Katie Papke, LMSW, CAADC
In this episode, host Robin Hassler Thompson imagines freedom with Katie Papke. Katie is a human trafficking survivor. She is a Licensed Master Social Worker, Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor and a Clinically Certified Human Trafficking Victims Services Provider. Katie has her own private therapy practice and has a passion for providing trauma treatment to survivors of human trafficking, domestic violence, sexual assault, and other traumas.
Katie has years of experience in community education and consultation. She is a School of Social Work Program Associate Professor at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Mich., teaching classes on human trafficking. She has provided over 120 national and international trainings on human trafficking and is a HEAL Trafficking trainer and subject matter expert. Katie graduated from Florida State University with her Bachelors and Masters of Social Work in 2006.
Katie serves on the Denver Anti-Trafficking Alliance (DATA) Advisory Survivor Board, the Colorado Human Trafficking Council Survivor Leader Advisory Board and the 3Strands Global Foundation Survivor Advisory Board. She is active in her local West Michigan human trafficking task force and serves on the Board of Sacred Beginnings, providing services to those who have experienced human trafficking. Katie has provided expert consultation with the Department of Homeland Security Blue Campaign, Polaris Project, HEAL Trafficking, Freedom Network Training Institute and the Michigan Abolitionist Project.
In 2024, Katie was appointed by the Governor to the state of Michigan’s Human Trafficking Commission as the vice-chair. Katie was recently awarded “40 under 40 Boston Congress of Public Health Catalyst Award” for her achievement at the Department of Veteran Affairs in shaping human trafficking as a public health concern.
Katie lives in Michigan with her two daughters.
Show Notes
Contact Katie at:
Katie Papke, LMSW, CAADC
Life Support Counseling and Coaching, LLC
2730 5 Mile Rd NE Suite 101
Grand Rapids, MI 49525
(616) 426-9104
Read Robin’s article on the subject of family as traffickers published in the Tallahassee Democrat.
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