Our Vision
Global Resource Epicenter Against Human Trafficking (GREAT), in collaboration with its global network alliance, seeks to bring about a world free of human trafficking, in all its forms.
Our Mission:
The mission of Global Resource Epicenter Against Human Trafficking (GREAT) is to bring increased public awareness, promote research, and improve professional skills, and provide information sharing and analytical support to the fight against human trafficking in all its forms.
Our Mandate:
To achieve our mission for human trafficking victims and together with our global network alliance, GREAT will develop and sustain the following capabilities:
• Comprehensive database of ongoing international human trafficking organizations, programs, and resources;
• Global compendium for combatting human trafficking and victim support training materials;
• The ongoing development of tools and products to facilitate robust analytical support and information sharing;
• The sponsorship and facilitation of human trafficking research projects; and
• The development and maintenance of a repository of effective policies, procedures and processes for combatting human trafficking.
Measures of Success:
The Global Resource Epicenter Against Human Trafficking (GREAT) will be successful to the extent that we make demonstrable impact to:
• Public and private awareness of human trafficking activities, trends, risks, and indicators;
• Law enforcement dismantlement of human trafficking organizations;
• Prosecution of human trafficking operators and enablers, and
• The rescue and reintegration of victims of human trafficking in all its forms.
Declaration of Key Principles:
• GREAT is focused on addressing existing gaps, and never to duplicate existing effective efforts addressed by other agencies.
• GREAT intends to forge partnerships and networks to leverage the collective effort in the fight against trafficking.
• GREAT supports the development of regional fusion centers around the globe to support this initiative.
Meet the Team
GREAT is a global endeavor and has the good fortune to be able to draw upon thought leaders in the area of human trafficking. Our team is comprised of experts in their respective fields from countries around the world, and we as a team, work together to achieve our goals.
Jeff Blom
Chief Operating Officer
Jeff serves as the COO of GREAT, bringing 26 years of investigations, police training and security experience to the team. Jeff holds a B.S. in Criminal Justice from Park University, has worked for IJM and currently for Global Sentry Group. In his early law enforcement career, he began on patrol, but later specialized in the Tactical Response Unit, Drug Enforcement Unit and the Property Crimes Unit. He started an international nonprofit and conducted training in El Salvador in 2005, which was his first opportunity to train police, internationally. After a successful career in law enforcement, he resigned as Chief of Police to further pursue the international arena. Since then, Jeff has: “Conducted 100’s of undercover investigations into human trafficking in over 17 countries, working with local law enforcement on interventions and rescues in several countries, training the police and interviewing hundreds of victims of trafficking to learn more about ways to combat it.”
Mr. Blom has been recognized by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for his work in an American pedophile case. He has been awarded the Medal of Valor and Distinguished Service Medal, and is an internationally published author; his article on intelligence-led investigative model of human trafficking interventions was published by in the United Nations Siren report and in three other countries.
Katja Maas
Director – Marketing and Promotion
Katja studied design at the prestigious Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s Glasgow School of Art in Scotland, before being enlightened and deeply influenced by ten years of working at Milton Glaser’s right hand side. Once in New York, she studied High Focus Drawing under James McMullan and learned most about photography and art direction from working with David Eustace. Katja is passionate about the issue of human trafficking, and works tirelessly in advancing all efforts to combat this crime.
Lambia Karitsiotis
Director – Training Resources
Lambia Karitsiotis is a graduate of the University of Ottawa with a double major in Criminology and Sociology. While completing her studies, she was involved in assisting federally incarcerated lifers and long term offenders with respect to access to programming and community services. Following her post-secondary studies, Ms. Karitsiotis began her career with community corrections, where she has been supervising adult offenders for over 13 years. Additionally, Ms. Karitsiotis has been assisting directly with community policing initiatives for the past 11 years, and is a Certified Trauma Educator focusing on Compassion Fatigue, Vicarious Trauma and other Occupational Stress Injuries, having trained numerous members of law enforcement, school boards, hospitals and victim service providers. She is also trained and certified in Early Field Traumatology as well as Critical Incident and Stress Management, and is a Peer Member on the CISM team. Through her involvement in community mobilization, Ms. Karitsiotis has focused on human trafficking training for law enforcement, schools and other government agencies, and is currently the Regional Coordinator for a human trafficking task force.
James Brown
Executive Director
After retiring following a 33 year career in policing in Canada, Jim returned to academia to complete his Master’s in Security Studies and now his Professional Doctorate in Policing, Security and Community Safety, and is an Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. He has worked with police agencies across North America and Europe, and lead international missions with the OSCE, and has vast experience in community consultation with groups across those regions.
Simon Saint de Claire
Director – Governmental and Inter-Agency Affairs
Simon de Saint-Claire, PhD is a facilitator for International Security Sector Development, with a focus on democratic policing: integrity, rights, communications, diversity and societal interrelations.
A former New Zealand Army Officer, for over a decade Simon sub-contracted to the United Nations Secretariat providing field-based strategic services, later working in the Private Security Sector.
Since 2002 he has provided independent field consultancy, facilitation and research to intergovernmental actors, national police authorities, state development agencies, international police missions, and technical assistance NGOs (as a Special Consultative Status delegate to UNODC, OHCHR and EU FRA).
Simon has an academic and research background in International Relations, Human Rights, Socio-Cultural Anthropology, Human Relations and Intercultural Communication, Community-Orientated Policing, and Human Trafficking.
Maureen McVey
Director – Corporate Planning
Maureen Certified Business Analyst Professional (CBAP) with 20 years of Business Analysis. She is a founder of the global business analysis certification body (IIBA) and was head of learning and development. Maureen has a wealth of experience in both the project management and business analysis field, including competency dictionary initiatives for the IIBA, FEAPO and IEEE. Maureen has worked and taught internationally in the private sector and public sector.
Gail Urquhart
Director – Funding Development
Gail has served in leadership positions for a broad range of charities, foundations and trusts in Canada. Gail brings over 25 years of knowledge and experience in charity management and fundraising campaigns totaling over $500 million to assist with the development of GREAT.
Marcel van der Watt
Director of Research
Benjamin Greer
Director – Policy and Legislation
Benjamin Greer is an expert in legislative consultation and legal analysis, with particular focus on assisting Governments to enhance anti-trafficking laws to protect vulnerable populations, identify survivors and prosecute traffickers.
Ben and his team have designed and improved asset forfeiture laws in California to effectively dismantle trafficking networks, as well as educating courts and prosecuting agencies on the unique challenges of calculating restitution and bail. He also advises on the legal requirements for T-Visa applicants suffering from mental health trauma.
They have recently increased their focus on supply chain transparency, application of sexually violent predator (SVP) laws and tribal law enforcement prosecutions involving trafficking of American First Nations victims. Ben also advises coalition groups seeking to abolish slavery and human trafficking, and has served as Special Deputy Attorney General for the California Department of Justice where he co-chaired the Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Work Group.