About Alliance to End Human Trafficking

Our Mission

Alliance to End Human Trafficking (AEHT) is a collaborative, faith-based national network that offers education, supports access to survivor services, and engages in advocacy to eradicate human trafficking. We work to inform the public, prevent this assault on human dignity, and assist survivors to live fulfilling lives.

Our members include 100+ congregations of Catholic Sisters, coalitions working against human trafficking and individuals who share our mission. Ending human trafficking is everyone’s work!

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Our Vision

Alliance To End Human Trafficking envisions a world without human trafficking with a network of services and resources to inform the public, prevent the crime, and assist survivors to achieve a fulfilling life.

Our Core Values

Our anti-trafficking efforts reflect the core values of our faith:

• Belief in the inherent dignity of every human person;
• Commitment to those who are poor and vulnerable;
• Establishment of right relationships to promote the common good;
• Defense of the basic rights of workers;
• Solidarity with one another and the willingness to enter into another’s joys and sorrows.

We challenge our Church, government officials and ourselves to consider these values in all that we do and we invite all people who share these values to join us in our work.

Our History

In April 2013, 15 sisters who were engaged in anti-trafficking work throughout the U.S. were invited to gather in Washington D.C. Sister Margaret Nacke, CSJ, from Concordia, KS, and Sister Ann Scholz, SSND, Associate Director for Social Mission, LCWR, were instrumental in convening this group. This initial three-day gathering was made possible with the leadership and partnership of Alexia Kelley, President, and CEO of FADICA (Foundations and Donors Interested in Catholic Activities) and the financial support of several FADICA members.

While in Washington, these sisters met with representatives from the Polaris Project and several government officials who were engaged in anti-trafficking work. They also spent time sharing and reflecting with one another about their own work in the anti-trafficking arena. They realized the benefits of joining their efforts together and becoming a national network and the public, corporate voice for U.S. sisters on the issue of human trafficking.

Led by a Steering Committee of three sisters (Anne Victory HM, Kathleen Coll SSJ, and Ann Oestreich, IHM) for three years, the network grew, and joined Talitha Kum in 2014.

In 2016, U.S. Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking became a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization governed by a Board of Directors. Our membership has grown to include 100+ congregations of women religious, Catholic coalitions working to end human trafficking and several individual partners.

In 2018, USCSAHT hosted “Borders Are Not Barriers,” a gathering of all Talitha Kum networks in the Western Hemisphere.

In 2019, Jennifer Reyes Lay became our first executive director and USCSAHT established its national office in St. Louis, Missouri.

In 2022 Katie Boller Gosewisch became our second executive director. The national office also moved to Brighton, Michigan.

The staff of USCSAHT has grew to include our first Program Director and Communications Director Christine Commerce.

In 2023 the organization underwent a change from U.S. Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking to Alliance to Human Trafficking.

2013

Sisters in Washington, D.C.

2014

USCSAHT Joins Talitha Kum

2018

USCSAHT hosts “Borders Are Not Barriers”

2019

First Executive Director, Jennifer Reyes Lay, hired

2021

First Members’ Conference

2022

Executive Director, Katie Boller Gosewisch

2022

The national USCSAHT office relocated to Brighton, MI.

2022

First Communications Director Hired

2022

2nd Annual USCSAHT Conference

2023

Jervonia Melton hired as first Director of Development/Sub-Grant Coordinator

2023

USCSAHT Celebrates Its 10th Anniversary

2023

Marilyn Zigmund Luke hired as Director of Advocacy

2023

3rd Annual Conference

2023

USCSAHT Becomes Alliance to End Human Trafficking

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