Our Journey

Meet the Team

Meet the Team


Zainab Schur CHAIRPERSON OF THE BOARD

I am the chairperson of HopeNow and work closely with our outreach team to support and empower people affected by human trafficking. Drawing on my background and lived experience, I help guide our strategic direction while staying connected to frontline work. My specialty lies in trauma-informed outreach, advocacy, and building trust with vulnerable individuals. 📩 zainab.ogundeyi@hopenow.dk

Ana Luís Melo INTERN

Anne Brandt Christensen CONSULTANT & LEGAL EXPERT

Our Board

Gitte Højgaard Johansen PARTNERSHIP CONSULTANT

I am HopeNow’s partnership consultant and work closely with HopeNow’s director and board. I find and contact a selection of charitable funds and write applications to gain funding for HopeNow. It is essential to find both funding for the core of HopeNow as an NGO and also for the frontline work where we offer direct assistance and support such as personal, therapeutic and legal counseling as well as social activities for survivors of human trafficking.

Contact me regarding donations to HopeNow 📩 gitte@hopenow.dk

Ophelia Wu BOARD MEMBER, CONTENT CREATOR AND EVENT MANAGER

I primarily support HopeNow's media team on communications and media strategy, guiding media volunteers on content creation and external outreach to raise awareness of their work. My key contribution is identifying potential media opportunities, and establishing a comprehensive task overview and structure that helps our media team's workflow more efficient.

Contact me regarding communications, media and events organisation. 📩 ophelia@hopenow.dk

Victoria Søndergaard BOARD MEMBER

I am a member of the board of HopeNow, and I was previously an intern and volunteer on the team. With my background in psychology and anthropology, my specialty is relational work and psychosocial support, and a culturally and socially grounded analytical perspective to the understanding of human trafficking.


Michele Mildwater FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF HOPENOW

I work daily, meeting presumed and identified trafficked people on the streets, in prisons, asylum centres, crisis centres and our office. I provide legal advice, psychological counselling, environmental therapy and trauma therapy. I work together with national and international partners to identify victims of human trafficking and advocate for the rights of trafficked people. My speciality is the holistic approach of combating human trafficking and assisting trafficked and exploited people. This means a trauma-informed and psychological work that includes a deep cultural understanding.
📩 michelle@hopenow.dk

Tia Osaretin SOCIAL WORKER AND CRIMINOLOGIST

I work as a Social Worker and Criminologist, providing trauma-informed support, casework, legal advice, administration and outreach. My specialities in HopeNow are a blend of legal and psycho-social counselling with clients, advocacy (material for teaching, awareness campaigns etc) and managing administrative tasks, from reports to data analysis and to media work.

You can contact me regarding questions about internships or volunteering at HopeNow and requests for guest lecturing/interviews.
📩 tia.osaretin@hopenow.dk


Leadership Team

Interns

Moon Sajjad INTERN

Giovanni Dalla Rosa VOLUNTEER

Sam Lusk. LEGAL ADVISOR AND BOARD MEMBER

Former Chair of HopeNow’s Board, continues to serve as a committed board member and volunteer. He provides vital legal guidance, helped build HopeNow’s online presence, and supports our advocacy work across Denmark and Europe.

Sam’s legal assistance helps oversee data protection and GDPR compliance, and manages key contracts, from employment agreements to partnerships, auditors, and bookkeeping. 📩 sam.lusk@hopenow.dk

Thea Howard INTERN


Volunteers

Modestus PEER GROUP WORKER

Valentina Londero CONTENT CREATOR 

Lydia Mbolisa COMMUNICATIONS & MEDIA   📩 mediateamhopenow@hopenow.dk

Ada Szulc‍ ‍ VOLUNTEER

Tiana Dyhr COMMUNICATIONS & MEDIA