Not Abandoned | Social Work for Trafficked Women

About Us

The Not Abandoned team labors to empower women who have been exploited. It is not our drive to "rescue" her from trafficking. Rather, our collective goal is to provide her the tools and unyielding support necessary to regain and maintain her freedom. We hold the deep conviction that no matter how messy, complex, or slow her recovery process is, that she can and will come to know, she is not abandoned.

The Not Abandoned Team: Better Together

Jeff McKinley

Founder & Co-Director

Jeff was born in Spain and remained there as he worked to develop Moroccan programs for under-developed children and their families and also plant churches with social projects for over 12 years. He came to the US and spent 14 years as the mission pastor of a large church where Jeff developed numerous global projects addressing the issues of poverty, social injustice, exploited communities, and economic sustainability in underdeveloped countries. He has a MA in Theology and Leadership Development and two children and four grandchildren with his lovely wife Aurora.

Alexis Miller

Not Abandoned Co-Director

Alex brings has over 14 years of experience working with exploited persons in various domestic and international contexts. She has a BA in Organizational Management and a Master's in Community Development, with a thesis focus on the sustainability of the anit-trafficking movement. Alex oversees communications, program development, and training for the organization and their partners. Alex also brings unique insight to the Not Abandoned team through her own experience surviving exploitation.

Ying Fulton

Pattaya Freedom Center Co-Director

Ying is a national of Thailand and has a Master's in Counseling Psychology, with a thesis focus on trafficking prevention in rural areas. Ying overseas the trauma care and counseling programs, business development, and staff oversight. She is additionally a sought-after translator for government and non-profit work. Ying's high energy does well to keep up with her two smart, young boys alongside her husband Stephen.

Stephen Fulton

Pattaya Freedom Center Co-Director

Stephen was born and raised in Canada where he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force, becoming a pilot at a young age. He has lived in Thailand for over 9 years where he also obtained his certification in ESOL. Stephen is a teacher, trainer, curriculum developer, and tracks program effectiveness for our Freedom Center. He is currently pursuing a Master's degree and raising two stellar young boys with his wife, Ying.

"Ma" Pranom Keawmetee

Pattaya Hospitality Manager

Pranom manages student relationships, community creation, and keeps the center feeling like a safe space for our students. Pranom has worked with trafficking communities for 15 years where her wealth of experience and knowledge is invaluable to the weekly work of Not Abandoned in Pattaya. Pranom also brings a special linguistic skill to the team by being fluent in rural regional Thai dialects that many of our students speak. She is a widower, mother of one adult daughter, and grandmother of two boys.

Nora Suarez

Algeciras Freedom Center Director

Nora is originally from Venezuela where she was successful business leader and has worked to build social service projects for women, children, and vulnerable families in Morocco for 16+ years where she became fluent in Arabic. She has now resided in Algeciras, Spain for 4 years.

Minerva

Algeciras Freedom Center

Minerva has lived in Algeciras for the past 3+ years since moving here from Venezuela where she worked as a graphic designer. Minerva is actively learning Arabic to better service the women at our center and is a dynamic relational leader in the community.

Dale McKinley

Spain Team Member, Monte Olivos

Dale brings a diverse and practical skillset to the partnered work of Not Abandoned as the director of the Monte Olivos conference center. He has also helped develop children's center's in Morocco for over 20 years.

José Cobo

Spain Team Member, Monte Olivos

José has been a pastor for over 35 years and has a passion to serve vulnerable communities by working with centers for children and those in need in both Morocco and Spain. José is bilingual and has three children and two grandchildren.

Irene Arenas

Spain Team Member, Monte Olivos

Irene manages the Monte Olivos conference center. She is a mother of two children, active in her community, a leader, administer and amazing cook!

Cindy Ronning

Spain Team Member, Monte Olivos

Cindy was an educator in the US for over 20 years, specializing in children with learning challenges and different physical and mental accommodations. Cindy was raised in Spain, is bilingual, has raised two children and four grandchildren and is thrilled to be back living and serving in Spain

Johanna

Algeciras Freedom Center Support

Bio Coming Soon!

