Joy Thompson

Joy Thompson (she/her) has more than 19 years’ experience partnering with community-based organizations, institutions, and governmental agencies.

She currently leads strategic planning and development as the Director of Programs at Youth Collaboratory which provides training and technical assistance to federally funded community-based programs spanning more than 35 states. Overseeing two of the three areas of focus at Youth Collaboratory: community building through mentoring and creating liberatory futures through ending human trafficking, Joy holds the unique responsibility of being responsive to the needs of communities, maintaining compliance and developing innovative solutions.

Joy has worked in multiple capacities within the anti-trafficking field including service provision, facilitation of training and technical assistance, advocacy for youth, Black girls, and LGBTQ2S+ individuals impacted by human trafficking and housing insecurity, facilitation of equity frameworks, and developing projects that create pathways to leadership for people with lived expertise.

Personally, Joy is passionate about music, the integration of inclusive practices that contribute to liberatory futures and time spent near the ocean.

Her areas of expertise include: Youth and young adult survivors of human trafficking, Human trafficking prevention, Systemic contributors to human trafficking, Race, ethnicity, gender and human trafficking, Human trafficking and homelessness, Juvenile justice and human trafficking, Culturally responsive service provision, Technical assistance, Program compliance.