Episode 299 | (Not) Just Jobs: Survivor Empowerment through Skill-building and Career Growth
Original Release Date: October 11, 2024
In episode 2 of our economic empowerment season, Just Science sat down with Lenore Shaffer of Restore NYC, Tiffany McGee of Survivor Ventures, and Laura Hackney of Annie Cannons experts in the anti-trafficking field to discuss their economic empowerment work.
Economic empowerment programs include skill building, job training, and career development for people who have experienced human trafficking. These programs seek to overcome barriers many survivors experience in the workforce and set them on a path for long-term economic mobility. Listen along as Tiffany, Lenore, and Laura talk about their programs, common barriers survivors encounter, and practical solutions for supporting survivors’ economic empowerment journey.
This season is funded by the Human Trafficking Policy and Research Analyses Project. The views expressed in this podcast belong to the participants and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, the Administration for Children and Families, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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Additional Resources
Episode Citation
Hackney, L., McGee, T., Schaffer, L., & Bacy, S. (2024, September 19). Just Science. (Not) Just Jobs: Survivor Empowerment through Skill-building and Career Growth. [Audio podcast episode]. RTI Justice Practice Area.
Guest Biography
Dr. Lenore Schaffer is a dedicated professional with over a decade of experience in supporting survivors of gender-based violence. Holding a master’s in counseling from Lehigh University and a Ph.D. in higher education administration from The University of Southern Mississippi, Dr. Schaffer combines academic expertise with practical impact. As Chief Program Officer at Restore NYC, she leads strategic initiatives and oversees Housing, Client Services, Economic Empowerment, and Impact programs. Previously, as Director of Economic Empowerment, she significantly advanced the program, enhancing services for career-ready survivors. Dr. Schaffer also provides consultation and technical assistance, contributing to the anti-trafficking field.
Tiffany McGee founded Survivor Ventures in 2018 and has over two decades of experience in counter-human trafficking. As a Department of Defense Intelligence Analyst, she served on anti-trafficking task forces across Africa and Europe. Tiffany also played a key role in establishing the Hampton Roads Human Trafficking Task Force, overseeing the design and supervision of victim services. In addition, she owns Chelsea Consulting Group, a grant writing firm that employs and trains trafficking survivors. Tiffany holds an M.A. in Peace Negotiation and Conflict Resolution from American Military University and a post-graduate degree in Gender and Transformation from the University of Cape Town.
Laura Hackney is a human rights advocate and full-stack software engineer from Atlanta, GA. She is the CEO and Cofounder of AnnieCannons, a national organization dedicated to training, preparing, and connecting individuals who have experienced human trafficking to sustainable careers in tech. Laura helped to build AnnieCannons’ Coding Training Program and develop AC’s internal portfolio of software products. Prior to AnnieCannons, Laura managed the Program on Human Rights at Stanford University’s Freeman Spogli Institute. She also worked as the Senior Research Associate for Stanford’s Anti-Trafficking Project in the Mekong Sub-Region and was a Program Associate for the Freeman Spogli Institute’s International Policy Implementation Lab. Laura is passionate about the intersections of human rights, technology, and education. She is based in Brooklyn, NY.