ABOUT US
The Set Me Free Project ® is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to bring prevention education to youth and families to stop human trafficking before it begins.
Our curriculum is informative, interactive, and flexible, reaching students (K-12th grade), educators, parents and leaders in every facet of our communities.
The Set Me Free Project ® is unique in our use of engaging, age appropriate curriculum in every presentation. We focus on defining human trafficking and helping students identify why and how they could be at risk. We provide a foundation for all students to recognize the intrinsic value in every human being.
OUR VALUES
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Personal Value: We are committed to the belief that every person has value and deserves equitable treatment.
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Compassionate Prevention: We are committed to keeping youth safe through compassionate and empathetic prevention.
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Integrity: We are committed to personal and professional integrity, working individually and collaboratively.
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Striving for excellence: We are committed to boldly, yet humbly, striving for excellence.
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Creative Solutions: We are committed to finding creative solutions through ongoing education.
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Fun: We are committed to fun in everything we do.
STEPHANIE OLSON
Stephanie Olson is a speaker, an author, a podcaster, and the CEO of The Set Me Free Project ®.
Stephanie graduated from the University of Nebraska -Lincoln with a Bachelor's of Arts in Psychology and a minor in English. Before founding The Set Me Free Project ®, Stephanie worked with women in the area of sexual and domestic violence, addiction, and homelessness. She also worked with youth, teaching healthy relationships. After extensive training and research in the study of human trafficking prevention education and social media safety, she co-founded The Set Me Free Project.
Stephanie also helps leaders build resilience. Her work on teaching resilience in leadership has inspired people across the United States with topics such as, leadership, trauma, a toxic workplace, mental health, resilience, and DEI. As a woman of color and a survivor of domestic and sexual violence, Stephanie brings lived experience, research, and humor to impact lives. She is a sought-after speaker on women, youth, human trafficking, and social media safety while leading The Set Me Free Project ® to help prevent youth and young adults from personally experiencing trafficking.
KELLY CRANOR
Kelly joined The Set Me Free Project ® (SMFP) in March 2023 as the Chief Operating Officer. She’s responsible for strategy development, operations, human resources, and marketing. Prior to SMFP, she spent 20 years at Union Pacific Railroad in several roles in human resources and marketing and sales. Before Union Pacific, she worked at A.G. Edwards and Sons, Inc. (now Wells Fargo) in mutual fund sales.
She brings a unique skill set with over 20 years of experience at Fortune 150 companies.
Kelly is committed to providing those that do not have a voice with a voice. She regularly facilitates career workshops to survivors of human trafficking. And has seen the long-term effects of human trafficking with survivors. Through the education offered by the SMFP, her hope is that all ages understand the signs and how to prevent it.
She is a graduate of Drury University with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations and a minor in Business Administration.
KIM BRADY
After graduating from University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a degree in Education, Kim spent twenty years serving as a teacher in public, private, and home education classrooms. She has spent most of her adult life in Omaha, Nebraska where she’s raised a wonderful family with her husband of over three decades.
Kim and her husband were first educated on the realities of Human Trafficking in 2013, and began their efforts to discover, support, and promote anti-trafficking and rescue organizations within the United States and across the world. When Kim was invited to join The Set Me Free Project ® as the VISTA Curriculum Development Coordinator it was an exciting opportunity to put her talents as a writer and educator to work towards the vital work of trafficking prevention. The best way to end a problem is to prevent it from happening in the first place.
Through the continuing development of effective trafficking prevention curriculums and educational activities for youth and adults, Kim is committed to decreasing the number of individuals involved in the tragedy of human trafficking, while also emboldening today’s youth and others to join in the effort.
JESSICA ANDERSEN
Marketing and Content Coordinator
Boone, Iowa native Jessica Andersen has spent much of her career as a Customer Experience Specialist, but she always knew that her life was meant for something more.
