Lina Nealon to Moderate Panel at the 2014 Human Trafficking Conference, July 16-18 in WPB, FL

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - April 20, 2014 - PRLog -- The Human Trafficking In America Conferences are designed for the general public to become informed and educated by experts and authorities; to protect their at-risk youth; and to mobilize and engage people across America to help turn the horrendous crime of human trafficking around. The theme for the 2014 event is Restoring Humanity From Modern Day Slavery, the next step to working to eradicate human trafficking of women and children in the United States.

“Coupling our passion for demand reduction efforts and those of Demand Abolition (visit http://www.demandabolition.org), I am extremely eager to engage in the third day of the conference. If we can make an impact in this aspect of the human trafficking triangle (the supply, distribution and demand business model) we will see substantial gains made in ending human trafficking, ” states Yvonne Williams, Co-founder of Trafficking In America Task Force, and sponsor of the 4^th nation-wide human trafficking conference.

The 2014 conference will present 4 panels, each with the goal of creating deliberate dialogue between those that should be collaborating but may not be. As moderator for the Law Enforcement / Legislative panel Ms. Nealon will engage members in questions that will create dialogue between law enforcement and legislators in effort to achieve pertinent collaboration. Panel members are General Counsel/VP Public Policy/Gov. Affairs, Broward College, Gregory Haile; Florida Representative, David Kerner; Assistant US Attorney, Stacie B. Harris  (Invited); Assistant State Prosecutor at FL AG Office, Brian Fernandes; Homeland Security, Special Agent Jason Varkus; and Integrity Investigations, David Gregg. Each panel member will have 3 to 5 minutes to share a bit about their work and passion. Questions from the attendees will also be permitted.

Ms. Nealon and Demand Abolition, a program of the Hunt Alternative Funds, is committed to eradicating the illegal commercial sex industry in the US—and by extension, the world—by combating the demand for purchased sex. Conducting and disseminating research, educating policymakers, consulting with criminal justice professionals, and convening key stakeholders, Demand Abolition is catalyzing social change that reflects the dignity of all people. Previously, Ms. Nealon served as policy specialist and trainer with The Institute for Inclusive Security, a research and advocacy organization that promotes the full participation of all stakeholders, especially women, in peace processes. Focusing on security sector reform in post conflict regions, she has traveled to countries such as Afghanistan, Liberia, Kenya, and Israel, where she has led trainings for leaders in government, law enforcement, and civil society. Ms. Nealon’s dedication to eradicating slavery was inspired by volunteer efforts with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and Lithuanian organizations combating child sex trafficking. She co-chairs the demand subcommittee of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Interagency Human Trafficking Task Force, is a member of the Working Group on Human Trafficking and Modern-Day Slavery at Harvard Kennedy School’s Carr Center for Human Rights Policy, and serves as an advisory council member of Women2Women International. Together with her husband, Ms. Nealon has organized the collection and shipment of more than 10,000 books to the University of Liberia library and to a girls’ school in Afghanistan that was once the country’s largest Taliban madrassa. She is confident that her two young daughters will one day live in a world where purchasing human beings for sex is not tolerated.