In honor of Human Trafficking Awareness Month, Voices for Florida and the Florida Alliance to End Human Trafficking are proud to present Science & Society: The Impact of Trauma on Human Trafficking Survivors Virtual Panel Discussion on Tuesday, January 19th, from 10–11:30 a.m. Click here to register!
Moderated by Florida Department of Juvenile Justice Secretary Simone Marstiller, this virtual panel discussion will feature trauma experts Dr. Philip Toal and Vicky Basra, and survivor leaders Idalia Rivera and Savannah Parvu. These panelists will share their experiences, expertise and insight into how communities can better advocate for prevention of this heinous crime.
Learn More About Our Speakers:
Moderator: Secretary Simone Marstiller, Florida Department of Juvenile Justice
Simone earned her Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 1988 from Stetson University in DeLand, Florida and her Juris Doctor, cum laude, in 1996 from Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Florida. Throughout her career, Simone served Governor Jeb Bush in a variety of roles such as Assistant General Counsel (2002), General Counsel for the Department of Management Services (2002), Deputy Chief of Staff (2003), State Chief Information Officer (2004) and Secretary of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (2005). She was appointed to the appellate court in 2010 and served as a judge for six years, starting in 2017, Of Counsel with Gunster, Yoakley, Stewart, P.A., before entering her current role as appointed Secretary.
Inderjit Vicky Basra, President, and CEO of the Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center
Vicky holds an MSW from the University of Tennessee and is presently pursuing a Doctorate in Social Work from the University of Tennessee. Throughout her career, Vicky has served in a variety of nonprofit leadership roles including the Director of Family Preservation at Family Support Services of Northeast Florida, Director of Project Safe at Vanderbilt University and Senior Vice President for the Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center where she was responsible for the growth of the Continuity of Care Model and implementing the Open Doors Outreach Network on the First Coast, working closely with Voices for Florida. Vicky currently serves as the President and CEO of the Policy Center, in which she is accountable for ensuring mission focus, strategic partnerships and brand preservation.
Idalia Rivera, Survivor Mentor at More Too Life, Inc.
Idalia Rivera is an Open Doors Survivor Mentor with More Too Life Foundation and Open Doors Outreach Network, a 24/7/365 network of care for child and young adult victims of commercial sexual exploitation and sex trafficking. Idalia earned her Bachelor’s in Business Management, with Honors. Early in her life, she experienced familial trauma resulting in emotional, physical, mental and psychological trauma and ultimately influenced a future of sexual re-victimization. As a young adult, she sought counseling and services, to which she credits her passion for trauma-informed and victim-centered education.
Savannah Parvu, Survivor Leader
Savannah is involved in Survivor Leadership through active prevention, awareness activities and educational efforts. She is a nationally recognized speaker surrounding the issue of human trafficking and has received awards and accolades from anti-trafficking organizations for her efforts. She routinely shares her experiences of abuse and victimization with the public to foster greater knowledge and understanding of the complex issue of familial trafficking within the commercial sex trafficking arena. Savannah has recently become one of the leading voices and advocates on human trafficking at the Florida State Capitol.
Dr. Philip Toal, Senior Vice President of Residential Services at Aspire Health Partners
Philip O. Toal holds a Master of Science in Clinical Psychology from the University of Central Florida and a doctorate in Clinical Sexology from The Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Sexuality. He is a Florida State Licensed Mental Health Counselor, has worked with many human trafficking survivors, and provides training at the local, state and national levels. Philip’s work focuses on stress management, pain management, biofeedback, behavioral medicine, psychoneuroimmunology, depression, HIV/AIDS, sex therapy, LGBTQ issues, mental health and substance use disorders. Dr. Toal currently works as an adjunct professor at Valencia College in the areas of Sex Therapy and Substance Abuse Disorders while serving as the Senior Vice-President of Residential Services for Aspire Health, the largest behavioral health care provider in the Southeast.
Please join us on Tuesday, January 19th, from 10–11:30 a.m. for this FREE event. Registration is required. Click here to register. To stay up to date with the Science & Society Panel, as well as other events in the future, and crucial information surrounding the issue of human trafficking, follow us on Facebook & Instagram!
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About the Author
Bri Ratkiewicz
Bri graduated from Florida State University with her Bachelor’s in Psychology and Criminology & Criminal Justice in May 2019. During her undergrad, she focused her interests surrounding women’s issues and criminal justice reform, which eventually led her to pursue her Master of Social Work. She will be graduating with her MSW in Spring 2021 from Florida State University. During her graduate education, she has concentrated her studies and passions to include a greater scope of social justice issues, specifically racial inequality, reproductive rights and criminal justice reform. Upon graduation, she plans to enter the field of political social work through which she hopes to bring about sustainable, progressive change through legislative advocacy and social policy efforts
