With over three decades of leadership experience in social service management, Wendy has built a distinguished career dedicated to advancing social justice, equity, and diversity within various community-based, non-profit, and advocacy sectors. Wendy’s expertise spans strategic planning, program development, stakeholder engagement, and human trafficking advocacy. She has worked extensively with community agencies, law enforcement, and justice sectors to combat human trafficking and support survivors. As a sought-after presenter on anti-human trafficking strategies, Wendy has shared her insights at national conferences and public forums. In her roles as Executive Director of A New Day Youth and Adult Services and Chair of the Ottawa Coalition to End Human Trafficking, Wendy has spearheaded numerous initiatives supporting marginalized communities and secured over $5.6 million in funding for critical programs. Through her commitment to trauma-informed care, innovative leadership, and public speaking, Wendy continues to foster meaningful change, empower vulnerable populations, and lead cross-sector collaboration to address pressing social issues.
Holly Wood (Vice Chair)
Holly Wood earned a BA Hons. Law & a Masters of Legal Studies from Carleton University. Her passions are analyzing the intersections of Law, Policy, Criminal Justice, Human Rights, Indigenous Rights, and Human Trafficking, with a special focus on improving legal and law enforcement responses to the crime of Human Trafficking. Holly has worked in a variety of roles, including with the Elizabeth Fry Society, the Ministry of Children, Community & Social Services, and in the field of Criminal Defence. Holly enjoys research, writing and policy review, and prides herself on critically analyzing current legislation and policy, identifying gaps, and finding solutions for existing gaps. Holly believes in survivor-informed, culturally-inclined, and intersectional approaches to preventing, fighting and ending Human Trafficking. Her writing is featured in the Journal of Human Trafficking, and the McGill Law Journal. She has 2 pending publications – a Chapter of a book for UBC Press, and an article in the Canadian Journal of Criminology and Criminal Justice. She has spoken in front of the United Nations and the House of Commons, as well as several national and international conferences. Holly enjoys teaching and has presented to several university/college classes in the fields of law, criminology, nursing and social work. She is passionate about bringing Human Trafficking prevention education into every school across Canada, and works to develop and deliver age-appropriate, culturally-relative and dynamic education in classrooms across Canada. Holly has held the position of Vice Chair since 2023, where she has assisted in writing several reports and briefs to Parliament in support of Human Trafficking legislation, and recently finished the Coalition’s Annual/COVID report in 2024. She looks forward to meeting new members, bringing people together at community events and conferences, and extending the Coalition’s table to include all voices, experiences and perspectives.
