OPS Staff
Rekina Perry
Executive Director |
Rekina Perry is the Executive Director of The Organization for Prostitution Survivors. She is a Survivor, prior CSE Advocate, and has been a part of the OPS community for many years. She is an alumnus of Eastern Washington University and has a Bachelor of Sciences degree in Applied Developmental Psychology. Rekina has worked in Social Services for over 15 years with various marginalized populations including (SAY) youth in care, youth & families accessing services, adults experiencing homelessness, as well as adult survivors of commercial exploitation since officially joining the OPS team in 2020. Rekina’s expertise and personal life experience serve as motivation and drive her work to lead with a trauma-informed lens, compassion, and passion for the work that OPS does, OPS’s mission, and to help develop creative service mechanisms and infrastructure in the field of Social Service and Social Justice.
Helena Neeley
Director of Survivor Services |
Helena Neeley is a dedicated and passionate advocate for nonprofit organizations. With a background in both youth and community engagement, she brings a unique perspective to her work in the nonprofit sector. Helena's journey in the nonprofit world began during her childhood as a student, being a teen parent, losing her brother to the criminal system and sister to youth violence, by the age of 17 Helena was a survivor in many ways. Using her personal experience to guide her through internships and volunteer opportunities, she gained hands-on experience in fundraising, outreach, event planning, youth development and program development.After obtaining her associates degree in community development, Helena joined a local nonprofit organization focused on providing opportunities to youth in underserved communities. In her various roles she worked closely with schools and community centers to develop and implement engaging and inclusive youth programs. She also played a key role in securing funding through grant writing and donor cultivation. Driven by her passion for social justice and equity, Helena has also been involved in advocacy work within the nonprofit sector. She has participated in grassroots campaigns, organized community events, and collaborated with other organizations to address systemic issues and promote positive change. Helena's commitment to making a difference extends beyond her professional life. She actively volunteers with various nonprofits, using her personal experiences to bring joy and healing to individuals in need. With her diverse skill set, life as a survivor and unwavering dedication, Helena Neeley is a valuable asset to the lives of the underserved. Her passion for social impact, combined with life mastery and strategic mindset, make her a force for positive change in the nonprofit sector.
Martha Linehan, SUDP, CIMT
Integrated Movement Therapist |
Martha Linehan is an Integrated Movement Therapist (IMT), Substance Use Disorder Professional, and poet. She has been part of the OPS direct service team since its very beginning in 2012. She created the Art Workshop with co-founder Peter Qualliotine and replicated it as a pilot program in the King County jail in 2018 for incarcerated women.
Integrated Movement Therapy (IMT) is a yoga based therapeutic modality involving movement, mindfulness and art which she incorporated into her personal and professional practice as her focus on the intersection of complex trauma, oppression; social justice became central to her work. She facilitates groups and offers individual therapy at OPS.
Mille Byrd, MS LMFT, CCTP
Mental Health & Wellness Therapist |
Mille Byrd-Lemon is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with intensive training and experience in trauma-informed care.
Focus: Trauma-informed therapy for clients who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation, domestic violence, sexual assault, sexual abuse, and other traumatic life events.
Mille provides mental health therapy and crisis intervention for survivors as well as referrals to outside mental health agencies for ongoing therapy and medication management. As a clinician, she places her clients first and collaborates with them to gain new perspectives on existing issues through a solution-focused lens. She works from a strong social justice framework and believes that cultural competence is a vital component of her work.
Chelsea Jean Olsen, CRS, CAI
CSE/C Program Manager |
Chelsea’s role at OPS is to serve survivors of CSEC ages 11-24 in many capacities including CSEC program development & management, one-on-one advocacy, community outreach, mentorship and supervision for CSEC Advocates, survivor-centered consultation for agencies and caregivers, and community collaboration and coordination with partner orgs to create greater accessibility for survivors in receiving supportive services. Chelsea’s heart is centered on empowering survivors in their life dreams and holding a safe space for them to be seen and heard. Chelsea is a survivor of CSE and harnesses her lived experience to empower those she works with and also in the greater community to advocate for survivor voices to be at the table where decisions are being made. Chelsea has worked in the substance use disorder recovery and social services field since 2014. She has experience working in residential SUD treatment as a case manager specifically servicing adolescents and young adults. She has also worked serving at-risk youth in an emergency shelter setting as a youth counselor and crisis interventionist. She has been trained and certified in Mental Health First Aid, Motivational Interviewing, CSEC Advocacy, Right Response, CPR/First Aid, HIV BRI, Case Management, Trauma-Informed Yoga, and Trauma-Informed Care. Chelsea is a Certified Recovery Specialist (CRS) and Certified Arise Interventionist (CAI). Chelsea is passionate about utilizing holistic healing approaches and is certified as a Reiki Practitioner. In her off time, you can find Chelsea in nature with the trees, hanging with her fur baby Rue, exploring new places, writing, and healing in community.
