Meet our team.

Names & Titles: Everyone on our team is an independent consultant who co-creates their title with SPC. Consultants are also free to use whatever name feels safe and comfortable for them to use in their work.

Self-Disclosure of Lived Experience: We do not require disclosure of survivorship/lived experience at SPC, as we respect each individual’s right to self-disclosure in the workplace. However, should any of the consultants on our team want to include their lived experiences in their title and/or bio, they are welcome to do so.

Consultants Not Listed: Please note that all of our consultants are not listed here on our website, as we recognize the potential risks of public-facing anti-violence work, and we honor what feels safe and comfortable for each consultant.

Abundance Mindset: One of our values at SPC is the abundance mindset, meaning we believe there is enough to go around and that we can and should celebrate and encourage our individual and collective success. Thus, we are intentional to prevent any gatekeeping. If you would like to work independently with any of our consultants and they are open to being contacted directly, you will see their contact info listed at the end of their bios.

CEO & Founder

Education

Dr. Powell holds Bachelor's degrees in Social Work and Spanish from New York University, a Master’s degree in Social Work from Columbia University and a Doctorate in Social Work from the University of Southern California. She deeply believes that the work we do should be led by the communities we serve.  Towards that end, through her doctoral research, she coined the term “Survivor Equity and Inclusion (SEI)” and developed the SEI Framework, a model for anti-trafficking organizations to prevent survivor re-exploitation (i.e. tokenizing, undervaluing, undercompensating).

Current Work

As CEO & Founder of Shobana Powell Consulting, Dr. Powell leads a team of national advocate and survivor experts who consult on the intersections of human trafficking, gender-based violence, and systemic oppression.   She has provided training and technical assistance for over 100 nonprofits and government agencies on the local, state, and national level and trained over 25,000 professionals across the US.

Dr. Powell has developed and led trainings on best practices for working with survivors of human trafficking and gender-based violence, developing interdisciplinary community approaches to violence prevention, and organizational change towards vicarious resilience and survivor equity and inclusion.  She was a keynote speaker on the Survivor Equity & Inclusion Framework for the 2021 National Juvenile Sex Trafficking (JuST) Conference hosted by Shared Hope International. She was also a keynote speaker on Vicarious Trauma & Resilience for Legal Services & Pro Bono Attorneys for the 2022 National Equal Justice Conference hosted by the American Bar Association (ABA) and National Legal Aid & Defender Association (NLADA). Dr. Powell has also spoken at a variety of national and international conferences including the National Conference on Crimes Against Women, National American Probation & Parole Association Conference, International Coalition to End Commercial Sexual Exploitation Global Summit, the National Practising Law Institute Domestic Violence During a Pandemic Conference, and the International Human Trafficking & Social Justice Conference.  Dr. Powell also created and led the Regional Human Trafficking Conference in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas and the Survivor-Led Gender-Based Violence Conference in New York. 

Past Work

Before creating Shobana Powell Consulting,  Dr. Powell served as the Director of Micro Grants with the New York City Mayor’s Office to End Gender-Based Violence and Sanctuary for Families, one of the largest gender-based violence organization in New York City, where she developed and managed the first city-wide flexible funding program for survivors of gender-based violence for 75 organizations, resulting in over $450,000 disbursed directly to survivors impacted by COVID-19. 

Dr. Powell also served as the Director of the Survivor Leadership Coalition at Sanctuary for Families, where she transformed a peer-mentor program into a compensated, replicable Survivor Leadership training and economic empowerment program that resulted in a diverse team of survivors of gender-based violence making system-wide change through policy work, direct services, training, and program development. 

In her past work, Dr. Powell provided individual therapy to adult and child survivors of complex trauma at the Center for Families, served on an FBI Child Exploitation Task Force, and served as Director of the Caddo Parish Juvenile Mental Health Court, where she conducted court-ordered mental health and sex trafficking forensic evaluations and testified in court regarding diagnoses and treatment recommendations.  She also founded and directed a regional human trafficking coalition and developed the first juvenile sex trafficking probation unit and multidisciplinary team in the State of Louisiana.  

