Home Current Events AMU-Hosted Summit Draws International Leaders in Fight against Human Trafficking

AMU-Hosted Summit Draws International Leaders in Fight against Human Trafficking

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By Jeffrey Kuhn, Associate Vice-President, Public Safety and National Security Sectors, American Military University

On November 17-20, American Military University (AMU) hosted Together Let’s Stop Traffick, an international summit aimed at promoting collaboration in the ongoing global fight to end human trafficking. Human trafficking is modern-day slavery and has been referred to as the “human rights issue of our era.” Traffickers use force, fraud, or coercion to control a person for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex or providing labor services against his or her will. Human trafficking equates to a multi-billion dollar criminal industry that denies freedom to nearly 21 million people around the world, according to Polaris.

When AMU was approached by the FBI National Associates (FBINAA) and International Police Training Institute (IPTI) to participate in an international event to combat human trafficking, we took it a step further and decided to host the event at our campus in Charles Town, W. Va.

Senior Vice President and Associate Provost Gwen Hall
Senior Vice President and Associate Provost Gwen Hall

During the opening ceremonies, American Public University System (APUS) Senior Vice President and Associate Provost Gwen Hall noted the significance of Charles Town as the location for an anti-slavery event. “As some of you may know, John Brown organized his raid on Harper’s Ferry just down the road from here. Brown was captured, charged with treason, and hung just blocks from this building,” said Hall. “This area is symbolic of the abolitionist movement which led to the Civil War.”

More than 120 people attended the summit, representing 15 countries including Canada, Great Britain, Australia, and Brazil. The opening day featured speakers such as Leif Coorlim, the editorial director of CNN’s Freedom Project, and Dr. Danielle Johnson from Polaris, based in Washington D.C. Other speakers included representatives from the FBI and Department of Homeland Security’s Blue Campaign, along with AMU faculty member Michael Pittaro, who discussed the importance of educating law enforcement officers about human trafficking. (You can read the entire speaker line up here).

The summit is just one example of AMU’s involvement in the fight against human trafficking. Part of the APUS online library is dedicated as a Human Trafficking Resource Guide, providing a starting place for research on the topic. We have also written extensively about human trafficking, especially as it pertains to educating law enforcement officers. In addition, the university offers an undergraduate class in our criminal justice program, which provides students with a better understanding of modern-day slavery.

While the summit was extremely successful in bringing together government, non-government, private entities, and experts from around the world to determine best practices in combating human trafficking, much work remains. For its part, AMU will continue working collaboratively with law enforcement, national security, and victim-services experts to help establish an International Resource Center on Human Trafficking. The center will serve as a focal point for researching and then identifying the most effective means possible to block trafficking efforts, bring perpetrators to justice, and assist victims of trafficking crime. We are proud to be a part of this important coalition.

Jeff Kuhn is a former Federal Special Prosecutor who has taught at the University of Baltimore School of Law. He is also a former Senior Court Executive with the New Jersey Administrative Office of the Courts. Prior to his practicing law, he completed his legal education while serving as a probation officer, working with a high-intensity case load. Kuhn is currently the Associate Vice-President, Business Development for the Public Safety and National Security Sectors at American Military University.

Wally Boston Dr. Wallace E. Boston was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of American Public University System (APUS) and its parent company, American Public Education, Inc. (APEI) in July 2004. He joined APUS as its Executive Vice President in 2002. In September 2019, Dr. Boston retired as CEO of APEI and retired as APUS President in August 2020. Dr. Boston guided APUS through its successful initial accreditation with the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association in 2006 and ten-year reaccreditation in 2011. In November 2007, he led APEI to an initial public offering on the NASDAQ Exchange. For four years from 2009 through 2012, APEI was ranked in Forbes' Top 10 list of America's Best Small Public Companies. During his tenure as president, APUS grew to over 85,000 students, 200 degree and certificate programs, and approximately 100,000 alumni. While serving as APEI CEO and APUS President, Dr. Boston was a board member of APEI, APUS, Hondros College of Nursing, and Fidelis, Inc. Dr. Boston was appointed to the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity by the U.S. Secretary of Education in 2019. He also serves as a member of the Board of Advisors of the National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA), as a Trustee of The American College of Financial Services, as a member of the board of Our Community Salutes - USA, and as a member and chair of the board of New Horizons Worldwide. He has authored and co-authored papers on the topic of online post-secondary student retention, and is a frequent speaker on the impact of technology on higher education. Dr. Boston is a past Treasurer of the Board of Trustees of the McDonogh School, a private K-12 school in Baltimore. In his career prior to APEI and APUS, Dr. Boston served as either CFO, COO, or CEO of Meridian Healthcare, Manor Healthcare, Neighborcare Pharmacies, and Sun Healthcare Group. Dr. Boston is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Management Accountant, and Chartered Global Management Accountant. He earned an A.B. degree in History from Duke University, an MBA in Marketing and Accounting from Tulane University’s Freeman School of Business Administration, and a Doctorate in Higher Education Management from the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education. In 2008, the Board of Trustees of APUS awarded him a Doctorate in Business Administration, honoris causa, and, in April 2017, also bestowed him with the title President Emeritus. In August 2020, the Board of Trustees of APUS appointed him Trustee Emeritus. In November 2020, the Board of Trustees announced that the APUS School of Business would be renamed the Dr. Wallace E Boston School of Business in recognition of Dr. Boston's service to the university. Dr. Boston lives with his family in Austin, Texas.

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