Arise is delighted to announce the appointment of a new Chair of Trustees, the former UK Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, Kevin Hyland OBE. He will be joined by our new Vice Chair, Wendy B. Strauss, a founding Arise Trustee and marketing consultant.
Kevin assumes the role of Chair as Trixie Brenninkmeijer completed her term at the end of 2023. We express our heartfelt gratitude to Trixie for her significant contributions to Arise in this letter.
Wendy has been engaged in anti-trafficking work for fifteen years, serving as an advisor to LifeWay Network, a safe housing and education program in New York that nurtures and empowers women who have been trafficked. She was also involved with MTV EXIT, a campaign to end human trafficking and exploitation by raising awareness, promoting positive behaviour change and driving social action. Wendy has worked as a marketing and business development consultant, advising global clients such as the National Grid, Deutsche Bank, and Morgan Stanley.
Wendy said “I’ve watched Arise grow from the spark of an idea to an international charity, delivering life-changing programs alongside our frontline partners. I’m honoured to serve as Vice Chair and look forward to partnering with Kevin to help Arise expand with the respect for human dignity at the core of all that we do.”
Kevin served as a police officer for three decades, latterly heading up the Human Trafficking Unit in the Metropolitan Police. A close friend of Arise since our establishment, he joined Arise as a Trustee in late 2023. Kevin was appointed as the UK’s first Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner in 2014. Whilst in post, he campaigned for more effective prosecution of traffickers, and improving the treatment of victims of slavery and trafficking. He also highlighted issues around the exploitation of homeless people, and the risks of certain victims falling through cracks in the referral system.
He was the author and main driver for the inclusion of modern slavery and human trafficking into the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals as SDG 8.7 in 2018, and was also elected as Ireland’s representative to the Council of Europe Human Trafficking Group of Experts (GRETA). Kevin also helped establish the Santa Marta Group, an anti-trafficking alliance of law enforcement agencies, civil society groups, and the Catholic Church, which aims to eradicate trafficking and break up international trafficking networks. He is the Chair of the G20 Interfaith Forum Human Trafficking Group, attending and influencing G20 Leaders on global prevention and responses.
Kevin said “Arise supports those on the frontline who bring decades of experience and knowledge to human trafficking responses. I feel privileged and humbled to be joining the Arise team and hope that I can contribute to their committed work to give opportunities to some of the most marginalised in our world.”
Arise believes that Kevin and Wendy will be able to contribute their exceptional experience and insight to their new roles, blending Wendy’s insight into organisational development and growth with Kevin’s deep understanding of the anti-slavery movement. The Arise team, along with the board, are looking forward to their tenure.
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