Linda Smith – Founder and President
Linda Smith is a leader in the global movement to end sex trafficking. In 1998, while serving in the U.S. Congress, Linda traveled to a notorious brothel district in India where the hopeless faces of women and children forced into prostitution compelled Linda to found Shared Hope International. Linda is the primary author of From Congress to the Brothel and Renting Lacy and co-author of The National Report on Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking and the DEMAND. Report. Linda has testified before Congress, presented at national and international forums, and has been published in news outlets and journals. Linda served as a Washington State legislator (1983-93), before she was elected to the U.S. Congress in 1994.
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Linda Smith is a leader in the global movement to end sex trafficking of women and children around the world and in the United States. In 1998, while still a member of the U.S. Congress, Linda traveled to Falkland Road in Mumbai, India—one of the worst brothel districts in the world. The hopeless faces of desperate women and children forced into prostitution compelled Linda to found Shared Hope International (SHI). SHI was established to support shelter and service creation for sex trafficking survivors using a comprehensive model for restoration. By partnering with local organizations, SHI provides restorative care, shelter, and education and job skills training through the Women’s Investment Network (WIN) at Homes and Villages of Hope where women and children can live without time limit. Today, Shared Hope provides leadership in education and training, prevention strategies, research, and policy initiatives.
Linda founded the War Against Trafficking Alliance (WATA) in 2001, coordinating regional and international efforts necessary to combat sex trafficking. In 2003, WATA co-sponsored the World Summit with the U.S. Department of State, uniting leaders from 114 nations that demonstrated sustained commitment to protect the vulnerable from the sex trade. Six international summits followed, leading governments in under-achieving nations to pass human trafficking laws and plan for enforcement. In 2006, SHI spearheaded the U.S. Mid-Term Review on the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC)—bringing together leaders from across the United States to assess progress made in combating the sexual slavery of children in America. The U.S. Mid-Term Review on CSEC in America was the basis for a United States – Canada Regional Consultation in preparation for the 2008 World Congress III Against CSEC, where the report was presented by Shared Hope as part of the U.S. delegation.
Under a grant from the U.S. Department of State, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, Linda and her team conducted field research in Jamaica, the Netherlands, Japan, and the U.S. to investigate the business model fueling the sex industry. These findings were compiled in the 2007 publication of the DEMAND. report and the production of the DEMAND. documentary.
Since 2006, Linda and SHI have worked in partnership with human trafficking task forces in cities across the U.S. to provide research, training, and technical assistance. With funding from the U.S. Department of Justice, SHI conducted four years of research on Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking (DMST)—the exploitation of American children through prostitution, pornography or sexual performance. In 2009, Linda presented the findings in The National Report on Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking: America’s Prostituted Children to Congress. By examining the governmental and nongovernmental efforts and gaps in addressing child sex trafficking in the U.S., this research pioneered today’s movement against child sex slavery in America. Both DEMAND. and the National Report have been entered into the Congressional Record. Using this research as a platform, Linda is an advocate for a strengthened response at the federal level, and has been instrumental in helping states design legislative frameworks to protect the innocence of America’s children.
In 2011, Linda commissioned a landmark initiative to assess every state’s laws as they relate to or impact domestic minor sex trafficking. This project, the Protected Innocence Challenge, is a strategy to comprehensively combat child sex trafficking by identifying gaps in state laws and providing a blueprint for legislative action. Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna spoke in support of this initiative, stating that the attention it draws to the issue is necessary to create effective change. Additionally, Linda designed an integrated training and awareness model, Do You Know Lacy?, aimed at educating a variety of audiences using a multi-dimensional approach.
As a foremost expert on international and domestic trafficking, Linda has spoken out against the trafficking of women and children in numerous Congressional hearings and in national and international forums, such as the World Conference on Trafficking and the U.S.-Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission on the Protection of Children. Linda has participated in more than 300 media interviews, and has appeared on CNN, MSNBC, USA Today, Dan Rather Reports, ABC News, the Dr. Phil show, O’Reilly Factor, and CBN. Linda received the 2009 Soroptimist Making a Difference for Women Award and the 2010 Soroptimist Ruby Award: For Women Helping Women. Linda has been published in news outlets and journals around the world; including The New York Times, the Fletcher Forum of World Affairs, the International Review of Penal Law, and the Regent University Law Review.