Miguel

Algeciras Freedom Center Support

Miguel is Venezuelan and has been working in Mexico for the past five years. He and his wife have recently joined the team in Algeciras and excited to add their skillset to the center's work as they learn Arabic along with their three children.

Sofia

Algeciras Freedom Center Support

Sofia is Venezuelan and has been working in Mexico for the past five years. She and her husband have recently joined the team in Algeciras and excited to add their skillset to the center's work as they learn Arabic along with their three children.

Our Board of Directors

Grant Monson, Chairman

Financial Advisor and Owner of Alterra Advisors

Elaine Morse, Treasurer

CFO for the City of North Bend

Jennifer Bolibol, Secretary

Head Coach for Northschool School

Dr. Lynne Ellis, MSW, ThD, Director

Owner of Lynne Ellis Coaching

Dori Richardson, Director

Cybersecurity Solutions Group, Microsoft

Craig Little, Director

Business owner

Jamie Nelson, Director

Executive Director Red Telescope

Leigh Sarti, Director

Owner of Sarti Creative

Jeff McKinley, Director

Founder and Director of Not Abandoned

Not Abandoned is able to work and operate in Thailand due to its passionate legal leadership team board Directors. There is a common theme of passion and vision within each individual to make a difference in the lives of exploited individuals. Together they bring leadership to the national entity ensuring all operations and activities are carried out with integrity and transparency. This

Board of Directors is chaired by local Thai business leader, Kittiwut Eiabjareon.

Not Abandoned operates in Spain thanks to a legal national registered entity with a passionate board of Directors who are committed to the vision and mission of providing holistic programs and support to exploited individuals trafficked throughout Spain and Europe. They provide leadership and experience enriching the effectiveness of programming. This board of Directors is chaired by Dale McKinley, born and raised in Spain.

The Not Abandoned Ethos

Our vision is to ensure that any person exploited is Not Abandoned.

Our mission is to facilitate sustaining freedom for the exploited by providing practical opportunities for empowerment through holistic programming.

In order to maintain a quality of excellence these values are non-negotiables in how we operate:

1. We will continue to be an action-driven organization that is committed to reaching the most vulnerable and exploited in the darkest trafficking hubs of the world. We will not just talk about it, but we will be present among them to offer emotional, physical, and spiritual freedom and hope.

2. We will not abandon those victimized, no matter how messy, difficult, or complex their life circumstances become. Upon engaging with them in their lives we offer our commitment of care and we will remain alongside the traumatized with practical help and unconditional love.

3. We will maintain the priority of strategic partnerships with others who are like-minded to grow effective and reproducible avenues for freedom and empowerment.

4. We will not allow ourselves to grow stagnant. We will keep this organization flexible, relevant, and humble so that we may be sensitive to new opportunities and respond with agility when the unexpected transpires with the exploited whom we serve.

5. We will operate with integrity and handle resources wisely, in a spirit of openness and transparency.

6. We believe in the full equality of men and women. We completely affirm that leadership can come from a woman's ability in every and any capacity, just as a man's.

In the late 1990s a research team traveled to the country of Thailand to understand first-hand the issues of sex trafficking. It was not only seeing its prevalence in the nation, but also the sheer magnitude of the sex industry. It was clear very quickly that Thailand was the global epicenter of human trafficking, which set a pattern on a global level for the exploitation of the most vulnerable. As a result, Not Abandoned was started for the purpose of bringing practical solutions, spiritual guidance, and hope to exploited and vulnerable communities.

Not Abandoned has now expanded our opperations into two focal points of work in Thailand and a new branch of opperations in Spain.

The continued vision of Not Abandoned is to continue expanding this mission in the darkest corners of our world and also in partnership with others who are like-minded.

We Are Committed to Financial Transparency

273K

Grants to Thailand

35K

Grants to Spain

83%

Program Expense Ratio

For the latest 990 and Schedules learn more at GuideStar

Key strategic partners in our effort to empower freedom globally.

Overlake Christian Church
Ward Church
N2 Gives
Carlson Family Foundation
Pinkerton Foundation
Woodson Family Foundation

Clark Family Trust
U Printing
Kozek Family Foundation
Fujita Trust
Pennington Foundation