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Our Team

Our team is made up of a group of professionals varying in industries, backgrounds and expertise, most of whom volunteer their time. We have a a common goal of fighting for the rights of human trafficking survivors. Learn more about ALIGHT’s founder, board members and advisors below.

Staff

Founder & Executive Director

Marianna Kosharovsky

Marianna Kosharovsky, J.D. is the Founder and Executive Director of ALIGHT (Alliance to Lead Impact in Global Human Trafficking), a nonprofit organization with a mission to empower human trafficking survivors at scale on their journey to true freedom. Ms. Kosharovsky’s expertise is rooted in over 15 years of experience in human trafficking, law and cross-sector collaboration in the U.S. and Eastern Europe/Russia. As an attorney, Ms. Kosharovsky represented survivors of sex and labor exploitation at the domestic violence agency Sanctuary for Families, as well as corporate clients at the international law firm Milbank in New York. In Eastern Europe/Russia, she worked on human trafficking and human rights development with PILnet: Global Network for Public Interest Law, and was a Visiting Professor at the Pericles Center for International Legal Education LLM Program. She is a contributing author of the American Bar Association book Lawyers as Changemakers (2016) and serves on Freedom Collective’s Global Advisory Community. Ms. Kosharovsky holds a law degree from N.Y.U. Law School.
Pro Bono Network Manager

Neysa Nankervis

Neysa Nankervis Callen is the Pro Bono Network Manager with ALIGHT, where she helps connects survivors of human trafficking to specialized pro bono attorneys in over 20 areas of law. Neysa also provides trauma informed webinar and technical assistance to attorneys and community service providers throughout the United States. Prior to working at ALIGHT, Neysa represented juvenile survivors of human trafficking, foster youth, and unaccompanied children with various legal matters ranging from family law to educational access issues. Neysa received her bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of California, Irvine in 2009, her J.D. from Notre Dame Law School in 2016 and is currently pursuing her Master of Social Work at the University of Denver. Before attending law school, she served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Bulgaria from 2010 – 2012 where she worked with youth at a juvenile detention center.

Board of Directors

Board Chair

Monica Trosclair

Monica Trosclair is currently a Regional Sales Manager at the global technology company DELL. She holds over 15 years of experience as an energetic, results-oriented and accountable leader who is passionate about building strong relationships. Ms. Trosclair is a member of DELL’s local Women in Action chapter that is focused on leadership & professional development, brand advocacy & business impact, community engagement and women in technology. Her previous roles include global consulting with a top financial and accounting firm as an IT Audit Manager, as well as a Compliance Team Lead. Prior to joining ALIGHT’s board, served as the Finance Committee Chair and Treasurer on the board of directors for a local nonprofit organization. She holds an MBA from Oklahoma Christian University and a CISA (Certified IT Systems Auditor) certification through ISACA.
Robert Lantz
Treasurer

Robert Lantz

Robert Lantz has over 30 years of experience as a commercial litigator, business transactional attorney and insolvency professional. Mr. Lantz is a Managing Member of Castle, Lantz Maricle LLC and licensed to practice law in CO, WY, KS and MS. He has been honored as a Super Lawyer in 2020-21. Mr. Lantz serves the community by providing leadership and assistance to nonprofit organizations throughout the Denver metropolitan area. He has been the president of the Denver Council on Foreign Relations since 2019 and currently also serves on the Board of Directors of Sox Place. He also acts as a mentor to junior attorneys and law students to help build professionalism and excellence to the legal profession. Mr. Lantz holds a JD from Drake University Law School.
Rachel Niemiec
Board Member

Dr. Rachel Niemiec DNP, FNP-C

Rachel Niemiec DNP, FNP-C is a Coordinator of the Family NP Track with the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School. Previously, she was a Pediatric & Adult/Adolescent Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health where she provided direct services to victims/survivors. She serves as the Board Liaison to the ALIGHT Survivor Advisory Council and is also a Board Member of Living in Freedom Together (LIFT) Worcester. As a survivor of commercial sexual exploitation, she is committed to helping service providers respond compassionately to this issue. Ms. Niemiec holds a master’s degree in Nursing from the University of Massachusetts Worcester and is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner.
Katie Matheson
Secretary

Katie Matheson

Katie Matheson is a Director at PwC LLP serving in the firm’s national quality organization for Trust Solutions. With a background in finance, she currently focuses on supporting client risk assessment processes as well as firm level risk monitoring. Her previous roles include positions in Trust Solutions client service as well as Global Learning & Development, spending time abroad working across many cultures. Ms. Matheson brings nearly 20 years of experience in a high-paced financial environment and a deep rooted desire to contribute in a way that has a meaningful impact. She is active in her local Women’s Inclusion Network which focuses on inclusivity and diversity in the workplace and serves as the fundraising chair for the local elementary school. Ms. Matheson holds an accounting degree from Illinois Wesleyan University.
Board Member