Linda’s political career began in 1983 as a Washington State legislator. From 1983 to 1993, Linda served as a member of the Washington State House of Representatives (1983-86) and State Senate (1987-93). During her time as Senator, Linda chaired the State Senate Children and Family Services Committee, overseeing programs related to issues of children and families with a focus on protection, restoration, adoption, child welfare, drug rehabilitation, and homeless children. While in office, Linda drafted a package of foster care bills that provided greater permanency for foster youth by limiting the number of times they could be moved. In 1994, she was elected to the U.S. Congress following a remarkable grassroots write-in campaign where she defeated the only Republican candidate listed on the primary ballot.
While in Congress she became known for her stand against taking special interest money and served on the Human Rights Caucus, a position that provided her initial exposure to the horror of sex slavery. Her compassionate and uncompromising belief that every individual has dignity has carried her from advocating for permanent safe homes for children as the State Senate chair of the Children and Family Services Committee, to the halls of Congress, and ultimately to searching out victims in red light districts around the world. Linda and her husband, Vern, reside in Vancouver, Washington and are the proud parents of two and grandparents of six.
Nancy Winston – Senior Advisor, Emeritus Board
Nancy is a Senior Director and member of Shared Hope’s Emeritus Board. She received her Master’s in Social work from the University of Maryland in 2014. She has long been active in the movement against sex trafficking and has worked alongside Linda Smith, founder of Shared Hope International, since 2002. Nancy’s diverse responsibilities include speaking, writing, training, donor interactions, restorative shelter initiatives, survivor support, and partner relationships. While living in the DC area she was a member of the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force Victim Services Committee and served as chair of the task force’s Legislative Committee in 2012 and 2013. In 2021 she relocated to South Carolina where she continues to work remotely.
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Nancy has served as an integral part of Shared Hope since its inception. In the early days of Shared Hope, Nancy hosted President and Founder Linda Smith during her travel to Washington, D.C. and served as a local volunteer. As Shared Hope grew, so did Nancy’s position within Shared Hope and she was elected to sit on the Shared Hope International Board of Directors, a position she held for six years. During this time, Nancy assisted in organizing the War Against Trafficking Alliance in 2002. She participated in the Path Breaking Strategies Conference in Washington, DC in 2003 and in the Next Steps Conference in Mumbai in 2004, as well as the Justice Department Domestic Trafficking and Prostitution conference in Tampa in 2004 and the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children Mid Term Review in DC in 2006. She represented Shared Hope at the White House Office of Faith Based and Community Initiatives in 2007 and 2008. In 2008, she left her career in healthcare information technology at Cerner Corporation to begin a second career with Shared Hope International.
Today, Nancy is a Senior Director whose diverse responsibilities include speaking, writing, training, donor relations, restorative shelter initiatives, and partner relationships. Since 2008, she has been a member of the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force Victim Services Committee. She served as chair of the task force’s Legislative Committee in 2012 and 2013 and received the Governor’s Service Award for Volunteerism in 2013 for her leadership in that role. As a task force member and a Shared Hope employee, she provides expert testimony at committee hearings in the Maryland legislature in support of legislation that would toughen the state’s anti-trafficking laws. Nancy earned a B.S. in Biology from Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, IN. She recently completed a Masters of Social Work at the University of Maryland in Baltimore, MD.
Cheri Sanzi – Chief Operating Officer
Having spent nearly her entire career in nonprofit management, Cheri Sanzi joined Shared Hope International in April 2023. Prior to joining Shared Hope, Ms. Sanzi was the Executive Director of Building Families for Children. A nonprofit dedicated to foster children in Maryland. Ms. Sanzi also served as the Deputy Director of Operations at the DC Government Department of Behavioral Health (DBH). In that role, she was responsible for leveraging DBH’s leadership and reputation for excellence among its peers nationally and internationally.
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Prior to DBH, she was the Deputy Executive Director of a large social services agency in DC. Where she oversaw the organization’s personnel management, operational, programmatic functions, and advocacy efforts regarding future trends of treatment and services and long-range sustainability. The areas of focus included personnel management, policy development, population demographics of those diagnosed with mental illness, the impact of economic globalization on the developed and developing world and how mental illness impacts those developing areas; and emerging forms of program delivery for persons diagnosed as having mental illness.
In her positions, Ms. Sanzi led the ongoing analysis of the organization’s current programs and processes, along with evaluation of the competitive marketplace(s), and from that, formulated strategic growth plans and implemented those models to extend past current sets of opportunities and partnerships. Ms. Sanzi’s work is internally focused but outwardly looking, as she evaluated best practices in the industry and developed sustainable business models that deliver quality services while remaining financially robust. She was actively engaged in maintaining the various properties within the organization, ensuring that the staff at her agencies had what they needed to provide top-level services to the clients and build partnerships to meet the needs of the community.