Jessica grew up within the foster care system and survived many years of trauma and abuse, but she didn't allow those challenges to defeat her; instead, she used them as empowerment to change the world. Today, Jessica is The Set Me Free Project's Iowa Educator District Lead, providing youth with the tools they need to understand their intrinsic value and teach them to navigate challenges safely.
Along with her passion for providing prevention education to end human trafficking, Jessica is also a full-time mom. As a mother, she discovered that raising a child takes an entire village, which can be said to end human trafficking. With each person receiving human trafficking prevention education, the village becomes bigger, and the world becomes safer for our children.
When not educating and leading her team of Iowa Educators, you can find Jessica sipping on an iced coffee while reading or watching a movie from her extensive DVD collection. However, her daughter is her greatest joy in life, and no book or movie could compare to spending time with her.
DANIELLE HOWELL
Danielle is a Nebraska certified teacher with B.A. and M.Ed. degrees in Elementary Education. She is an experienced classroom teacher and administrator, with six years teaching Kindergarten and Pre-K and four years as a Curriculum Director, leading and training a staff of over 45 teachers. She has planned and implemented staff training on various topics, including child development, positive discipline, classroom management, language and literacy, and communication.As Curriculum Specialist for The Set Me Free Project ®, Danielle currently develops curriculum and speaks to middle and high school students to prevent youth and young adults from ever experiencing human trafficking.
OUR TEAM
LINDSEY SHUNKWILER
Lindsey joined The Set Me Free Project ® in October 2021 as an Educator. Now as the Outreach Coordinator and Trainer, she enjoys meeting new people and bringing awareness to the seriousness of human trafficking. Lindsey is a wife and mother to 3 children ages 12, 10 and 8. She also works part-time as a fitness coach and events coordinator. Lindsey attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where she studied Speech, Language and Pathology. In her free time she enjoys traveling, reading, interior decorating, spending time with her family.
KELLY SCHLOTT
Kelly is a graduate of Iowa State University with a degree in Journalism and Speech Communication. She was raised in Des Moines, Iowa and has been married to her husband Abe for 27 years. She is a busy band mom and has two sons that are multi-instrumentalists. She enjoys all the music that her sons perform!
Before coming to The Set Me Free Project ®, Kelly had many jobs including working for a public TV station in Cleveland, Ohio, being a stay-at-home mom, being a Zumba and Mixxed Fit instructor and being a Mad Scientist. She currently continues to be a part-time event manager at her church.
Kelly enjoys working as a volunteer with Heartland Family Service and is on volunteer staff at her church, Relevant Community Church. She loves to help those in need and has a heart for volunteering. She has served as a mentor with Elkhorn Public Schools and is currently a mentor with TeamMates mentoring.
In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, singing in an adult choir, performing community theater and also crafting and puzzles.
Winchester (Winnie)
Chief Canine Officer
Winnie has been volunteering with The Set Me Free Project ® for 8 years, however, she officially joined the team in 2022. Winnie has studied extensively in the art of scarfing down food as quickly as she can and napping in as many locations as possible. Winnie has been an invaluable assest to the team and brings as much cuteness as possible every day.
BOARD MEMBERS
LINDA SWAIN
BOARD PRESIDENT
Retired Owner of
Swain Construction
LUCAS SHOOK
BOARD TREASURER
Owner/Sole Practitioner, Shook
Books & Tax, LLC
ANE ABRAHAM
BOARD SECRETARY
Learning & Development Facilitator, HR Consumer Banking Wells Fargo
LINDA SWAIN
BOARD PRESIDENT
LINDA BURKE
BOARD MEMBER
Special Education Teacher,
CASA Volunteer
ANTHONY CONNER
BOARD MEMBER
President, Omaha Police Officer Association
CHRISTIAN MIRCH
BOARD MEMBER
Attorney - Private Practice
Police Officer, Yutan Police Department
MINDEN NESTER
BOARD MEMBER
Former Teacher in the
Behavioral Skills Program