On December 16, 2015, President Obama announced the historic appointment of 11 members to the United States Advisory Council on Human Trafficking. Each member is a survivor of human trafficking, and together they represent a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences. The Council, established by the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act (JVTA), enacted on May 29, 2015, provides a formal platform for trafficking survivors to advise and make recommendations on federal anti-trafficking policies to the President’s Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (PITF).

The first members of the U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking, who are serving two-year terms, are: Evelyn Chumbow, Harold D’Souza, Minh Dang, Tina Frundt, Ima Matul Maisaroh, Ronny Marty, Flor Molina, Bukola Love Oriola, Suamhirs Piraino-Guzman, Sheila White, and Shandra Woworuntu. Additional information about the members can be found here.

Pursuant to the JVTA, the appointed members of this Council:

• Provide advice and recommendations to the U.S. government, specifically the Senior Policy Operating Group (SPOG) and the PITF, to strengthen federal policy and programming efforts that reflect best practices in the anti-trafficking field.
• Review federal U.S. government policy and programs intended to combat human trafficking, including programs relating to the provision of services for victims.
• Gather information from U.S. government agencies, states, and the community for the Council’s annual report.
• Publish an annual report that contains the findings derived from the reviews conducted of federal government policy and programs.
• Serve as a point of contact for federal agencies reaching out to human trafficking survivors for input on anti-trafficking programming and policies in the United States.
• Represent the diverse population of human trafficking survivors across the United States.

The first annual report of the U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking can be found here.