Ms. Sanzi also shared her expertise with Big Brothers Big Sisters and The Federation of Tax Administrators, as an HR consultant working to ensure that both organizations complied with government regulations and that the HR policies and procedures were in place and updated.
Ms. Sanzi has a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from West Virginia University, and a master’s degree in organizational development and human resources from Gonzaga University. She and her husband, Michael, reside in Maryland and are the proud parents of two children and a grandchild on the way.
Samantha Healy Vardaman, J.D. – Strategy Advisor, Shared Hope Institute for Justice & Advocacy
Samantha Vardaman started her work in anti-trafficking as the director of the American Bar Association Central European and Eurasian Law Initiative’s Moldova office implementing a rule of law program that included anti-trafficking legislation development and facilitating the provision of pro bono legal services for the public. She joined Shared Hope International in 2005 to undertake comparative research of sex trafficking markets in certain cities in Jamaica, Japan, the Netherlands and the United States resulting in the DEMAND report and documentary for the U.S. Department of State, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons.
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Focusing on domestic trafficking, Samantha co-authored The National Report on Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking: America’s Prostituted Children based on research for the U.S. Department of Justice. The National Report and DEMAND were admitted into the Congressional Record in October 2009 and are the foundations for ongoing advocacy for stronger legislation to provide protection, justice, shelter and services for victims of domestic minor sex trafficking at the federal and state levels.
Samantha leads the development of the annual JuST Conference program and advises on policy strategies. Currently, Samantha leads the campaign to identify and reopen cases of survivors of child sex trafficking incarcerated in adult prisons for offenses related to their trafficking. She is a graduate of Boston College and the University of Miami School of Law.
Christine Raino J.D. – Senior Director of Public Policy
As Senior Director of Public Policy, Christine directs Shared Hope’s legislative advocacy efforts to advance protections and services for child and youth sex trafficking survivors. Christine Raino joined Shared Hope International in 2011 as part of a new domestic policy initiative and helped draft the legal analysis of the 50 states and District of Columbia that laid the foundation for the annual Protected Innocence Challenge Report Cards. Following 9 years of state grades under that project, Christine led the development of a new framework for state grades under the Report Cards on Child & Youth Sex Trafficking, which focus on advancing survivor-centered legislative reform.
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As Senior Director of Public Policy, Christine directs Shared Hope’s legislative advocacy efforts to advance protections and services for child and youth sex trafficking survivors. Christine Raino joined Shared Hope International in 2011 as part of a new domestic policy initiative and helped draft the legal analysis of the 50 states and District of Columbia that laid the foundation for the annual Protected Innocence Challenge Report Cards. Following 9 years of state grades under that project, Christine led the development of a new framework for state grades under the Report Cards on Child & Youth Sex Trafficking, which focus on advancing survivor-centered legislative reform.
She also authors and leads research initiatives on emerging topics related to child sex trafficking. To ensure that policy efforts advanced by Shared Hope’s Institute for Justice & Advocacy are shaped and informed by survivors and on-the-ground implementation, Christine convenes the JuST (Juvenile Sex Trafficking) Response Council, a group of over 30 experts from the areas of policy development, survivor leadership, federal and state child serving agencies and service provision, to examine the nuanced and complex challenges that advocates encounter when working to connect exploited youth to qualified and appropriate services.
Christine is a licensed attorney and obtained her J.D. from American University. Prior to obtaining her law degree, she worked with refugees, asylees and victims of trafficking through federal and state resettlement programs at the International Institute of Boston (now the International Institute of New England).
Sarah Bendtsen Diédhiou J.D. – Director of Policy Strategies
Sarah joined Shared Hope in 2016 to support the organization’s state legislative advocacy work and State Report Card project. Sarah focuses her advocacy efforts and research on strengthening statutory and practice-based responses to child sex trafficking, striving to support the design and implementation of trauma-informed service responses for child and youth survivors. In her role as Director of State Legislative Advocacy, Sarah provides technical assistance, subject matter expertise, and bill drafting support to state legislators, survivors, ally NGOs, and advocates.
