The United States Advisory Council on Human Trafficking, 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). Each member is a survivor of human trafficking, and together they represent a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences. The Council is appointed by the President for two-year terms.
In December 2022 and January 2023, President Biden appointed the following individuals to serve as members of the United States Advisory Council on Human Trafficking. Not all new member names are listed to respect and preserve the privacy and confidentiality of those who wish for their survivorship to remain anonymous to the public. Here is the Biographic information on some of the most recently appointed members.
- Tris Lester Bacani
- Rafael Bautista
- Marlene Carson
- Andrea Hipwell
- Sameer Jain
- Fainess Lipenga
- Suleman Masood
- Brenda Myers-Powell
- Rachel Thomas
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.