Peggy Fraser

Peggy Fraser brings more than 25 years of experience in client engagement and business development having led sales efforts and strategic partner management in both the private and public sectors. She is the Senior Consultant at Stanton Blackwell, assisting clients in executing strategic initiatives and implementing organizational change. Formerly, she served as the Vice President of Sales and Business Development at Storyals. Ms. Fraser’s expertise is in project management, client success and business development. She is passionate about building

Advisors to the Board

Communications Advisor

Skip Thurman

Skip Thurman is a veteran media specialist who has served in senior communications roles in Fortune 500 companies, including as Vice President of Communications at DaVita. He is currently the President of The Thurman Group, a strategic communication and media training consultancy. As a journalist, he covered Washington D.C. and all facets of policy, law and national crises from the White House for The Christian Science Monitor and MSNBC.
Technology Advisor

Nadav Cohen

Nadav Cohen advises ALIGHT on technology strategy. Mr. Cohen has been working with software and software engineers for the past 20 years, including as Director of Engineering at Forter. He has also worked as Director of Engineering at Spotify NYC and with companies including Getco LLC, UBS, Goldman Sachs and Tolerate. Mr. Cohen has managed teams from three-person startups to eighty thousand person multinationals.
George Sparks
Strategic Planning Advisor

George Sparks

George Sparks has been the President and CEO of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science since 2004. During his tenure there, he has developed the Museum into one of the finest resources in the country. His passion is public policy and he has served on numerous community boards, including the Denver Foundation, Colorado Legacy Foundation, Visit Denver, Mountain States Employers Council, Rose Community Foundation’s Education Committee, Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, Colorado Bright Beginnings and the Public Education and Business Coalition. Mr. Sparks obtained his MS degree in aeronautics and astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Data & Research Advisor

Angie Henderson, Ph.D

Dr. Angie Henderson is a Professor of Sociology and also serves as the Executive Director of the Social Research Lab at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colorado. She has published over 30 peer-reviewed journal articles, 4 book chapters, and two co-authored textbooks. Dr. Henderson regularly teaches courses on sex trafficking and global perspectives of prostitution at the University of Northern Colorado, and as part of her research has interviewed over 100 survivors of sexual exploitation and gathered data on sex buyers at both diversion programs and at point of arrest. She has most recently presented results of this work at the United Nations’ Commission on Crime Prevention & Criminal Justice in Vienna, Austria.

Survivor Advisory Council

Megan Lundstrom

"The Avery Center has been a referral partner with ALIGHT since the very beginning. I have seen not only their dedication to providing legal assistance to survivors of trafficking, but also their commitment to centering the voices of survivors. Serving on the inaugural council seemed like the next logical step in forging this partnership and continuing to scale ALIGHT’s services nationally."

Rachel Niemiec, DNP, FNP-C

"I chose to get involved with ALIGHT because every day in the work I do to support survivors of interpersonal violence, including human trafficking, I see firsthand the barriers to accessing appropriate legal services. If we want to talk seriously about successfully exiting and remaining exited from exploitative situations, we need to reduce the barriers that survivors face in their attempt (and right!) to live healthy, productive and safe lives. Providing access to appropriate legal services is one way we can ensure survivors have a fresh start.

ALIGHT's innovative response to meeting the legal needs of survivors is unlike anything I had heard of before and I jumped at the opportunity to be part of this amazing work. ALIGHT has already helped to highlight and address some of the gaps in services for my own state and I'm really excited to see what we can create together with this network of passionate, driven, and intelligent professionals. It is truly an honor to contribute to the work."

Grace Irene Tang

"I chose to get involved with ALIGHT because I felt Survivors finally have a way to voice and fight for their right to be heard and seen as a human being and not the label society has put on them. As a Survivor turn Overcomer. I know what is needed to overcome the obstacles to become integrated back into society. Especially with the added stigma that a survivor, has been identified as.

Throughout my life HANDS were used to cover my mouth to silence me, to put a gun to my head, to rob me of my innocence. I quickly learned to read mannerisms. Hands told me everything, hands saved my life and Hands is how I found my purpose. I am Founder and CEO of Keepsakes of Triumph and I teach influential people to ditch the gold guy that sits on top of your trophy and create Masterpieces that is within them, while raising money for safe houses for survivor of sex trafficking.

I am also former Program Director of Masterpiece Mentorship in Tucson, Arizona where we provided services to sex trafficking victims. Where I was able to provide resources care and support for survivors in my care while continuing to educate myself to better serve them."