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Sarah joined Shared Hope in 2016 to support the organization’s state legislative advocacy work and State Report Card project. Sarah focuses her advocacy efforts and research on strengthening statutory and practice-based responses to child sex trafficking, striving to support the design and implementation of trauma-informed service responses for child and youth survivors. In her role as Director of State Legislative Advocacy, Sarah provides technical assistance, subject matter expertise, and bill drafting support to state legislators, survivors, ally NGOs, and advocates.
Prior to joining Shared Hope, Sarah worked with several child protection and women’s rights NGOs in Kenya, Senegal, Zambia, and the U.S., advocating for stronger legal protections and responses for survivors of all forms of sexual and gender-based violence. Sarah earned her undergraduate degree from Webster University and her law degree from DePaul University College of Law.
Sarah Roberts J.D. LL.M – Director of Policy Research
Sarah Roberts joined Shared Hope’s Policy Team in 2016. As Director of Policy Research, Sarah oversees current research for the Report Cards on Child & Youth Sex Trafficking—an advanced analysis of state child sex trafficking laws. Sarah drafts timely and comprehensive reports and recommendations used to support state efforts to counter demand, increase survivor protections, and provide for effective prosecutions. Additionally, Sarah monitors legislation in all 50 states and DC to ensure research materials reflect the latest legislative advancements. She also directs Shared Hope’s Law and Policy Fellowship Program, preparing the next generation of policy advocates to tackle cutting edge legal issues.
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Sarah is a licensed attorney and obtained her J.D. from Regent University School of Law where she assisted with Shared Hope’s Protected Innocence Challenge through the Center for Global Justice, Human Rights, and the Rule of Law. It was this work that inspired Sarah to obtain her LL.M. in human rights law and to join the fight to end child sex trafficking.
Camryn Peterson – Senior Advocacy Manager
Camryn Peterson is the Senior Advocacy Manager at Shared Hope International. In her role, she encourages others to learn more about child and youth sex trafficking and advocate for legislative change through grassroots advocacy.
Mikayla Simeral – Senior Manager of Training and Promotions
Mikayla Simeral is currently the Senior Manager of Training and Promotions at Shared Hope International. She comes with a wealth of knowledge and experience from her previous position as Victim Services Supervisor with More Too Life operating out of the Suncoast region of Florida, one of the hot spots for domestic minor sex trafficking. Before working directly in the field of anti-human trafficking, Mikayla was a Local and Global Outreach Director for a church in the Washington DC area which allowed her to develop a passion for social justice issues on a domestic and international level.
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Mikayla was part of the Tampa Bay Human Trafficking Task Force and participated in several sting operations with law enforcement to recover and provide services for victims ages 10-24. She graduated with her Masters in Ethnomusicology from Liberty University in 2017 and recently completed her Masters in Social Work from the University of South Florida. Mikayla currently resides in San Diego, California with her husband, Scott, her energetic toddler son, Cormac, and her furry black labradoodle, Shelly.
Saran Myers-Martin, MPH – Director of Training and Promotions
Saran (SHAH-RAN) Myers-Martin is the Director of Training and Promotions with Shared Hope International (SHI), joining the team in September 2023.
Ms. Myers-Martin is a native Philadelphian, a graduate of Hampton University for undergrad and Eastern Virginia Medical School & Old Dominion University where she earned her Master’s in Public Health with an emphasis in Program Development and Management.
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She began her public health career more than twenty years ago with the Maryland State Department of Health where she managed Maryland’s Rape and Sexual Assault Prevention Program for 9 years. Ms. Myers-Martin had the honor of addressing the prevention of sexual violence through education and awareness while partnering with rape crisis centers, school systems, state agencies and community-based organizations. Prior to joining SHI, she held the position of Deputy Director of the Prince George’s County Family Justice Center where she focused on providing services to victims and survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and elder abuse.
Ms. Myers-Martin is energized by the mission of Shared Hope International to eradicate domestic minor sex trafficking through the three-pronged approach of prevention, restoration of lives and bringing justice.
Leif Erik Larson – Director of Communications and Public Relations
Leif Larson, an accomplished writer, messaging leader, and producer, has significant experience in developing strategy and advertising for associations and issue campaigns across the country. He has effectively utilized various mediums, such as television, radio, print, and digital platforms, to influence decision makers, mobilize supporters, and educate opinion leaders.
With a strong background in advocacy campaigns, Leif has overseen the entire creative process from initial idea to final execution. With more than ten years of experience in public relations and message development, he has successfully implemented numerous advertising campaigns through print, radio, and television.
