Yasmin Turk 

Austin, Texas 

Yasmin Diallo Turk, Ph.D., is committed to supporting and sustaining healthy communities. Dr. Turk is currently an evaluation and compliance analyst for SafePlace. This organization provides advocacy, crisis intervention, and prevention services in child safety, relationship abuse, and sexual assault and exploitation. She developed a pilot program to increase collaboration between Child Protective Services and domestic violence organizations. With the experience of growing up as a bicultural Arab-American Muslim and more than 19 years of helping survivors of abuse, she has built bridges between the American Muslim community and mainstream service providers by facilitating formal and informal collaborations. Dr. Turk holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Huston-Tillotson University, a master’s degree in Global Policy Studies from the University of Texas, and a Ph.D. in Environmental Geography from Texas State University. 

Kiricka Yarbough Smith

Raleigh, North Carolina    

Kiricka Yarbough Smith is currently an independent consultant with expertise in human trafficking, cultural diversity and cultural competency, collaboration, outreach, and the development of rapid response teams (RRT). As the human trafficking program manager at the North Carolina Coalition Against Sexual Assault, she coordinated services for all victims of trafficking and provided training to 3,500 service providers and law enforcement officials throughout North Carolina. Ms. Smith served as the co-chair of the Pitt County Human Trafficking Task Force, a project funded through BJA, from 2008 to 2011. She has been the chair of the North Carolina Coalition Against Human Trafficking for 5 years and served as a board member for more than 10 years. Her expertise extends to fundraising, grant writing, and strategic communications, enabling her to secure substantial funding and foster strong partnerships with donors, foundations, and community organizations. Her diverse experience includes drafting, developing, and managing human trafficking grants; overseeing budget spending; developing financial tracking processes and forms; planning, implementing, and coordinating statewide fundraisers and donor campaigns; managing federal and state grants; coordinating and overseeing human trafficking-related fundraisers; and partnering with local banks and credit unions to provide financial literacy training for victims of crime. Ms. Smith has a bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Meredith College, Raleigh, North Carolina, and a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from North Carolina State University, Raleigh.