Our Beginning

International Advocacy

Lisa was exposed firsthand to the horror of human trafficking when she and her husband travelled to the Philippines to adopt their daughter. During this trip, she learned that children in orphanages and on the streets as young as the toddler she was bringing home can wind up being trafficked. Lisa returned to Wisconsin a forever changed person. Over the next years, she poured over the internet looking for a way to travel to places where trafficking was happening. She wanted to learn, to get involved and to make a difference.

International Advocacy

Beginning in 2009, trips to Cambodia and Nicaragua allowed Lisa to work with advocates that specialized in international rescues. She witnessed heartbreaking situations, but was also part of a movement that brought hope to people being victimized.

No Place Is Immune

International Advocacy

No Place Is Immune

Through Lisa'a training, travel, and hands-on work, her knowledge about trafficking led her to understand that it is literally happening everywhere. What started in her mind as an "international issue" could no longer be looked at in this way. Lisa aligned with an organization in Las Vegas and traveled there several times to assist with outreaches. She pursued education and training, and then brought everything she learned over the years back to Wisconsin. Today, Damascus Road has grown to have 2 full-time volunteers as well as 20+ trained volunteers, and serves victims in our local communities.

Meet Our Directors

Our Volunteer Directors bring with them great training, compassion and experience!

Lisa - Founder / Executive Director

Lisa began her work with human trafficking advocacy in 2009 in Cambodia with World Hope International. She has traveled to Atlanta, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles for extensive training. Lisa is the former WI State Representative for FREE International. In January 2015 she joined the Super Bowl outreach in Phoenix, AZ. providing training, victim outreach, and connecting law enforcement with leads. In 2015, Lisa traveled to Nicaragua with Breaking Chains to help sex trafficking victims on the streets and in brothels. Lisa founded Damascus Road in 2013 to more directly serve the needs of local survivors of human sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation. She has completed Ending the Game Supporter Training, ACEs Training, GEMS Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) Training, National Resource Center on Justice Involved Women Training, Treasures Sex Industry Care and Outreach Training, International Christian Alliance on Prostitution Global Summit Training, Thistle Farms National Conference, and training through the Wisconsin Department of Justice/Wisconsin U.S. Attorneys' Offices Human Trafficking Conferences. Lisa is a passionate and committed advocate for the sexually exploited, and educates professionals and community groups throughout Wisconsin. Some of Lisa's commitments include case management (working with probation & parole, attorneys, social workers, AODA programs, etc.), overseeing our incarcerated survivor program, volunteer training, weekly prison encouragement correspondence, donor relations and bookkeeping oversight. Lisa also transports clients to out-of-state long-term restoration programs, partners with law enforcement for stings and oversees the office's needs, which includes covering drop-in shifts periodically. About a decade ago Lisa founded a prayer ministry called Scarlet Cord, enabling every survivor Damascus Road Project assists to be prayed for regularly by our prayer team. Clients can also be anonymously "adopted" by community members who are committed to praying for them. It is one of her passion projects to this day.

Kelly - Support Services Director

Kelly has her BA in Interpersonal Communications from UW-Milwaukee. She has completed additional college coursework in Business Management at UW-Madison and Child Development through MATC. Kelly has also served as an Americorp Vista volunteer and a youth mentor. She pursued Human Trafficking education and has completed programs through both Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, and Stanford University on-line. Kelly has volunteered with Damascus Road Project full-time since 2015. She has completed the Ending the Game Supporter training, Treasures Sex Industry Care and Outreach training, Thistle Farms National Conference, ACEs training, and training through the Wisconsin Department of Justice / Wisconsin Human Trafficking Conferences and the International Christian Alliance on Prostitution Global Summit training (ICAP). Kelly coordinates services for overcomers and provides incarceration advocacy and case management for the women we serve, in jail, prison or in community. She communicates regularly with the Department of Probation & Parole, Local Law Enforcement, Public Defenders and other Attorneys, Social Services, Social Workers, AODA Programs, Counselors and more as a survivor advocate. In addition, she oversees our prison pen pal program, places survivor written and therapeutic book orders for survivor inmates and facilitates a correspondence Life Group. Kelly accompanies women to court appearances & medical appointments as needed for support. She also manages our social media and web presence and handles all things technology for Damascus Road Project. In our office, Kelly facilitates a bi-weekly Life Group for survivors, staffs the office during drop-in time, and helps to coordinate invites and transportation for our monthly family dinners. Kelly also partners with local law enforcement, participates in organized stings resulting in the recovery of exploited women. Kelly manages all of our travel needs, and transports clients to out-of-state long term restoration programs.

Terra - Outreach Director

Terra attended Evangel University in Springfield, MO earning BA’s in International Multi-Cultural Studies and Secondary Social Studies Education. She began her work in anti-trafficking during an internship at the National Salvation Army Headquarters in Washington D.C. in 2003. In 2010, she founded, “Stop the Traffick, Make Some Noise,” an annual Human Trafficking Awareness Day Rally in Oshkosh. In 2011, Terra moved to Las Vegas to assist in the formation of an anti-trafficking non-profit organization and to launch their internship program. She has helped to coordinate 6 Super Bowl outreaches, and Missing Children and Hospitality Outreaches in Las Vegas, Kansas City, and Wisconsin. She has continued her education by completing the End the Game Supporter Training, GEMS CSEC Training, the Wisconsin Human Trafficking Conference, and ICAP Global. Terra has worked with law enforcement, gone under-cover, participated in sting operations, assisted survivors, outreach to brothels, and trained hotels and businesses, her favorite role is working with students and the community teaching prevention education. Terra was a re-occurring guest host on HopeNet Radio, a program dedicated to suicide prevention and other related topics for teens, young adults, and parents on Q90FM from 2013-2018. She also coordinates awareness activities throughout the Fox Valley, teaches monthly Human Trafficking 101 classes, networks within the community to recruit volunteers and procure donations, produces social media update videos, and serves as the liaison for the Oshkosh North High School Communities Program.

Our Amazing Volunteers

In addition to our specially trained volunteer Directors, we are blessed with the assistance of our awesome volunteer team:

Marcia - Co-Jail Outreach Coordinator marcia@damascusroadproject.org

Kim VJ - Co-Jail Outreach Coordinator kimvj@damascusroadproject.org

Kim T - Prayer Team Coordinator kimt@damascusroadproject.org

In addition - Abagail, Anna, Becky, Brooke, Crystal, Dawn, Deb, Jill, Kami, Kate, Kelly H,. Kim A., Kim T., Kim V.J., Lynn, Lyn, Renee', Shari, Tiffani, & Vickie along with many other community members bless our organization and our girls with love, prayers, support and mentorship.