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In his consulting capacity, Leif has created impactful messaging and advocacy campaigns for various political clients and professional associations, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Society of Anesthesiologists, All Children Matter, Global Automakers, National Retail Federation, and American College of Emergency Physicians.
Recognized for his outstanding work in the industry, Leif has been honored with several national awards, including Pollie awards from the American Association of Political Consultants, PR Week awards for advocacy clients, and Telly awards.
Leif lives in Northern Virginia with his three sons, dog, turtle and a gecko.
Ernie Allen – Special Advisor to the President
Ernie Allen is a global expert on the digital economy; the dark side of the internet; public-private partnerships and child protection including the issues of child abduction, sexual exploitation, sexual violence, human trafficking and modern slavery. He frequently speaks to global audiences on these issues and serves as an advisor to governments, law enforcement, technology companies and nonprofit organizations. In 2015, Mr. Allen was appointed by UK Prime Minister David Cameron to serve as Chairman of a global initiative to combat online child abuse and exploitation.
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Ernie Allen is a global expert on the digital economy; the dark side of the internet; public-private partnerships and child protection including the issues of child abduction, sexual exploitation, sexual violence, human trafficking and modern slavery. He frequently speaks to global audiences on these issues and serves as an advisor to governments, law enforcement, technology companies and nonprofit organizations. In 2015, Mr. Allen was appointed by UK Prime Minister David Cameron to serve as Chairman of a global initiative to combat online child abuse and exploitation.
Thirty years ago the problem of child abduction and victimization was unrecognized and unreported. Mr. Allen led the effort to create a comprehensive response to address the problem. Mr. Allen was the architect and a founder of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, served as the first Chairman and then as President and CEO for 28 years where the organization grew to $50 million in annual revenues. During his tenure, more than 180,000 missing children were recovered and the recovery rate increased from 62% to 97%. He created the national 24-hour missing children hotline, brought age progression and other forensic resources to law enforcement and provided training for more than 300,000 police officers. He established the CyberTipline for reporting child sexual exploitation; the Child Victim Identification Program to analyze millions of child pornography images to rescue victims; and helped U.S. Marshals track 100,000 fugitive sex offenders.
To extend the effort to protect children globally Mr. Allen founded the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children and served simultaneously as its President and CEO for 16 years. He built a global missing children’s network that included 23 nations, trained law enforcement in 121 countries and worked with parliaments in 100 countries to enact new laws.
Mr. Allen brought global attention to the risks of unregulated virtual currencies and the anonymous “Dark Web” and created a task force whose policy recommendations are being implemented worldwide. He chaired a coalition of the world’s leading financial institutions which reduced commercial child pornography from a $30 billion industry to virtually zero; involved leading technology companies to address child victimization; and led an effort involving major pharmaceutical and health care companies to address child sexual exploitation as a public health crisis.
His work has been widely recognized and he is the recipient of numerous awards. Mr. Allen was called “one of America’s foremost social entrepreneurs” by President George W. Bush, named “Executive of the Year” by NonProfit Times and named one of the “Most Influential People in Security” by Security Magazine. During his tenure NCMEC was named one of America’s 100 Best Charities by Worth Magazine.
Jay Barber – Advisor to SHI President and Board of Directors
Dr. Jay A. Barber, Jr. is President Emeritus of Warner Pacific College in Portland, Oregon, after retiring following a twelve year stint as president.
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Dr. Jay A. Barber, Jr. is President Emeritus of Warner Pacific College in Portland, Oregon, after retiring following a twelve year stint as president.
In 1964 he received his baccalaureate degree from the college and later served on the Board of Trustees. Jay received his master’s degree from the University of San Francisco and the Doctor of Laws Degree (Hon.) from Anderson University. Jay also served as senior pastor of the Red Bluff, California First Church of God for 16 years, during those years Jay also served two terms as the mayor.
In 1981 he came to the administrative staff of Warner Pacific College, serving for eight years as Vice President for College Advancement and, then, as Executive Vice President. Barber returned to the college as president in 1996.. After 12 years of leadership of the institution the college for the first time in its history was debt free, had grown from 325 students to more than 1500 and was in good standing with the accrediting body.
Prior to returning to the College as president in 1996 he served as the Director of the Oregon Health Sciences University Foundation, overseeing fund raising programs for the Foundation, the largest university foundation in Oregon, including its three schools and a number of research programs. Barber directed the development of corporate, foundation and major gifts fund raising programs as well as the oversight of estate planning and planned giving.