SarahAnn Harris Hamilton
OPS Program Coordinator |
“Today I can say that without any doubt I am SarahAnn. A mother, wife, survivor, artist, and advocate. I didn’t always know that. I used to be a girl from Seattle who got forgotten and left behind. I was a girl who believed the lie that being loved or safe came with a cost. I daydreamed about something better but never thought I would ever “just be normal “. Then one Saturday, I stumbled across OPS. It was an art workshop day. I remember walking in and feeling like I was home. High heels that were made into fine art lined the walls. Stories of change and happy endings hung in frames. I had TO HAVE HAD a look on my face that screamed, “OMG I found my people.” Now of course, like most survivors, this kind of scared me and I found myself trying to figure out what the catch was. I was guarded and made sure to let everyone know I was tough but it did not take Martha [Recovery and Clinical Support Supervisor] very long to talk me into picking up a paintbrush. There is something about putting color on a blank canvas because something happened. I started showing up for myself. I was becoming a part of a community. I was paying attention. I took chances and people started giving me chances. So it only made sense that one day I would say “ Hello I Am SarahAnn I currently serve as a CSE Survivor Advocate at OPS.” I was the girl who was forgotten and now I have a voice. I am here to support a survivor in the same way someone did for me. I love this community and what it stands for. Sister, I am only a text or call away.”
Check out the podcast All The Way Authentic With Kevin P. Henry (Trigger Warning)
Where in this episode of "All the Way Authentic," host Kevin P. Henry engages in a powerful conversation with Sarah Ann, a survivor of trafficking and a dedicated advocate.
LA
CSE Survivor Advocate: Peer Programming Specialist |
'I’m a resilient survivor, nurturing mother, avid plant lover, penniless poet, and a creator of things. At OPS I am a CSE advocate and a Peer Programming Specialist. I provide Mobile Flexible Advocacy and assist in creating and facilitating our weekly Art Workshop.
In 2017 I started working in the non-profit sector with trafficked at-risk youth, as well as the same juvenile detention center where I lay my head years ago. Watching my life come full circle, it is here I found my passion for helping others, using wisdom through my own experiences, and creating authentic, relationships based on empathy and understanding, which in turn, produce healing.
Although I found my passion, I had yet to find my people, until I found OPS. I came to OPS looking for people like me and found a place where I could be my unique and authentic self. A place where we embrace being, “Too much” or “Extra” because here, we have way too much resilience, and we are extra powerful!
A place where we’re heard, understood, deeply valued, and empowered in so many different ways. It is my honor to serve at OPS, and I am eternally grateful to wake up doing what I love, with the people I love.
Kara D.
Digital Marketing Manager |
Introducing Kara, the compassionate and dedicated Digital Marketing Manager at the Organization for Prostitution Survivors (OPS). With over 8 years of experience in digital content creation and social media marketing, Kara brings her deep passion for helping companies achieve their business and marketing goals through content creation and website development that truly embodies their brand.
The incredible impact of Kara's work at OPS lies in her ability to connect survivors with the vital services that OPS provides. Through her role, she creates and maintains the social media accounts for OPS, as well as overseeing the organization's website and other digital marketing initiatives. Kara is not only responsible for crafting compelling social media posts, but she also ensures that they reflect OPS' survivor-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally specific approach to providing holistic services for survivors of sexual exploitation.
She understands the importance of creating spaces for survivors to be heard, seen, and supported while fostering a greater understanding of the critical work OPS does to end gender-based violence.
With her substantial marketing and lived experience and unwavering commitment to empowering survivors, Kara is an invaluable asset to OPS. She truly embodies the compassionate and strong voice of the organization, centering the experiences and perspectives of survivors in all of her digital marketing efforts.
George Treml
CSEC Advocate |
George Treml II is a CSEC Advocate at The Organization for Prostitution Survivors. He is a new addition to the OPS community, however, he has facilitated programs founded by OPS like the STopping Sexual Exploitation program. In addition, he has several years in direct service positions, working closely with youth in need. He has worked with various marginalized populations Including folx experiencing homelessness, folx experiencing substance abuse disorders, Folx experiencing gang involvement disorders, and youth survivors of commercial exploitation. George’s experience and personal life experience drive his approach, and approach that focuses on trauma-informed care and client-focused care. George is committed to learning from those who have put in the work before him and the survivors with lived experience. George's focus on learning is to apply it to his experience to provide the best care possible.
