{"id":231,"date":"2025-07-31T01:09:50","date_gmt":"2025-07-31T01:09:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.research.ucf.edu\/htms-test\/?page_id=231"},"modified":"2025-11-03T20:45:44","modified_gmt":"2025-11-03T20:45:44","slug":"our-people","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.research.ucf.edu\/htms\/our-people\/","title":{"rendered":"Leaders of the Center"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><div class=\"wp-bootstrap-blocks-container container mb-0 pt-5 pb-5\">\n\t\n\n<p>At the Center for the Study of Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery at the University of Central Florida Rosen College of Hospitality Management, our leadership team is committed to understanding and addressing these global challenges. Through community engagement, research, education, and training, we seek solutions to combat human trafficking and modern slavery. We support future leaders of hospitality and tourism management industries, aiming not just to study but to actively implement change.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><div class=\"kb-row-layout-wrap kb-row-layout-id231_dc4065-4e alignnone wp-block-kadence-rowlayout\"><div class=\"kt-row-column-wrap kt-has-2-columns kt-row-layout-equal kt-tab-layout-row kt-mobile-layout-row kt-row-valign-top kt-inner-column-height-full kb-theme-content-width\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column231_8c5ad9-92\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\"><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column231_d0fe74-b8 kvs-lg-false\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full mb-0\"><img alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/www.research.ucf.edu\/htms\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/69\/2025\/08\/jessica.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-668\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.research.ucf.edu\/htms\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/69\/2025\/08\/jessica.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.research.ucf.edu\/htms\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/69\/2025\/08\/jessica-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.research.ucf.edu\/htms\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/69\/2025\/08\/jessica-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.research.ucf.edu\/htms\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/69\/2025\/08\/jessica-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column231_294b45-8d bg-inverse\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\"><div class=\"wp-bootstrap-blocks-container container mb-2 leaders-col\">\n\t\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Dr. Jessica Wickey Byrd<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"line-height-2\">Executive Director, UCF Center for the Study of Human Trafficking; Program Director, Rosen Professional Internships at University of Central Florida; Associate Lecturer, Tourism, Events, Entertainment &amp; Attractions<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We are dedicated to creating meaningful change through education, research, and collaboration. Our mission focuses on empowering students, supporting survivors, and engaging industries to build a united response to human trafficking. By connecting academic insight with real-world impact, we work to inspire action across communities. Through innovative partnerships and informed leadership, we strive to advance a future rooted in justice, dignity, and lasting freedom for all.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-bootstrap-blocks-button\">\n\t<a\n\t\thref=\"https:\/\/dev-ucf-rchm.pantheonsite.io\/hospitality-ucf-edu\/\/person\/jessica-wickey\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\ttarget=\"_blank\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\trel=\"noreferrer noopener\"\n\t\t\t\tclass=\"btn btn btn-primary btn-primary\"\n\t>\n\t\tLearn More\t<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column231_ce4e8b-93 kvs-lg-false\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full mb-0\"><img alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/www.research.ucf.edu\/htms\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/69\/2025\/08\/mayara.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-666\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.research.ucf.edu\/htms\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/69\/2025\/08\/mayara.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.research.ucf.edu\/htms\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/69\/2025\/08\/mayara-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.research.ucf.edu\/htms\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/69\/2025\/08\/mayara-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.research.ucf.edu\/htms\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/69\/2025\/08\/mayara-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column231_da3f86-3e bg-inverse\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\"><div class=\"wp-bootstrap-blocks-container container mb-0 leaders-col\">\n\t\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Mayara Martines Ramalho de Oliveira, M.S.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"line-height-2\">Project Manager, UCF Center for the Study of Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our initiatives transform knowledge into action through hands-on programs that educate, empower, and engage. From student training and survivor scholarships to international exchanges and community workshops, every effort is designed to create sustainable impact. We collaborate with diverse partners to amplify survivor voices and enhance prevention. By fostering awareness and building capacity across sectors, we help communities recognize, respond to, and disrupt human trafficking in meaningful ways.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column231_a63c3f-3d\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\"><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column231_9a0bda-88\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\"><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column231_dafd2c-06 bg-inverse\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\"><div class=\"wp-bootstrap-blocks-container container mb-0 leaders-col\">\n\t\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Alix Fyall<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"line-height-2\">Executive Assistant, UCF Center for the Study of Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We are dedicated to confronting and eradicating human trafficking and modern slavery through rigorous research, immersive education, and meaningful community engagement. By equipping students, survivors, and industry professionals with tools for prevention, identification, and response, we seek to translate academic insight into real\u2011world impact. At its core, the Center aspires to foster a world rooted in dignity, justice, and freedom, where exploitation is understood, challenged, and ultimately dismantled.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":548,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template-fullscreen.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"Center for the Study of Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery","_seopress_titles_desc":"The UCF Center for the Study of Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery advances education, research, and community action to combat human trafficking.","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-231","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v23.0 (Yoast SEO v26.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Leaders of the Center - 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