge about human trafficking and facilitates their access to resources and services in the area to meet their needs. Through her outreach, Briana hopes to help disadvantaged populations prevent and “treat” the pressing public health problem of human trafficking by providing them with the education and tools to do so.

Au’Vonnie Alexander

Youth Specialist

Master of Arts in Sociology, Texas Southern University; Bachelor of Science in Communication, Fresno State University

Au’Vonnie’s optimism for motivating, inspiring and uplifting youth is what led her to be a youth specialist at UAHT. Her passion, drive, and commitment focus not only on herself but to those around her. Au’Vonnie focusses on speaking for those who want to be heard but don’t know how. Through storytelling and expressive discussions, Au’Vonnie hopes to continue impacting lives of youth in all communities positively one person at a time. She notes that “If I can motivate and inspire at least one out of every ten youth that I come in contact with through my own personal story and experiences; then I have done something right–my mission has been accomplished.”

Sara Jayne Breuer

Education Specialist

Bachelor of Arts in Political Science-International Affairs and French with a Minor in Peace and Conflict Studies, University of California Riverside

A recent California transplant, Sara Jayne works toward a better world where all are free to pursue their dreams and live free from exploitation and violence. When she learned about trafficking in 2008, Sara Jayne knew she wanted to do something. She dove into research and helped enforce anti-trafficking legislation throughout Los Angeles County. For the past five years, she worked at the American Red Cross, teaching communities how to prepare for disasters. She also served clients in shelters, met with families after home fires, and went door-to-door to teach people about fire safety. She is passionate about working in diverse communities, bringing together different people towards a common purpose. Sara Jayne brings her love of community theater and entertaining others into delivering engaging and informative presentations. It has been her dream to work professionally in human trafficking for over a decade, and she is overjoyed to work with UAHT. As the Education Specialist, she hopes to bring knowledge of human trafficking to as many people in Houston and beyond as possible so that we can work together to help victims become empowered survivors.

Dalton Taylor Johnson

Programs Specialist

Bachelor of Social Work, University of Houston-Clear Lake

Resilient youth inspire Taylor. After seeing human trafficking, sexual assault, and other atrocities ignored by trusted systems, Taylor hopes to change the way our community views some of the most overlooked people in our community: children. Taylor aims to equip young people to grow and advance on their own terms. To do so, Taylor visits schools and juvenile detention centers to facilitate conversations that build the kids’ self-confidence and prevent abuse. He approaches those difficult conversations with compassion and a trustworthy listening ear.

Claire Holmes

JVC Intern

Bachelor of Art in History, Fordham University

Claire went to their first human rights rally at age twelve, and hasn’t stopped since. After graduating from Fordham University, where they worked as an anti-rape activist, Claire moved to Houston to serve in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, and is proud to be spending their service year working to support the incredible team at UAHT. They are so honored to work with this amazing group of individuals on such a critical issue in today’s world.

Anna Johnston

Communications Specialist

Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing, University of Houston

Anna loves Houston—the museums, the free events, the diversity. She grew up here, attended university here, and got married here. That’s why when she heard that her beloved hometown was home to thousands of human trafficking victims, she knew she needed to act. Anna paired her love of storytelling with her passion to bring freedom to Houston and became UAHT’s Communications Specialist. Through blogs, newsletters, and social media, Anna aims to transform difficult and complicated facts into understandable and meaningful conversations.

Samantha Ledezma

Outreach Specialist

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, minor in Sociology, University of Texas in Austin

Samantha has a strong passion for social justice, mental health, and her hometown—Houston. In hopes of creating an equal world for all, she advocates for individuals of all genders and ages whose freedom was robbed. With a deep desire to see trauma victims fully recover, Samantha helped children in the child protection system and empowered adolescents recovering from eating disorders in both Austin and Houston. Humbled by the privilege of higher education, Samantha whole-heartedly brings awareness and sparks activism in her community. Her experiences and education inspire empathy as she builds relationships in overlooked communities and gives a voice to the voiceless with UAHT. With passion, knowledge, and commitment, Samantha’s voice reaches and educates others to fight for freedom for all