Active in the community, Barber served as a director for 15 years and 2 years as chair of the Board of Directors of Mercy Corps, a relief and disaster organization based in Portland. In addition he served as chair of the Responder Life Board of Directors, a Portland based not-for-profit serving the needs of first responders and their families. In 2008 Barber was appointed the first Senior Fellow with the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, Vancouver, WA. Recently Jay was appointed to serve as Mayor of Seaside, Oregon where earlier he had been elected to a second four-year term on the Seaside, OR City Council where Jay and his wife Jan currently reside.
Jay is an ordained minister (1967, Church of God, Anderson, Indiana) and has served in interim pastoral roles for a number of congregations during times of pastoral leadership transition.
Barber currently provides consultation services to a wide range of not-for-profit organizations in the Northwest assisting with strategic planning, fund raising strategies, board development, staff recruitment and coaching with new and emerging leaders. His special interest is in providing coaching with CEOs, Presidents and Executive Directors of not-for-profit organizations based on his 40 years of experience in those challenging roles.
2024 Board of Directors
Charrita Ernewein
Charrita Ernewein, PhD, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, SANE-A, FAANP, is the Assistant Professor of Nursing at The University of Tampa and works for the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay. She was recently inducted as a Fellow for the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. Charrita has over 34 years of nursing experience, including 11 years as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN), 26 years as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE), and serves as the Community Education Director for the Free Network.
Charrita’s doctoral dissertation and thesis have provided much needed research and analysis of healthcare providers and their role in the recognition, referral, and treatment of human trafficking survivors. This research also integrated the survivors’ voices while focusing on the experiences of survivors as they exited trafficking and reintegrated into society. Charrita has provided over a hundred trainings and presentations as a Human Trafficking subject matter expert both for national and international organizations to include: the Nurse Practitioner Associates for Continuing Education (NPACE), the Association of Operating Room (OR) Nurses, the National Association of Pediatric Nurses, the Global Strategic Operatives, the International Association of Forensic Nurses, the Veteran’s Administration, and the Florida Nurse Practitioner Network (FNPN). These training courses have reached thousands of individuals. Charrita has also published several journal articles and book chapters on this topic.
Charrita is a supporter in the fight against human trafficking through community education, awareness and advocacy. “My goal is to increase awareness and comfort on this sensitive topic “Human Trafficking” in all communities with a focus on healthcare arenas, reinforcing the importance of providing culturally sensitive, trauma-informed care. This can be done through education, training, advocacy, funding, and changes in policy”. Charrita’s passion and life-long mission is to integrate the survivor’s voice into the development of high-quality trauma informed trainings and the integration of these trainings at local, state, national and international levels.
Charrita has been married to her husband Ken (A retired Air Force Pilot) for over 30 years and is the proud mother of 4 spectacular children.
Donna Lancaster
Donna Lancaster is a graduate of Emory University. After living in Atlanta for seven years, having her husband finish graduate school, working at Southern Bell and having a baby, the family moved to Cincinnati, OH, where another wonderful son was born. After another seven years and the blizzard of 1978, the family moved to Clearwater, FL. There they started Johnson-Lancaster and Associates, Inc. which has been nurtured from a small woman-owned business to a nationally recognized food service equipment dealer which has revenue in excess of $100,000,000. Both of Donna’s sons play important roles in the business. She continues to be active in the financial and accounting challenges of the business. She enjoys participating in the community as a board member of the Int’l Association of Human Trafficking Investigators, a board member of Zonta Club of Pinellas, a board member of the FREE Network – Community Campaign against Human Trafficking-West Florida, Inc, as well as in Countryside Youth Soccer, Countryside Little League, Elementary and High School PTA’s, community fundraisers and service projects. Donna and Jerry have five wonderful grandchildren who light up their life.
Lenard “Butch” Yarnell
Butch Yarnell retired from fifty plus years in the Construction Industry involved specifically in the Wood Component Industry. From starting in 1967 in a small truss plant in Vancouver, WA as a saw operator, to managing many truss plants on the West Coast, to finally working as a Software Product Manager for the world’s largest truss plate supplier. Working with people as a trainer, teacher, and presenter were the highlights of his work tasks.
Working with and helping people be all they can be has been the goal of wherever Butch has been whether with the family, at church, or at work. Coming from a strong Bible-based Christian faith, Butch wants everyone to know how valuable they are. Valuable enough for the Creator of all that we know to give up everything to die for each of us.
