The Truth About

Trafficking
An honest conversation.

VIRTUAL DISCUSSION
December 3, 2020 | 6:00pm - 7:00pm PST
hosted by Kern Coalition Against Human Trafficking (KCAHT)
Register on Eventbrite by Dec. 2nd 7:00pm PST to receive a Zoom link within 24hrs of the event

Ally Triolo Dustin Contreras Sandy Woo-Cater Angelíca Zuniga Katrina Garcia
Moderator Co-Director Co-Director Survivor Leader Kern County
KCAHT KCAHT KCAHT Probation

Dr. Angela Look Alicia Zayas Yolanda Larios Esther Schlaerth

Kern County Dept of Bakersfield City Women’s Center Kern County District
Human Services School District High Desert Attorney’s Office

In these unprecedented times, we’ve seen an unexpected wave of misinformation

and conspiracy theories on the issue of human trafficking sweep across the country.
Join us as we address some of the most prevalent misconceptions currently impacting
the anti-trafficking work we do locally in Kern County.

Have questions about human trafficking?

Click here to submit your questions prior to the event!
Or follow the link on our Eventbrite page

Learn more about our panelists on the page below

 The Truth About Trafficking
Meet Our Panelists
Dus$n Contreras is currently one of the Co-Directors of KCAHT and has been a volunteer for KCAHT since 2012. He has
served as a consultant for the Federal Department of JusBce/BJA and CalOES as a subject maIer expert on human trafficking.
Mr. Contreras is currently a DetecBve with a Kern County law enforcement agency and has worked for the federal government
as well as the County of Kern for over 20 years. He is commiIed to abolishing Human Trafficking in our local communiBes and
the State of California. He conBnues to advocate for trauma-informed and vicBm-centered approaches in this work. Mr.
Contreras is a United States Marine Corps veteran and enjoys spending Bme with his grandchildren.

Sandy Woo-Cater volunteers her Bme as co-director for the Kern CoaliBon Against Human Trafficking (KCAHT) and brings a
unique hybrid of professional experience coming from the worlds of academia and on-the-ground work directly serving
trafficked populaBons. While pursuing her doctoral studies in Sociology and teaching at Binghamton University, Ms. Woo-Cater
focused her research on the trafficking of Chinese women in 19th century California. She is a subject maIer expert on human
trafficking issues and has nearly 17 years of engagement in the anB-trafficking field. Ms. Woo-Cater is currently a project lead
for CommonSpirit Health/Dignity Health’s naBonal Violence and Human Trafficking PrevenBon and Response Program where
she strategizes the building of community capacity to respond to all forms of trafficking. AddiBonally, Ms. Woo-Cater serves on
the steering commiIee of the Central Valley Freedom CoaliBon and is a board of directors for Global Family Care Network. She
has experience working out in the field on acBve cases and/or sBng operaBons alongside all levels of law enforcement including
the CA Office of the AIorney General, Federal Bureau of InvesBgaBons, Homeland Security, and various local law enforcement
agencies. Ms. Woo-Cater also lends her experBse to shape legislaBon and public policy. She is regularly invited for speaking
engagements on the topic of human trafficking and conBnues to collaborate with organizaBons across California to facilitate
human trafficking awareness educaBon.

Angelíca Zuniga is a local survivor leader and an advocate for human trafficking vicBms. To combat trafficking, she works
closely with organizaBons including the Department of Human Services, Kern County ProbaBon, CommonSpirit Health, and
Child & Family Policy InsBtute of California. Currently, Angelica volunteers in Twilight Treasures, a group that reaches out the
women working in the commercial sex industry. She is a wife and a mother of 5.

Katrina Garcia is a Supervisor at the Kern County ProbaBon Department and the Department’s liaison for Human
Trafficking. She has been with the ProbaBon Department since 2000 and has aIended over 300 hours of training on Human
Trafficking and Trauma Informed care. Katrina had the opportunity to aIend several naBonal Juvenile Sex Trafficking
conferences through Shared Hope, InternaBonal, and Freedom Network, USA. She was selected to sit on the Countywide
steering commiIee tasked with addressing Commercial Sexual ExploitaBon of Children. In addiBon, she sits on the steering
commiIee for the Kern CoaliBon Against Human Trafficking and the faith-based branch of KCAHT, Freedom Bridge. Katrina is a
cerBfied trainer for Runaway Girl and Ending the Game. Through her involvement with various steering commiIees, Katrina
collaborates with Survivor Leaders and organizaBons to provide educaBon and idenBfy resources for youth who are at risk.