Awards & Recognition

For her work in the field of human trafficking, Dr. Powell was featured in InStyle Magazine’s Badass Women Column and received a National Association of Counties Award.  Her article on Safety Planning During COVID-19: Tips for Survivor from Survivors was translated into seven languages, won an National Outstanding Domestic Violence Awareness Campaign Award, and reached over 200,000 individuals around the world.

Contact Info: To work with Dr. Powell, please contact us at info@shobanapowellconsulting.com.

LinkedIn

Consultants

Cristian Eduardo is a Lead Human Trafficking Consultant and Survivor with Shobana Powell Consulting, shaping national human trafficking trainings and policies. He also serves as a Survivor Consultant for ECPAT-USA, Center for Court Innovation, and USCRI. He is the Co-Founder of United Immigrants of New York (UIONY), a coalition of immigration advocates providing accessible education and resources to Spanish-speaking immigrants in New York. Cristian Eduardo is on the Steering Committees for New Yorkers for the Equality Model and Louisiana for Survivors’ Justice Coalition and has been instrumental in the development of Equality Model training and legislation across the US.

Contact Info: To work with Cristian Eduardo on projects or ongoing work through SPC , please contact us at info@shobanapowellconsulting.com. For one-time speaking engagements with Cristian Eduardo, please contact him directly at ceduardo.sff@gmail.com

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LEAD HUMAN TRAFFICKING CONSULTANT & SURVIVOR LEADER

Ashante Taylorcox, MA-MHC, LPC (she/her)

Ashante is a dynamic speaker, survivor-leader, clinician, and Black changemaker from NJ with a passion to create safer environments and systems of care for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ survivors of trafficking.

As the Founder and Executive Director of You Are More Than Inc, she is a nationally recognized expert in racial and gender justice and, over the last ten years, has worked diligently to improve the lives of marginalized survivors of domestic trafficking and the commercial sex industry nationally.

Ashante is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a master’s degree in counseling for mental health and wellness and a post-master’s advanced certificate in LGBT health, education, and social services from New York University. In 2022, she was awarded the Visionary Voice Awards by the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, Arbor Brothers 2021 - 2022 Leaders of Color, and is a 2021 Echoing Green Fellow.

Contact Info: To work with Ashante through SPC, please contact us at info@shobanapowellconsulting.com.

LinkedIn

In 2018, Kathy was invited into The Oval Office to witness a bill she advocated for signed into law. In 2021, Kathy joined the United States Advisory Council on Human Trafficking by presidential appointment. During her time as a Program Director, Kathy developed a trauma-informed restorative care program for adult survivors of trafficking.

She is now Co-Founder of Twelve 11 Partners, an organization committed to supporting survivors who are on their journey to thriving. As a leader in the field, Kathy continues to provide training and consulting to various groups committed to the fight against human trafficking with a focus on underserved communities and people of color.

Contact Info: To work with Kathy through SPC, please contact us at info@shobanapowellconsulting.com. To work with Kathy independently, please contact her directly at katgivensconsultant@gmail.com.

As a residential manager, Brittany led support groups and implemented and coordinated activities to build trust, share resources and connect survivors of trafficking with services. As an outreach specialist, she met directly with survivors and high risk individuals, building connections between marginalized communities and service providers in areas and places with high rates of sex trafficking including: jails, hotels, motels, strip clubs, and online advertisement. Using her lived experiences and professional background, as Director of Training at a regional human trafficking coalition, Brittany has educated and trained thousands of individuals including legislators, law enforcement and non-profit staff at the local, state and national level about the complexities and realities of sex trafficking.

Brittany’s passion is training and bringing awareness on the issue of sex trafficking to uplift and empower other survivors. In her past work, Brittany shaped the Micro Grant program with the NYC Mayor’s Office in conjunction with Sanctuary for Families to ensure it was victim-centered and trauma-informed and that it addressed the intersection of gender-based violence and financial security. Currently, she is a Lead Human Trafficking Consultant at Shobana Powell Consulting where she develops and facilitates trainings and advises on program development and legislation across the US.