Butch has supported Shared Hope financially but only in the last few years has become really personally involved. Butch considers it an honor being elected to the board but no less an honor is serving as a volunteer making Thank You Calls, being active in Defenders, and doing prevention education as an Ambassador of Hope.
Donna O’Bryant
Donna O’Bryant began her career as a financial advisor with Edward Jones in 1983 and retired from her Colorado Springs practice in 2019. She stepped down from general partnership with the firm in 2013, having served 14 years as Regional Leader for the firm’s Southeast Colorado branches expanding from 21 branches to nearly 70. After a multi-year plan to transition her practice to the next generation of Financial Advisors, she left her clients in the care of her son, Shaun O’Bryant and daughter, Kelli Phifer.
Donna and her husband of 46 years, Dan, are supporters in the fight against human trafficking and pornography through support and involvement in Shared Hope International and the National Center on Sexual Exploitation. In their local community they actively support the Springs Rescue Mission, New Life Downtown church, the Pikes Peak Community Foundation, Sertoma International, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and the US Air Force Academy Foundation.
They are parents of three (Kelli, Shaun, and son Collin, a US Air Force officer), all USAF Academy grads. They enjoy domestic and international travel, skiing the Colorado Rockies and their roles as “Gigi and Boompa” to eight grandchildren, ages five to ten. In retirement, Donna has been reviving her latent musical interests, accompanying six of her grandchildren to introductory music classes, and is also rediscovering her golf game.
Bill Dunning
Bill Dunning provides over 30 years of business leadership experience to the Board. He obtained a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Old Dominion University. In 1994, Bill co-founded a civil engineering firm in Seattle which then grew to 8 offices throughout Washington, Oregon and California providing land development consulting services in 7 states.
He has worked alongside domestic and international non-governmental organizations in 18 countries, supporting their efforts to establish programs and facilities that care for their communities in many ways, such as establishing churches, caring for children, preventing sexual exploitation and restoring those who have been victimized. Bill has specialized in providing assistance with facility planning and mobilizing ministry and construction teams.
Bill has served as a Director on both non-profit and for profit Boards. He and his wife Kathi have six young adult children and one grandson on the way!
Jennifer Cox
.Jennifer Cox serves as the System Director for CommonSpirit Health’s Physician Enterprise, Medical Safe Haven program.
Jennifer has been a leader in the healthcare industry for over 25 years, including 5 years as an Executive Director for a non-profit resource center and clinic, and 12 years as an ICCE. Health Educator. Jennifer also served 21 years as a women’s and community outreach minister in Davis, Ca.
Jennifer’s professional passion is developing programs that create equitable access to healthcare services for identified victims and survivors of human trafficking. In 2015, Jennifer co-developed and now leads replication strategy for a unique model of care, known as the Medical Safe Haven. This embedded clinic program trains Internal, OB and family medicine residency physicians to provide trauma-informed care best practices for victims and survivors of human trafficking. Currently, there are six Medical Safe Haven clinics across the State of California.
Jennifer is a lead developer for trauma-informed training curriculum for healthcare teams, and as a survivor and subject matter expert on trauma, Jennifer has provided local and national presentations for over 15,000 individuals including healthcare, law enforcement, educational institutions; including law schools and medical schools, and has been honored to speak for numerous faith-based and social service organization forums. She was first introduced to Shared Hope by attending a conference in 2017, and has since presented at four Shared Hope Conferences.
Jennifer has served on 8 community non-profit boards, and currently serves on two national boards. Jennifer has led global humanitarian efforts serving refugees in Kosovo, and the underserved communities in Brazil. Jennifer has professional degrees in Business Leadership and Communications. Her pride and joy is having raised three amazing children.
Jason Curtis
Jason has almost 30 years of experience in the church and nonprofit worlds, concentrating on teaching, coaching, and developing leaders, and helping people and organizations understand and fulfill their calling and purpose. He utilizes those same skills now at Ignite Engagement Consulting, where he equips people to know themselves and each other better so that they can accomplish more together. Church ministry continues to be a significant part of his life, chiefly through his current role as Transitional Pastor for Intown Church, Portland, OR. Prior to these current roles, he worked in church settings and in academia as a pastor, professor, and executive director. He also had the privilege of pursuing masters and doctoral level degrees in theology, both here in the U.S. and abroad in Edinburgh, Scotland. Throughout his time in both religious and non-religious settings, he has always been passionate about unlocking personal potential and helping people thrive. As a leader in any organization, his approach is to connect deeply with people and think in innovative ways as to how to solve problems, create new pathways for growth or success, and focus on the most important matters at hand.
