Veda T. Woods is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of a 5013c nonprofit, Protect Us Kids Foundation, and serves as a cybersecurity advisor and social activist against commercial sex trafficking of youth on the Internet.
Protect Us Kids Foundation strives to build partnerships that bridge the development of innovative technologies and solutions that can be leveraged towards protecting our youth in cyberspace; specifically, towards ending sexual violence, exploitation and abuse against children.
As a cybersecurity executive at a leading global financial services firm, Veda is accountable for cybersecurity threat intelligence oversight in support of ensuring a transparent, consistent and comprehensive program for managing operational risk across the firm globally. She also participates on national and international working groups, seeking best practices in cyber research, data governance, risk management and policy to support strategic initiatives. Veda has received numerous awards for her contribution for underrepresented groups and continuously support women and minorities in STEM/STEAM.
Miranda Coppoolse is the Founder of MC Global Security Consulting. She is a distinguished Behavioral Analyst and serves as a Security Risk Advisor on various interrelated security topics.
While internationally known for her behavioral analysis trainings & seminars tailored to any industry and profession, her coaching and public speaking, Miranda also serves as an Advisory Board Member for the TINYg Global Terrorism Information Network and has been an active member on various councils for ASIS International.
Additionally, she serves as a volunteer team member for the Children's rescue Initiative, CRI. This is an organization that fights human trafficking worldwide by rescuing children from forced labor and sex slavery.
Roy McComb served as a Police Officer in Northern Ireland for 30 years having joined the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) in 1984. He retired from the Police Service of Northern Ireland in 2014. He served as a Deputy Director in the UK National Crime Agency 2014-2019, where he was the national lead for Modern Slavery/Human Trafficking as well as Child sexual Abuse and Exploitation. He is currently an international consultant providing advice on organized crime.
Vanessa Russell Vanessa Russell has developed children in the area of dance, teaching hundreds, ages 3-25, lyrical, flags, hip hop, mime, since 2000. In 2010 one of her 15 year old dance students was sold into human trafficking. Although she was eventually located and is now being restored, Vanessa encountered many others who, like her student, were US born women, men and children trapped in modern day slavery.
Her response was to launch Love Never Fails, a non-profit dedicated to the restoration, education and protection of those involved or at risk of becoming involved in domestic human trafficking. Love Never Fails has educated thousands of children and community members on the issue of human trafficking, opened four homes that provide long-term safe housing and restorative services for over 176+ women, men, youth and children impacted by human trafficking and launched an IT Academy connecting under-served community members with financially sustainable careers. Vanessa believes that the issue of human trafficking can be solved through love expressed in prayer, safe housing, mentoring, job training, outreach, and education.
Born in Scotland and educated at Edinburgh University Ewan commissioned into the Royal Marines in 1980 where he served for 10 years before a transfer to the Intelligence Corps. Retaining broad operational experience, he served in Northern Ireland, Europe, Cyprus, Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan. He served his final three years as a Brigadier in a double-hatted appointment – Director Intelligence Corps and Commandant of the Defence Intelligence and Security Centre. In the former role he was the British Army’s most senior Intelligence Officer; his other responsibility was for the delivery of all Defence Intelligence and Security training.
Ewan retired early from the military in order to assume a Senior Security Executive appointment within a “FTSE 10” company, one of the world’s largest where he held global responsibility for Anti-Illicit Trade investigations and corporate intelligence. He worked closely with Law Enforcement Agencies around the world, participating in INTERPOL intelligence training programmes, as well as speaking on a number of EUROPOL platforms. Holding the role of Group Head of Security for the UK’s largest port operator, he led security investigations while ensuring compliance with a range of HMG Regulation while mitigating myriad threats. Physical security was the mainstay; the role included counter terrorism, cybercrime defence and data protection compliance. Currently, Ewan is an Intelligence and Security Advisor in a Middle East consultancy project.
A keen sportsman, Ewan retains an acute interest in international affairs and sits on the Trustee Boards of two charities.