Contact Info: To work with Brittany through SPC, please contact us at info@shobanapowellconsulting.com.

 During her time at Sanctuary for Families, she worked with other Spanish speaking clinical staff to generate more inclusive clinical services for Spanish speaking clients, including the creation and translation of clinical documents in Spanish. Along with former colleagues in the crisis shelter program, she worked to help the program become more LGBTQ+ affirming, survivor-centered and make services more accessible to Spanish speaking clients. Additionally, Hazell participated in multiple committees, working groups, and professional organizations to address anti-oppression efforts at different levels. She has facilitated training including training service providers in working with LGBTQ+ survivors of interpersonal violence, vicarious trauma and resilience.

At this time, Hazell works as a bilingual counselor and advocate at the Violence Recovery Program at Fenway Health. She is currently collaborating with other staff in the Violence Recovery Program and across departments at Fenway Health to increase support for Spanish speaking staff and continuing to promote fair and equitable language access for both clients and staff. 

Contact Info: To work with Hazell through SPC, please contact us at info@shobanapowellconsulting.com.

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Hazell Imbert (she/her/ella) es una consejera bilingüe. Desde el 2017, ella ha trabajado con sobrevivientes de la violencia interpersonal, incluyendo sobrevivientes de la violencia domestica, el trafico humano, y la violencia sexual. A Hazell le interesa y se siente apasionada de trabajar con comunidades marginalizadas incluyendo a los inmigrantes indocumentados, personas de color, y la comunidad LGBTQ+.

Hazell tiene la licenciatura en Psicología Forense de The College of Saint Rose. Después se graduó con su Maestría en Consejería de la Salud Mental con un enfoque forense en John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Después de graduarse, se hizo consejera residencial en el programa de refugio de emergencia en Santuario para Familias en 2017. Mientras estaba en Santuario para Familias, colaboró con otros empleades hispanohablantes para facilitar servicios más inclusivos para les clientes hispanohablantes, incluyendo la creación y traducción de documentos en español. Con otros miembros del equipo residencial, ella ayudó el programa a ser más inclusivo para la comunidad LGBTQ+, centrando las voces de les sobrevivientes de la violencia interpersonal, y haciendo servicios en español más accesible  para les hispanoparlantes. Adicionalmente, Hazell participó en varios comités, grupos, y organizaciones profesionales para promover esfuerzos anti-opresivos. Ella ha dado entrenamientos incluyendo entrenando a proveedores de servicios trabajando con les sobrevivientes de la violencia que son parte de la comunidad LGBTQ, el trauma secundario y la capacidad de recuperación del trauma. 

Actualmente, trabaja en Fenway Health con les sobrevivientes de la violencia interpersonal como consejera y defensora. Está colaborando con otros empleades en el Programa de la Recuperacion de la Violencia (conocido en inglés como Violence Recovery Program) y con empleades de otros departamentos en Fenway Health para aumentar el apoyo para empleades hispanohablantes y para seguir promoviendo el acceso justo y equitativo para les trabajadores y les clientes. 

*Reconociendo que hay diferentes géneros que existen fuera del binario de hombre y mujer, esta traducción está escrita utilizando la “e” en vez de “a” u “o” en ciertas palabras para ser más inclusivo.

Información de contacto: Para trabajar con Hazell, contáctenos en info@shobanapowellconsulting.com.

Since 2020 she is part of the HOMEworks Research Advisory Group. Committed leader, she serves as aco-chair of the Coordinated Entry Advisory Group for the NYC Mayor's Office to End Gender-based violence

With the new NYC Mayor's Administration she became an active member of the Impacted Advocates Group (a group created by NYC Mayor's Office to bring together people with lived experience to address the City's homelessness crisis), Alida works closely with Chief Housing Officer Katz. She recently shared her expertise and supported the development of Housing Our Neighbors: A Blueprint for Housing and Homelessness.