Deborah Bell
Deborah Bell is a small town native of Garfield, WA. She graduated from Washington State University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. She is married to Stoner Bell and, together, with his brother and his wife started Bell Design Co. in 1994, a small civil engineering firm serving communities in the Columbia River Gorge. Deborah has served as the CFO throughout the history of the company and has also assisted with marketing, operations, and human resources. The Bells also started and helped direct Mid-Columbia Ministries for over 20 years, focusing on bringing evangelistic events, classes, and retreats to our local communities. In 2002, they founded Real Life Ministries, expanding their ministry efforts to include missionary support services, marriage and family resources and activities, retreats and classes, ministry support, and discipleship programs. They continue as active board members for Real Life Ministries. They have been supporting Shared Hope International since inception in 1998, having met Linda Smith at a local church.
Deborah and Stoner have four grown children who are actively serving the Lord with their families. They are blessed with six grandchildren (so far). They enjoy teaching marriage classes, traveling, spending time with children and grandchildren, skiing, walking on the beach, and serving in their local church and community.
Christine Harmon, MD
Dr. Christine Harmon has had a long medical career working first in Pediatric/Adolescent Medicine as a Physician’s Assistant, then receiving her MD degree from the University of Colorado, and completing Family Medicine Residency at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
She practiced Family and Urgent Care Medicine for over 30 years in Tacoma, Washington, with an emphasis on Pediatric/Adolescent Medicine, Women’s Health, and Mental Health. She has enjoyed teaching and mentoring many young doctors, PAs and ARNPs. She is currently a Medical Consultant to the Social Security Administration.
Dr. Harmon began training and volunteering with Shared Hope International in 2010. She has served on
the SHI Board of Directors since 2015, and as the Chair of the Board of Directors since 2018.
Marjorie Austen
Marjorie Austen is a retired Physical Therapist Assistant, grassroots political organizer and master gardener from Vancouver, Washington. She has raised four spectacular children with her husband David, and thoroughly enjoys her thirteen grandkids. A founding board member of Shared Hope, Marjorie joined the fight against sex trafficking in 1998 and remains an advocate of life giving Christian focused groups and pro-life organizations. Marjorie has traveled around the world with Shared Hope and has been privileged to work alongside many wonderful people in providing restoration for survivors of trafficking. She is an avid quilter, sewer and gardener, and is proudly married to her husband for 39 years.
Nick Lembo
Nick Lembo is a powerful motivational speaker for all ages, especially speaking directly to men, to change the culture, and together firmly believes that ending demand and bringing awareness will make the world much smaller for those who buy and sell our children in the sex trade.
As a former Secretary/Treasurer of Shared Hope’s Board of Directors, and co-chair of the Defenders USA/the Men of Shared Hope, Nick has become networked across the nation with anti-trafficking organizations. He speaks to advocates at Shared Hope’s national conferences, across the US and in Washington and Arizona, where he’s resided since becoming engaged in the fight.
Nick is a founding board member on Rebecca Bender Initiative’s Board of Directors, the largest faith-based survivor-led organization in the nation. He serves as the Just Men Arizona /AATN statewide coordinator…and recruits men as volunteers to engage buyers through the cyber patrols to disrupt demand. His energy and enthusiasm flourishes when building volunteer teams and supporting and equipping men as they seek to end demand in the US.
Dan O’Bryant
Dan O’Bryant of Colorado Springs, CO holds a Juris Doctor degree from Drake University, and served as a Judge Advocate General (JAG) in the United States Air Force. He served as a prosecutor then later as an Area Defense Counsel. He was also a Law Professor at the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. His past experience also includes 10 years as a financial advisor with Edward Jones Investments. In 2003-4 he was a candidate for the US Senate from Colorado. Most recently, from 2004 to 2013, he served as one of 3 principals in the The Eickmann Group, a defense consulting firm. O’Bryant was the Administrative Pastor of The Gathering, a non-denominational congregation in Colorado Springs, in 2010-2011. He has served on numerous not-for-profit boards throughout his career. He represented SHI at the 2013 Conference on Crimes Against Children in Dallas, TX. In April, 2014, O’Bryant spoke on behalf of SHI at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard University. He has been accepted as a Fellow at the Weatherhead Center for the 2015-16 academic year.