Dr. Angela Look received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Sociology from California State University, Bakersfield
(CSUB), her Master’s in Clinical Psychology from Rosemead School of Psychology, and her Doctorate in Psychology from Alliant
InternaBonal University. She is currently the supervisor of the CSEC Unit (Commercially Sexually Exploited Children) at the Kern
County Department of Human Services, Child ProtecBve Services. She has worked at the Department for over 16 years, the last
three of which have focused on the populaBon of trafficking vicBms. In addiBon, Dr. Look is also a part-Bme psychology
professor at CSUB. Outside of work, Dr. Look is happily married and a mother to eight amazing children.

Alicia Zayas began working in the field of AnB-Trafficking over a decade ago under a grant from the Orange County Human
Trafficking Task Force (OCHTTF) to provide outreach and educaBon throughout Orange County. Ms. Zayas has a Masters Degree
in Social Work and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. While working for Tulare County Child Welfare Services she was
instrumental in developing the policies and procedures in addressing the issue of Commercial Sexual ExploitaBon of Children
(CSEC). During her Bme there she developed the CSEC Steering CommiIee, MulB-County CollaboraBve, provided training and
educaBon and was the CSEC Clinician within Child Welfare Services. She received the 2016 Diamond Award for Young
Leadership from the Global Center for Women and JusBce and the 2017 Young Alumni Award from Vanguard University.
Currently Ms. Zayas is a Behavioral Health Therapist working with inner city youth in Bakersfield, CA and acBvely working to
develop more prevenBon efforts in the school seing.

Yolanda Larios is a doctoral candidate at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology as she prepares to become a Clinical
Psychologist. Her dissertaBon is Trauma Informed Approach: Manual for Law Enforcement Officers Responding to Mental
Health Emergencies. Yolanda is currently the Associate Director at Women’s Center High Desert and a Psych Assistant for Dr.
Kevin Seymour’s Counseling Center in Ridgecrest, CA. Prior to working with Women’s Center High Desert, Yolanda worked as a
Clinician at Crestwood Behavioral Health. She worked with a wide range of mental health disorders and earned half of her pre-
doctoral hours during her Bme there. Her experience has included the role of Head of Service for Global Family Daughter
Project working with youth ages 13 - 17 who were enduring Commercial Sexual ExploitaBon of Children (CSEC). During her Bme
at Daughter Project, she observed first-hand the impact of trauma associated with human trafficking and the complex range of
post-trauma symptoms. Yolanda’s professional history also includes working at the Alliance Against Family Violence & Sexual
Assault as a counselor, Shelter supervisor, and Clinical Service Manager where she worked with many human trafficking vicBms.
She believes it is possible to prevent human trafficking with conBnual support from the various systems involved and the
promising models of Trauma Informed Approach/Care. Yolanda’s goal is to increase awareness and educaBon about human
trafficking and its mulBple layers of trauma. She aspires to create change and give hope to those who have been violated and
hurt by providing support, skills, and encouragement so they are able to repair and regain their lives.

Esther Schlaerth is a prosecutor with the Kern County District AIorney’s Office, where she has served for the past fourteen
years. Ms. Schlaerth graduated from UCLA with a degree in Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular GeneBcs and obtained
her law degree at Loyola Law School. She moved to Bakersfield in 2006 and has prosecuted cases involving sexual assaults,
child molestaBon, and homicides. She is currently assigned to the Family Violence Unit, specializing in Sex Crimes and Human
Trafficking cases. She is also involved with the different human trafficking commiIees including DHS Law Enforcement
CollaboraBve, DHS CSEC, Juvenile CSEC, and KCAHT.

Hosted by Kern Coalition Against Human Trafficking (KCAHT)