Contact Info: To work with Alida through SPC, please contact us at info@shobanapowellconsulting.com. To work with Alida independently, please contact her directly at info@tchicservices.com or visit her website at www.tchicconsulting.com

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Alida est la fondatrice et PDG de Healing Hands International, une organisation communautaire dédiée à aider les victimes de violence domestique à atteindre une liberté personnelle et financière. Elle est également la fondatrice et PDG de Tchic Consulting, où elle occupe un poste de consultante en ressources humaines à temps plein.

Alida croit en ses clients et en leur potentiel à vivre des expériences positives après un traumatisme. Déterminée à jouer un rôle essentiel et décisif dans la vie des survivants de la violence domestique et du trafic sexuel, Alida offre des conseils appropriés pour atteindre la confiance en soi, l'auto-motivation et, finalement, la liberté financière.

Elle est titulaire d'un Master en Ressources Humaines de l'Université de Paris XII (France) et compte plus de 20 ans d'expérience dans le domaine des RH.

En 2019, elle a été la porte-parole lors de la conférence de presse publiant le rapport du contrôleur Scott Stringer sur le logement des survivants, dont les conclusions et les recommandations ont été façonnées par son témoignage.

Depuis 2020, elle fait partie du groupe consultatif de recherche de HOMEworks. Leader engagée, elle est co-présidente du groupe consultatif contrôlant les différents points d'entrée des personnes cherchants des ressources, coordonnée par le bureau du maire de New York pour mettre fin à la violence sexiste.

Avec la nouvelle administration du maire de New York, elle est devenue un membre actif du groupe appelé Impacted Advocates (un groupe créé par le bureau du maire de New York pour rassembler des personnes ayant une expérience vécue pour faire face à la crise des sans-abris de la ville), Alida travaille en étroite collaboration avec le directeur du logement Mme Katz. Elle a récemment partagé son expertise et soutenu le développement de logeant nos voisins. Housing Our Neighbours: Un plan élaboré pour le logement des sans-abris.

Coordonnées : Pour travailler avec Alida au travers de SPC, veuillez nous contacter au: info@shobanapowellconsulting.com. Pour travailler avec Alida de façon indépendante, veuillez la contacter directement au: info@tchicservices.com ou visiter son site internet à www.tchicconsulting.com

AJ holds a Master’s degree in Family and Child Studies with a concentration in Child Development from Louisiana Tech, and she has over 15 years of experience working in the education and training field. She also has certifications in Nonprofit Management, Domestic Violence, Positive Parenting Program, Childbirth Education, Vocational Adjustment Training and is a Breastfeeding Specialist. 

Some of AJ’s past work includes serving as the Director of Rehabilitation Programs for a nonprofit providing job readiness skills to people with disabilities, youth, and veterans. She has also served as a data analyst and administrative assistant for the juvenile court system.

In addition to running her business, AJ is the Co-Founder of the Doula Collective, providing education and support to pregnant individuals and their families with a focus on preventing infant and maternal mortality, especially in communities of color. She also serves as a Board Member at the local homeless coalition and the YWCA of Northwest Louisiana, a nonprofit focused on gender-based violence and racial justice. 

Contact Info: To work with AJ through SPC, please contact us at info@shobanapowellconsulting.com.

Currently based in New York, Yuki aspires to become a certified traditional Chinese herbalist to offer holistic healing to trauma survivors.

Contact Info: For collaboration with Yuki through SPC, please contact info@shobanapowellconsulting.com.

Aidee is a Board Member of Hispanic Women’s Network of Texas-Fort Worth Chapter and a Board Member of MaaPaa. She is a member of various organizations that provide services to underserved and underrepresented communities.

Aidee’s passions include giving back to the community through acts of service and kindness, connecting people and organizations, reading, traveling, and spending time with loved ones. 

Contact Info: To work with Aidee through SPC, please contact us at info@shobanapowellconsulting.com. To work with Aidee independently, please contact her directly at aidee.consulting1@gmail.com.

Amy has served as a lead grant writer and collaborative facilitator, supporting multiple staff on proposal development and donor relations, and successfully securing grants from private foundations, the federal government, and UN agencies.

