 | Join us in the fight against human trafficking!WHEN: Friday, March 1, 2013, 6:00pm-9:00pm COST: $25 per person at the door Online Registration is now CLOSED. REGISTER AT THE DOOR - cash or check only (no credit cards at the door) Speakers Include: District Attorney Mike Anderson, Harris County District Attorney's Office Sheriff Adrian Garcia, Harris County Sheriff's Office Dr. Linda Marten, Dallas Theological Seminary Sally MacDonald, Fox26 Dennis Mark, Redeemed Ministries Julie Waters, Free the Captives Daniel Salce Kellie Armstrong Coppelia, DJ, 89.3 KSBJ Free the Captives' 3rd Annual Houston Human Trafficking Conference is geared towards:
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Questions? Check our Frequently Asked Questions page: http://www.freethecaptiveshouston.com/frequently-asked-conference-questions.php
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SPEAKERS AND PRESENTATIONS
District Attorney Mike Anderson, Harris County District Attorney’s Office
Presentation: “Looking Ahead to Strengthening Prosecution of Human Traffickers”
Mike was a prosecutor at the Harris County District Attorney’s Office for 17 years. While serving as an Assistant District Attorney, Mike prosecuted every level of crime from misdemeanors to Capital Murders. As a Special Crimes prosecutor in the Major Offenders Division, he prosecuted the worst of the worst, at one point winning eleven consecutive life sentences. He successfully investigated and prosecuted eleven Capital Murder cases, all of which resulted in death sentences. He was known as a tenacious prosecutor whose knowledge of the law and courtroom skills put criminals behind bars and assured victims that justice was served.
As a State District Court judge for 12 years, Mike presided over thousands of cases involving serious felonies, including capital murder, kidnapping, child abuse, sexual assault, and drug and property crimes. In 2009, Mike was elected Administrative Judge by his fellow Criminal District Court Judges. As Administrative Judge, Mike was instrumental in the creation of Veteran’s Court, the Public Defender’s Office, and a third Mental Health Court. His budget cuts in indigent defense ensured quality representation and saved taxpayers money. Mike was also a member of the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, assisting in the development of best-practice policies for the Harris County criminal justice system.
Mike is a Harris County native, born and raised in Pasadena. He graduated from Pearland High School and Texas Lutheran College. He earned his law degree from South Texas College of Law.
Active in the community, Mike has volunteered countless hours to Special Olympics, Big Brothers and Sisters, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and Habitat for Humanity. He coaches youth sports and is involved in Scouting.
Mike is married to Devon Anderson, a respected former Prosecutor and District Judge. Together they have two children, Sam (11) and Brynn (9). The Andersons are active members of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, where Mike is an Elder.
Coppelia, DJ at KSBJ
Conference Worship Leader
Coppelia is “that girl with the Puerto Rican accent and awesome laugh on the radio!” But she also has a love for music. She grew up in a musical family in Puerto Rico. Her Mom and Dad play piano and guitar; her brother & sister also sang; and music always filled their home.
At a young age, Coppelia was on stage at the world renowned Performing Arts Center in San Juan. She has sung for concert crowds in coliseums, but is just as comfortable singing in a small church. And she has a passion for God! Singing or on the radio, she loves to share that passion with others.
Before American Idol, Coppelia was already winning talent competitions. As a teen trio with her sister and their best friend, they won first place and got noticed by local media. Offers came in, promising to make them the next big thing. However, school came first and the singing had to wait.
The trio went their separate ways. Coppelia earned a college degree in Communications and God led her into a dream career in radio. You may have heard Coppelia on the radio in Puerto Rico, nationwide on the K-LOVE and Air 1 networks, and most recently in Houston, TX on 2012 Christian radio station of the year, KSBJ.
While Coppelia loves to share her life with the listeners on the radio, her heart really comes through when she is singing for God. She has been singing in church from a young age and continues to share her talent every opportunity she gets.
The Bill Glass Champions for Life Weekend of Champions prison ministry events are one of Coppelia’s favorites. “Is it possible to have so much fun visiting prisons?” Yes! She has traveled with them from Puerto Rico to Mexico to cities across the US.
