Boards and Committees

Commission on Human Trafficking

The purpose of this Commission is to promote public awareness of the existence of human trafficking within Hillsborough County; Establish, through relationship building within the community, educational programming opportunities for the public and key industries to recognize the indicators of human trafficking and learn to report suspected human trafficking; and Advocate strategies, financially and otherwise, to aid rescued victims of human trafficking; and Support local and statewide efforts to identify opportunities for positive impact and improved outcomes for victims and service providers through data collection, sharing, and analysis.

Heroes Against Human Trafficking Program

Membership

Members appointed by the Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners.

Maximum membership

The membership of this Commission shall be comprised of 20 members representing the following:

  1. A member of the Board of County Commissioners
  2. Two representatives of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO), with one being an officer with the Child Protective Unit, both designated by the HCSO
  3. A representative of the Tampa Police Department (TPD), as designated by the TPD
  4. A representative of the Temple Terrace Police Department, as designated by the Department
  5. A representative of the Plant City Police Department, as designated by the Department
  6. A representative of the Hillsborough County School District (HCSD), as designated by the HCSD
  7. A representative of the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority (HCAA), as designated by the (HCAA)
  8. A representative of the Port Tampa Bay, as designated by Port Tampa Bay
  9. A representative of the Office of the State Attorney for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit (SA), as designated by the SA

There shall be seven individuals, each representing at least one of the following segments of our community:

  1. A representative of the Hillsborough County Public Defender for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit (PD), as designated by the PD
  2. A representative of the Administrative Office of the Courts for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, as designated by the Chief Judge or his designee
  3. A representative of the Hillsborough County Commission on the Status of Women, as designated by the Commission on the Status of Women
  4. Community/Victim Services, as designated by Redefining Refuge
  5. Tourism Industry, as designated by Visit Tampa Bay
  6. Hotel Industry, as designated by the Hillsborough County Hotel & Motel Association
  7. Hospital/Medical Profession, as designated by the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay
  8. Religious Institutions
  9. Human Trafficking Community Advocate
  10. Lived Experience Expert, as designated by Created, Healing Root and Victims 2 Survivors

The Commission may appoint non-voting participants and/or liaisons who may participate in meetings but may not vote.

Length of Term

Terms are initially staggered as follows, and all subsequent terms are for two years:

  • Categories A – L, two year terms
  • Categories M – S, initially one year term

Authority

Resolution R19-141, adopted December 4, 2019 by the BOCC.

COVID-19 Meeting Changes

Meeting details may change with very little notice. Please check back closer to the meeting date to verify if the schedule, location (if applicable) and/or meeting type (virtual, hybrid, in-person) have changed.

Meeting Information

    1. Times

      Quarterly; Last Thursday of the month  at 1 PM, unless otherwise noted in the current schedule below

    2. Commission on Human Trafficking (COHT) Schedule

      Due to the uncertain conditions of COVID-19, the annual meeting schedule is subject to change. Check closer to meeting dates to confirm date, time, location and type, and to view meeting materials.

      COHT Board

       

       

      • Meeting date: Aug. 18, 2022 at 1 PM (FY23 Budget Adoption Meeting)
        Meeting type: Hybrid, in-person quorum
        Meeting location: County Center - 26th floor, Conf. Rms. A & B (general public not admitted)
        Meeting materials: To be posted

       

       

       

       

      COHT Subcommittees

       

       

       

    3. Meeting types
      • In-person meetings (no virtual element)
      • Hybrid, in-person quorum
        • A quorum of the board meets in-person, all others meet virtually
        • Location to be determined for each meeting - see schedule 
      • Virtual (no in-person location)
        • All board members and other participants access the meeting through virtual methods
    4. Accessing Meetings

      The public and the media can access the meetings in the following ways:

      Live

      Recorded

      The meeting will be captioned on the screen as well.

    5. Public Participation and Comments

      You can sign up to speak during the public portion of the regular virtual Commission on Human Trafficking (COHT) meeting.

      How to Sign up to speak at a COHT meeting

    6. 2021 Archived Schedule and Meeting Materials

       

       

       

    Contact Person

    Elizabeth P. Cardenas, MPA, Esq.
    Government Relations & Strategic Services
    (813) 274-6790

      Member Position/Appointed By Dates of Service
    A The Honorable Kimberly Overman Board of County Commissioners 02/19/2020 -
    11/22/2022*
    B Ms. Iris Corey-Dunaway HCSO - Child Protective Unit 02/19/2020 -
    03/22/2024*
    B  Major Joseph Maurer  HCSO Representative  05/18/2022 -
    05/19/2024
    C Deputy Chief Lee Bercaw Tampa Police Department 02/19/2020 -
    04/05/2024*
    D
    		Captain Chris Mills  Temple Terrace Police Department  04/06/2022 -
    04/05/2024 
    E Corporal Gerald Baker Plant City Police Department 06/17/2020 -
    06/30/2022
    F The Honorable Karen Perez HC School District 02/19/2020 -
    04/05/2024*
    G Detective Sergeant Kevin Durkin Aviation Authority 02/19/2020 -
    03/22/2024*
    H Mr. Charles Klug Port Tampa Bay 02/19/2020 -
    04/05/2024*
    I Ms. Courtney Derry Assistant State Attorney 04/06/2022 -
    04/05/2024
    J The Honorable Julianne Holt Public Defender for Thirteenth Judicial Circuit 06/17/2020 -
    06/30/2024*
    K Chief Judge Ronald Ficarrotta Administrative Office of the Courts for the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit 06/17/2020 -
    06/30/2024*
    L Ms. Elizabeth Gutierrez Commission on the Status of Women Representative 06/17/2020 -
    06/30/2022
    M Ms. Jennifer Glaister Community Victims Services - designated by Redefining Refuge 02/19/2020 -
    04/19/2024*
    N Mr. Santiago Corrada Tourism Industry - designated by Visit Tampa Bay 02/19/2020 -
    05/19/2024*
    O Ms. Beverly Mogelnicki  Hotel Industry - designated by the HC Hotel & Motel Association 04/06/2022 -
    04/05/2023
    P Ms. Kathleen Kempke Hospital/Medical Profession - designated by the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay 02/19/2020 -
    07/31/2024*
    Q   Religious Institution  
    R Ms. Deborah Laskowski  Community Advocate for Human Trafficking 06/15/2022 -
    06/30/2024 
    S Ms. Constance Rose Lived Experience Expert 06/17/2020 -
    08/31/2022*

    *Reappointed