Research Team

Tonique Ayler’s remarkable journey from survivor to advocate and educator highlights her dedication to raising awareness about sex trafficking and supporting those in vulnerable situations. Through sharing her story and engaging with the community, she shows resilience and compassion in her efforts to make a positive impact and help others overcome challenging situations associated with sexual exploitation.  Prior to attaining a certificate for Business and Computer Application Specialist, Tonique earned an Associate of Applied Science Degree from Anthem College. She served as a Housing Program Manager for 7 years at a non-profit organization that provided sustainable permanent supportive housing for women that have been exploited sexually and who are seeking a healthy environment to reach their goals. Tonique became a survivor-leader during this time and facilitated an intensive education group that deconstructs prostitution and commercial sexual exploitation as a slave-based system, the impact prostitution has had on the lives of survivors and victims, issues related to addiction and recovery, recognizing red flags of unhealthy people, and self-soothing techniques and healing tools. Through her own healing process, she has engaged in many lectures, seminars, and public speaking events, in addition to radio station presentations, mini documentaries and a series of columns for newspapers, sharing her testimony.  She is part of an invited panel at the National Institute of Justice Research Conference in September 2024 on inclusive research processes for sex trafficking survivors. 

Kelle Barrick, PhD, is a Senior Research Criminologist in RTI International’s Center for Public Safety and Resilience with more than 20 years of experience conducting research on crime, victimization, and the criminal legal response. Using inclusive and collaborative mixed methods research approaches, her current work seeks to better understand the scope and nature of human trafficking and to improve anti-trafficking prevention, intervention, and response efforts. She also has extensive experience conducting program evaluation in a broad variety of areas, including victim services. Her work has been funded by the National Institute of Justice, National Science Foundation, and various state agencies, among others. More information is available here.

Terry Forliti is a survivor of sexual exploitation.  She works diligently to create social justice for those who have experienced such trauma.  Locally, in Minneapolis and St. Paul, as a former Chief Executive Officer of the Vednita Carter-founded Breaking Free, Terry’s contributions include, providing permanent supportive housing, a drop-in shelter that served over 200 survivors each year, and a Safe Harbor Shelter in collaboration with Minnesota Department of Health. Nationally, Terry is part of the 2nd Cohort of World Without Exploitation’s STAND program, Shared Hope International’s JustUS advisory committee and consults with NCOSE, the National Coalition on Sexual Exploitation while advancing policy. Globally, she was a subject matter expert on the International Survivors of Trafficking Advisory Committee (ISTAC) for the Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights at the OSCE- the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.  More information about her work is here. 

Joy Friedman is an internationally recognized author, trainer, public speaker, consultant, and change-maker leading the fight against sexual exploitation in the U.S.  She is one of the nation’s leading experts on sexual exploitation, drawing from decades of personal and professional experience. After overcoming sexual exploitation in her own life, Joy spent the last 24 years determined to help others do the same through her award-winning advocacy, education, facilitation, outreach, and awareness efforts. Her early advocacy efforts focused on directly supporting over 5,000 victims and survivors through outreach, advocacy, courtroom support, and group facilitation. Soon Joy was called on to provide testimony, consultation, subject matter expertise, and training internationally for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, University of Minnesota, Mayo Clinic, and other diverse stakeholders. In 2022, Joy founded The Missing Peace, which stands for Promoting Education, Awareness, and Community Engagement. She provides training, consultation, education, technical assistance, and subject matter expertise on sexual exploitation and related topics. She currently provides expertise as an advisory council member for the AEquitas “Just Exits Initiative,” Truckers Against Trafficking “TAT”, the International Association of Chiefs of Police “IACP”, and World Without Exploitation “SLET” (Survivor Leader Education and Training) Committee.  Joy has been trained by the Department of Homeland Security and holds multiple certifications, including being certified to run survivor mentor groups through My Life, My Choice and as a Peer Recovery Specialist by the State of Minnesota. In 2021, she was honored with the Inaugural Champion Award by the Sexual Violence Center in Minnesota.  She is part of an invited panel at the National Institute of Justice Research Conference in September 2024 on inclusive research processes for sex trafficking survivors.  More information about her work is here.

Kayse Lee Maass, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Industrial Engineering and Director of the Operations Research and Social Justice Lab at Northeastern University. Dr. Maass uses her expertise in operations research and decision science to improve public policy and social justice, including how to improve anti-human trafficking prevention, intervention, and survivor-support efforts. Her research is highly collaborative, both with researchers in different fields and with community members. Dr. Maass’s work is supported by multiple federal and state grants, and has informed local, national, and international policy and operational decisions. This includes briefing U.S. Senate Committees, providing congressional testimony, and serving on the United Nations University Working Group on what works to address human trafficking. More information is available here.

Mikki Mariotti is Director of PRIDE, The Family Partnership’s anti-sex trafficking program, bringing more than 25 years of survivor-centered leadership and advocacy. Previously, Mikki worked as a case manager, street outreach worker and supervisor with the DIGNITY Program at Catholic Charities in Arizona.  Mikki joined The Family Partnership in 2021 and has worked closely with the City of Minneapolis to develop holistic responses to human trafficking. She played a key role in securing ARPA funding that established the UPSIDE Initiative, a collaboration among Minneapolis-area service providers aimed at prevention and response for members of LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities that disproportionately experience sexual exploitation.

Lauren Martin, PhD, Associate Professor in the School of Nursing at the University of Minnesota. Trained in Anthropology, her work focuses on meaning making through participatory and action research to explore sex trading, trafficking, sexual violence and community health. She works with partners to shape anti-oppressive practices, programs and policy. Dr. Martin is affiliated faculty at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and the University of Minnesota’s Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center (UROC), where she was director of research for almost ten years. In 2016, she was the recipient of the University of Minnesota President’s Engaged Scholar Award. More information is available here.

Christine Nelson was part of the first cohort of Survivor Alliance and advised the City of Minneapolis Blueprint for Action against Human Trafficking. She is currently a contract enforcement specialist representing 50,000 public service employees in central California.  She is part of an invited panel at the National Institute of Justice Research Conference in September 2024 on inclusive research processes for sex trafficking survivors.

Thomas Sharkey is a Professor of Industrial Engineering at Clemson University.   He obtained his PhD in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the University of Florida in 2008 and spent twelve years as a faculty member at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. His research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, including a CAREER award, the National Institute of Justice, and the Department of Homeland Security.  He has received multiple teaching awards for creating blended learning environments for undergraduate operations research (OR) courses, including the IISE OR Division annual teaching award, the Rensselaer Alumni Association Teaching Award, and the Murray Stokely Excellence in Teaching Award from Clemson University.   He is a fellow of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers.  More information is available here. 

Yongjia Song is an associate professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering at Clemson University. Dr. Song received his Ph.D. degree in industrial and systems engineering from University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2013. Dr. Song’s research interests include optimization under uncertainty, integer programming, and applications of optimization in transportation and logistics, networks, and health care. Dr. Song is a recipient of the NSF CAREER award in 2021, and his research has been supported by several federal funding agencies, such as the NSF, DOE, ONR, among others. Dr. Song currently serves as the president for the IISE Operations Research Division. He also serves as an associate editor for Networks.  More information is available here.