Trained in organizational change and strategic planning, she has also developed, implemented, monitored, and evaluated programs, and advocated for policy changes in anti-trafficking and global health arenas. Published in several public health, medical, and law journals, Amy has also led trainings and supported community members on scientific abstract writing.

Amy was formerly Deputy Director of the Anti-Trafficking Initiative at Sanctuary for Families. She also helped launch the EMPOWER Center, which offers trauma-informed medical, mental health, social, legal, and employment services for survivors of sex trafficking/commercial sexual exploitation. Amy has also worked as a health policy consultant focused on advocating for the rights of people living with HIV. 

Amy was a Georgetown Women’s Law and Public Policy Fellow and graduated from Brooklyn Law School, NYU Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service, and Barnard College of Columbia University. Presently, Amy also serves as an Adjunct Professor of Clinical Law at Brooklyn Law School and the Director of Community Engagement at its Public Service Law Center.

Contact Info: To work with Amy through SPC, please contact us at info@shobanapowellconsulting.com. To work with Amy independently, please contact her directly at amyhsiehesq@gmail.com.

Additionally, Michaia works with clients who have diagnoses such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and PTSD. Presently, Michaia has joined Shobana Powell Consulting as the Identity-Affirming Clinical Consultant. In this role, Michaia specializes in providing support to organizations in the aftermath of suicide and/or homicide, natural disasters, national and international crises.

Most recently, Michaia worked as a Mental Health Counselor and then Behavior Specialist at Lexington School for the Deaf. During their time there, Michaia co-chaired the Multicultural Committee, helped establish the multicultural club for high school students, developed a Mindfulness Room for students and staff and helped provide social-emotional education for students and staff. Through their leadership, Michaia brought a strong social justice lens to their work with students, families and staff.They used this lens in tandem with other school leadership to guide the culture of the school to be more inclusive and mindful of the importance of respecting intersectional identities. Michaia is Trauma Focused-Cognitive Behavior Therapy certified, trained in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, and has done extensive clinical grief work.

Michaia formerly worked at the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office on their disability grant. This included providing informal ASL interpretation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing crime victims, providing concrete and therapeutic services for survivors of DV, sexual assault, crimes against children and a variety of other offenses. Michaia designed and facilitated training(s) around the intersectionalities of disability justice and gender-based violence, such as an informational presentation for the district attorney’s office employees regarding working with DHH individuals and an explanation of the historic oppression this community has endured. In addition, Michaia created resources and toolkits, such as an emergency communication booklet for employees to use when an ASL interpreter was not immediately available and a Deaf individual needed support. 

As a supervisor, Michaia uses a strength-based and culturally affirming approach to support supervisees in developing confidence in their skills to support and advocate in addition to being timely with documentation and building solid clinical rapport.

Michaia also worked for a culturally-specific, community-based social services organization assisting African women and children survivors. In addition to supervising a team of 4 caseworkers and 1 case planner, Michaia helped co-create holistic treatment plans. Michaia advocated for culturally-specific survivor inclusion and shared-decision making in multidisciplinary team meetings.

Contact Info: To work with Michaia through SPC, please contact us at info@shobanapowellconsulting.com. To work with Michaia independently, please contact them directly at michaiawalkerlcsw@gmail.com.

As a survivor of nearly a decade of cult-based trafficking, Dr. Rosario brings unparalleled insight into coercive control, trauma, and recovery. She educates law enforcement, mental health professionals, and legal teams on these complex topics and serves as an advocate for ethical storytelling of survivor experiences. She is also an Executive Producer of Hulu’s Stolen Youth: The Cult at Sarah Lawrence and serves on the advisory board of The Life Story Project, a nonprofit advocating for survivors of human trafficking.

At Shobana Powell Consulting, Dr. Rosario combines her lived experience and medical background to help organizations implement trauma-informed, survivor-centered strategies and ethical practices, empowering change in the fight against trafficking and high-control environments.

Contact Info: To work with Dr. Rosario through SPC, please contact us at info@shobanapowellconsulting.com. To work with Dr. Rosario independently, please contact her directly at felicia@feliciarosario.com.