Kelly Patterson and Gina Dvorak are two survivors who helped pass legislation in South Dakota, and lead Treasured Lives, a non-profit in South Dakota.

While shame and pain kept her quiet for years, Kelly Patterson’s journey of healing and freedom from sexual exploitation are giving her a loud voice today. Believing that unity is key, she enjoys collaborating with others to battle against sex slavery. One of the many ways Kelly engages in this war is by working alongside Law Makers in writing and/or changing trafficking Laws. She desires to be an aid in freeing those wounded from the effects of all forms of sexual trauma, with a specific emphasis on sex trafficking.  Coming from the perspective of one who has walked the long road out, Kelly has a dynamic style and ability to relate to her audience. As a speaker, she is engaging and unafraid to tell it like it is. Withholding the hard truths is not a road she has chosen to take. Kelly was trafficked within the state of South Dakota and the surrounding states. In addition to the Midwest, trafficking eventually took her into several other states and countries. Her experiential knowledge of how ring trafficking a.k.a. organized crime commercial sexual exploitation operates is incredibly valuable to those hoping to make a difference in this very real war. She details her captivity in the dark world of sex trafficking and the journey out in her book From Trafficked to Treasured.  Kelly is also currently authoring a workbook and facilitator manual for sexual trauma support groups titled “The Pendulum” and is co-authoring a book titled “Freedom Cry”. Kelly Patterson is the Founder and Director of Treasured Lives, a survivor-led anti-trafficking organization in the Black Hills of South Dakota.  She is a wife, mother, and grandmother. Kelly is also a lead pastor, speaker, consultant, and an active advocate in freeing those wounded from the effects of sexual crimes such as abuse, assault, and trafficking.

Gina Dvorak speaks from her lived experience as a survivor of familial sex trafficking. Gina’s compassion for others is evident in her communication skills. The listener can expect to be personally invited into the world Gina knew as a child. She is a survivor leader who advocates for peer counseling and support. One way she accomplishes this is through leading support groups and mentoring other survivors. For the past 20 years, Gina has dedicated her time to helping survivors of various forms of trauma heal and grow. Gina volunteers for several community agencies, is an ambassador for GEMS (Girls Educational and Mentoring Services), a facilitator for trauma healing with the Trauma Healing Institute, served as Director of a local non-profit agency for many years and is an ordained pastor. She is currently the Director of Treasured Lives, the only survivor led anti-trafficking agency in the state of South Dakota. Gina has been married to her husband, Don, for over 30 years. She is the mother of 2 adult children, and grandmother of 2 amazing grandchildren. She has lived in South Dakota for 30 years, contributing much to the community she lives in.