Joell Denison directs the signature, award-winning Prevention Project™, a national program for middle and high school youth to help them recognize human trafficking, report suspicions, protect themselves and their peers, and lead responsible lives beyond the classroom. She joined the Richmond Justice Initiative (RJI) team with international anti-trafficking experience and a passion to fight human rights abuses in its many forms. In her position as Director of Programs and Training at RJI, she has reached hundreds of youth workers with in-depth training so they have the tools to properly identify and bring safety to students affected by trafficking. Through her leadership, the Prevention Project program has reached three new states and has expanded into middle school classrooms with a first-ever younger edition, totaling now over 24,000 students impacted across the nation. It is her biggest joy to see students emboldened as leaders in their community, using the Prevention Project education to catalyze their actions to fight human trafficking, care for their fellow neighbor, and use their voice to promote change.
