"This month's human trafficking abolitionist is Bri Combs, Regional Coalition Specialist at the Salvation Army's End Slavery Cincinnati Coalition, where she works on building the network for the coalition and community engagement. Her role consists of coordinating coalition, volunteer, and partner meetings, writing the coalition newsletter, planning anti-trafficking conferences, running ESC’s social media platforms, and presenting ‘Human Trafficking 101’ presentations for those in the public who want to learn more about trafficking. With so many things to do, she's so grateful for her incredible team! 

While Bri has always dedicated her life to helping others, she didn't start her journey in the anti-trafficking field until relatively recently. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Global Studies from Ohio University, and has since worked in the field of developmental disabilities for the past several years. When Bri first became aware of the injustices of human trafficking, she was angry and heartbroken, as so many people are. She immediately threw herself into learning all she could about the issue and how she could get involved in the fight against it. She took time off of work to attend the University of Toledo’s International Human Trafficking and Social Justice Conference where she learned that certain populations, including those with developmental disabilities, were extremely vulnerable to human trafficking. In response, Bri developed and facilitated a safety curriculum empowering those with DD to keep themselves safe in their relationships, homes and communities. She also got involved in local efforts as a member of the Butler County Anti-Human Trafficking Collaborative. This year, Bri felt God calling her into a more direct role against human trafficking, and that's when she found her new position as End Slavery Cincinnati’s Regional Coalition Specialist! 

When she's not working to abolish trafficking, Bri likes to spend her time camping and hiking with her dogs, Layla and Nani. She's also a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) in Butler County for children in the legal system who have been abused and neglected. Thanks, Bri, for your compassion and your fire!"