Coppelia lives in Houston, TX with her husband, Adam, and two young children, Christopher and Allyson. You can listen to Coppelia on the KSBJ Afternoon Show weekdays from 3 to 7pm Central Time.
Kellie R. Armstrong, Former Director of Freedom Place
Presentation: “How to Start a Safe Home for Trafficked Teens”
Kellie R. Armstrong has over 22 years experience in the child welfare public and private arena. She has experience as a social worker, trainer, analyst, consultant, clinician and administrator. Ms. Armstrong traveled the country learning about the devastating issue of Human Trafficking and conducted extensive research into the development of the first safe house and long-term residential program in Texas for Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking victims. Kellie is the former Executive Director of Freedom Place and during her tenure raised over 1.6 million dollars for start up to launch the program and was awarded several government contracts to ensure sustainability. She established a volunteer base of over 1,000 individuals and 50 church partners.
Ms. Armstrong served as a Board member for the National Foster Family Treatment Association and on the national research, public policy and editorial committees. She has been a guest lecturer/speaker at the following universities: Stetson University, Bethune Cookman University, Daytona State University, and University of Houston. She has served on numerous human trafficking taskforces and committees and is a licensed child care administrator.
Sheriff Adrian Garcia, Harris County Sheriff’s Office
Presentation: "Efforts and Successes of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office in Fighting Sex Trafficking"
Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia heads the largest sheriff’s office in Texas and the third-largest in the United States. As Sheriff of Harris County, Adrian Garcia oversees an operating budget of approximately $420 million and a workforce of about 4,000 law enforcement and civilian employees. Sheriff Garcia is a native Houstonian who chose public service as a profession and became an officer with the Houston Police Department in 1980.
At HPD he patrolled neighborhoods, investigated violent crimes, developed community-policing initiatives and worked to strengthen the relationship between residents and law enforcement. In 1994, Houston Mayor Bob Lanier appointed Garcia as the Houston Police Department’s Liaison to the Mayor’s Anti-Gang Office. In 1999, Mayor Lee P. Brown promoted him to Director of the Mayor’s Anti-Gang Office, where he served until 2003.
Garcia was elected to the Houston City Council in 2003. He chaired the council’s Public Safety and Homeland Security committee. In 2007, Mayor Bill White appointed him Mayor Pro-Tempore. During his time on council he helped create the Centralized Gang Intelligence and Enforcement Division and amend the city budget to provide funding for a Real Time Crime Center of the Houston Police Department. He also led the effort to reduce overuse of ambulance service by helping to create Care Houston, a case management initiative.
He returned to his law enforcement roots in 2009 as the newly elected sheriff, providing the leadership needed to restore the public’s confidence in the Harris County Sheriff’s Office and the direction and resources necessary to bring the HCSO into the 21st century. Sheriff Garcia is accomplishing these goals based on the fundamental principles that have guided his career and his life: hard work, honesty and public service. He credits his wife Monica, his daughter Nina, his parents and other family members for inspiring him to serve.
Sally MacDonald, Fox26
Presentation: “The Impact of Media Coverage on Human Trafficking in Houston"
Sally MacDonald is an Emmy award winning reporter who is thrilled to be working in her hometown! She anchors Fox 26's weekend morning news every Saturday and Sunday from 5 to 8am. The Lone Star EMMY Chapter has awarded Sally for her work during Hurricane Ike, and the Texas Associated Press has also honored Sally with awards for her work during Hurricane Rita and the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. In 2012, Sally and Fox 26 produced a series of in depth reports on human trafficking that received widespread attention.
Sally graduated from The Woodlands High School, where she was a member of the state champion Woodlands Swim Team. She went on to swim in college for Arizona State University. While at ASU, Sally was also an academic All-American water polo player and a recipient of the Wings of Gold Student Athlete award.
She graduated from the Walter Cronkite School of Telecommunications at ASU, where she anchored the student newscast. During college, Sally worked at stations in Phoenix and Houston before landing her first on air job next door in Beaumont. At KFDM-TV, Sally worked as a reporter and fill-in anchor. Sally is an avid runner who has completed a marathon. She and her husband welcomed their first child, a daughter, in February 2011.
