Survive and Thrive

When Human Trafficking Comes to Work
2026-04-17 13:00 - 14:30 (America/New_York)
People are both sex and labor trafficked and exploited at workplaces and in plain sight in every community. How can we as employees, managers, co-workers, customers and clients recognize and respond to trafficking situations in ways that protect trafficking victims and the workplace? Children and adults who are trafficked and who are vulnerable to being trafficked need the eyes and ears of our community’s workforce to know how to recognize trafficking situations and to support them. This webinar is an interactive, live presentation of the online STACPRO training program and will provide vital information for the entire community, including social services, healthcare, the justice system, businesses such as restaurants and retail establishments, non-profit agencies, the faith community, and any organization or workplace, large or small. While STACPRO is available online, the advantage of attending this program LIVE is that you can ask questions and participate with the presenters and other attendees.

Register Now

About the Presenters:
Dr. Michelle Gayle, Deputy Superintendent of Professional, Intervention, and Community Services
Dr. Michelle Gayle is the Deputy Superintendent of Professional, Intervention, and Community Services. Dr. Gayle oversees School Board Administration, Intervention Services (Attendance, Foster Care, Families in Transition), Office of Admissions, Charter School, Homeschool, School Choice, Health Services, Mental Health Services, Marketing, Volunteers & Mentors, Community Partners, District Advisory Council (DAC), Student District Advisory Council (SDAC), and the Foundation for Leon County Schools.

Graciela Marquina, MSW
Graciela Marquina, MSW, is the lead Community Services Advocate for the Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center, which she helped co-found in 2015. She is also an active member of the Big Bend Coalition Against Human Trafficking. Graciela is a skilled researcher and interviewer, has expertise working with non-profit agencies, and provides training and education on human trafficking to communities across the state and around the globe, including NGO and government agencies.

Stephanie Shumate, Director of the Commission on the Status of Women and Girls.
Stephanie Shumate is the Director of the Commission on the Status of Women and Girls. Stephanie brings almost two decades of community engagement, advocacy initiatives, production management, innovative communication strategies, leadership training, personal development, and group facilitation to the CSWG. Stephanie was most recently Vice President of Client Relations at CATECOMM, a Tallahassee-based Public Relations and Communications firm, and brings experience from her prior career roles with Herff Jones as a Yearbook Specialist and Educator, Executive Director of the Leon County Responsible Decision-Making Coalition, Political Campaign Staff, and Director of The Florida Youth Delegation at The Florida Department of Education. She’s a graduate of Florida State University with a B.A. in Sociology, holds a Certificate in Leadership Studies and Theories, and currently serves as Secretary for the Board of Directors with the Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center.

Robin Hassler Thompson, JD, MA
Robin Hassler Thompson, JD, MA, is the Executive Director of the Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center (STAC), a non-profit agency she co-founded in 2015 to assist survivors of human trafficking. She is also an active member of the Big Bend Coalition Against Human Trafficking. In 2001, she traveled to Bangladesh as part of a U.S. State Department mission, which included a site visit to a trafficking rescue shelter in Dhaka. This trip inspired her to take action to end human trafficking. From 2002 to the present, she has directed numerous local and statewide anti-trafficking projects, lectured extensively on the topics of violence against women and human trafficking, and contributed to many national and international publications and curricula. In addition to her anti-trafficking work, Robin’s areas of expertise include domestic and sexual violence law and policy. She has served on and held leadership positions on local, state, and national boards and commissions.

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STAC needs your support to sustain these important webinars. Will you donate today? Each gift helps to bring this vital information to the many people who are empowering survivors and preventing human trafficking. The only way we can maintain these programs and this work is with YOUR help.
Suggested donation: $20

Credit Repair Clinic for Trafficking Survivors
2026-04-28 11:00 - 17:00
On April 28, 2026, there will be a virtual Credit Repair Clinic for survivors of human trafficking. The deadline to apply to participate in the clinic is March 16, 2026.
The clinic is organized by the Pro Bono Institute and the National Survivor Law Collective. The clinic will provide pro bono legal assistance to survivors seeking to repair credit issues related to their exploitation.
The clinic focuses on remedies available under the Debt Bondage Repair Act, which allows survivors to block harmful credit information that resulted from their trafficking.
Please note that survivors must be referred by an organization authorized to provide Victim Determination Documentation under 12 CFR § 1022.142(b)(1)(i)(2). Service providers who are able to provide this type of documentation can scan the QR code on the flyer to complete the pre-registration questionnaire and determine survivor eligibility.
Pre-Registration Questionnaire: https://airtable.com/appgNkXeNpJEx7a21/pag4HrypfY0sIXf5D/form

STAC Third Friday Webinar Series Program (May 2026)
2026-05-15 13:00 - 14:30
The Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center (STAC) Third Friday Webinar Series Program is dedicated to educating everyone about the critical issue of human trafficking. This interactive series aims to provide an in-depth understanding of the various facets of human trafficking, from its root causes and methods of operation to the profound impact it has on survivors, their families, workplaces, and society both in our home towns and worldwide.
Throughout this series, we will explore the complexities of human trafficking, featuring expert insights from sex and labor trafficking survivors, law enforcement officials, anti-trafficking advocates, legal professionals, and researchers. Each session will delve into specific topics, including the impact of social media and the trafficking of youth online, identification of trafficking situations, familial trafficking, the often hidden realities of labor trafficking, the psychological and physical toll on survivors, legal frameworks and strategies, and promising practices designed for prevention and intervention.
Our goal is to empower participants with the knowledge and tools necessary to recognize, prevent, and safely respond to both sex and labor trafficking. Whether you are a concerned citizen, a professional in a related field, a faith community member, and educator, a business person, or someone seeking to make a difference, this webinar series will provide valuable information and actionable steps to support survivors and fortify your family and community. Join us and contribute to the global fight against this exploitation.
Webinar descriptions, registration, and speaker info: Coming Soon
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STAC needs your support to sustain these important webinars. Will you donate today? Each gift helps to bring this vital information to the many people who are empowering survivors and preventing human trafficking. The only way we can maintain these programs and this work is with YOUR help.
Suggested donation: $20

STAC Third Friday Webinar Series Program (June 2026)
2026-06-19 13:00 - 14:30

STAC Third Friday Webinar Series Program (July 2026)
2026-07-17 13:00 - 14:30

STAC Third Friday Webinar Series Program (Aug 2026)
2026-08-21 13:00 - 14:30

STAC Third Friday Webinar Series Program (Sept 2026)
2026-09-18 13:00 - 14:30

STAC Third Friday Webinar Series Program (Oct 2026)
2026-10-16 13:00 - 14:30

STAC Third Friday Webinar Series Program (Nov 2026)
2026-11-20 13:00 - 14:30