Dennis Mark, Redeemed Ministries
Presentation: “A New Wind: Training, Building and Living beyond the Trauma of Trafficking in Brothels and Massage Parlors”
Dennis Mark is currently the Chairman and Executive Director of Redeemed Ministries, a faith based non-profit organization formed in 2005 and dedicated to the liberation of those trapped and exploited within the commercial sex industry and/or by human trafficking for sexual exploitation or forced labor. Dennis and his wife Bobbie joined Redeemed Ministries in 2006 working as field ministers doing outreach to women in the commercial sex industry. Dennis participated in the United Nations – Global Initiative to Fight Trafficking (UN.GIFT) conference in Vienna, Austria in 2008. He has worked with state legislators on drafting legislation and testified before Senate and House committees in Austin to support new anti-human trafficking legislation. He served as the Chief Investigator for the Not For Sale Campaign and a content instructor at the Not For Sale Investigator Academy and Strategic Mapping Backyard Academy for 2 years. This position had him working with grass-root efforts and law enforcement agencies across the United States, in the Republic of Korea, Canada, Australia and Brazil. He has supervised documentation of human trafficking cases in the U.S. and cases of human trafficking involving child soldiers in Northern Uganda and sex trafficking during the World Cup in South Africa.
Dr. Linda Marten, Dallas Theological Seminary
Presentation: “How does Trauma Wound? Understanding Trauma and Its Impact on Victims”
Presentation: “How Helpers Wound the Wounded: The Do's and Don'ts of Working with Trauma Victims for Lay People”
Linda M. Marten (MA, University of Northern Iowa; PhD, University of North Texas) is an associate professor of biblical counseling at Dallas Theological Seminary. She helped begin the Dallas Christian Counseling Services when the integration of psychology and theology was a new and growing issue. She has over thirty-five years of client interactions through her private practice in north Dallas developing a specialty in trauma and dissociation.
Dr. Marten is a licensed professional counselor and supervisor, a licensed marriage and family therapist, and a clinical member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. She began as an adjunct in 2000 supervising students in the master’s-level counseling practicum at Dallas Seminary. Previously she taught psychology and counseling at Dallas Bible College.
Daniel Salce
Presentation: “The Naked Truth: A Man’s Story of a Captive Set Free”
Daniel Salce is a Katy-native who despite the struggles in his childhood and early adult life has enjoyed many successes. He is a gifted motivational speaker and trainer in a multi-billion dollar industry. He has been married fifteen years and has two beautiful daughters. He is currently serving as a deacon at Kingsland Baptist Church and has been involved in many church ministries and missions, such as Life Hurts God Heals, Celebrate Recovery, and most recently a program he co-authored entitled “The Brink.” It is designed to help people experience a closer walk and relationship with God in life and find hope during times of trouble.
Daniel can clearly remember the darker times in his adult life where he felt alone and ashamed of the war raging inside his heart. The battle was tearing apart his very existence, but the Lord heard his cry and placed him on a journey that would shatter his definition of freedom. “Whom the Son sets free, is free indeed.” --John 8:36
Julie Waters, JD, Free the Captives
Presentation: “Innocence Lost: The Sex Trafficking of Minor Children”
Presentation: “Finding Freedom in Christ”
Julie Waters is the director and founder of Free the Captives, an evangelical anti-human trafficking 501(c)3 non-profit. She is a relentless advocate for girls and women enslaved in sex trafficking. When it comes to victims, she believes that sex trafficking is fought by helping one girl at a time.
After practicing family law and child advocacy as an attorney, Julie brings her legal expertise to human trafficking issues. As an accomplished speaker, Julie educates the public at both the local and national level on human trafficking and is published academically on this topic. Free the Captives focuses on (1) educating the community about human trafficking, (2) preventing and intervening in the trafficking of at risk teens, (3) reducing the demand created by buyers, and (4) pursuing legal remedies to combat trafficking.
Julie is a native of Texas and attended Texas A&M University, where she received a BA in Speech Communication. She also graduated from Boston University School of Law and is licensed to practice law in Texas and Massachusetts. Julie is currently working on her Masters of Theology at Dallas Theological Seminary.
