Working Together to Bring Justice
The ICT team is committed to your success in the fight against trafficking. Your department, agency, and community deserve partners who can help balance the scales in the unfair fight against the global epidemic of greed and exploitation.
Whether you are working your first trafficking case, feeling overwhelmed or under-resourced, or proactively seeking to prevent trafficking in your community, sometimes you just need to call in the cavalry. ICT answers that call.
Kirsta Leeburg Melton – Chief Executive Officer & Board Member, Click Photo Above for Full Biography
Cheryl Fries – Board Member, Cheryl is a writer, documentary filmmaker, educator, and business owner with a passionate commitment to using her abilities toward the greater good. Cheryl has written and co-directed several award-winning documentaries and communications products, including the Office of the Attorney General of Texas’ public employee training tool Be the One in the Fight Against Human Trafficking. As an advocate for children and adults with disabilities, she co-founded Texans for Special Education Reform, a grassroots advocacy organization committed to the educational civil rights of students with disabilities, and is a former member and officer of the Texas Children’s Policy Council.
Lt. Bill Grayson – Board Member, Lt. Grayson began his career with the San Antonio Police Department in 1989. He was promoted to Detective Investigator in April 2008 and assigned to the Sex Crimes Unit. In March 2010, he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant and supervised patrol sections until November 2011 when he was transferred to the Sex Crimes Unit to implement a human trafficking procedure and supervise the investigation of trafficking and sexual assault cases. In 2017, he assumed the role of the Special Victims Unit Director, responsible for follow up investigations involving sexual assaults, family violence, sex offender registration and human trafficking as well as oversees the Victim Advocacy Unit. Lt. Grayson obtained a bachelor’s degree from Wayland Baptist University in Occupational Education with a concentration in Criminal Justice. He holds a Master Peace Officer Certification and is an active member of the Alamo Area Coalition Against Human Trafficking.
Melissa Holman – Board Member, Melissa is a seasoned litigator with trial experience in both state and federal court. A native Kansan, Melissa relocated to Texas to attend the University of Texas School of Law, where she graduated with honors. After graduation, Melissa completed a two-year clerkship for the Honorable Harry Lee Hudspeth, Senior U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Texas. She then worked as a commercial litigation associate at the Dallas office of Gardere Wynne Sewell, LLP (now Foley Gardere). Melissa spent six years as a trial attorney for the Office of the Attorney General of Texas, where she gained litigation experience in the areas of employment and civil rights, defending state agencies and universities in claims brought under Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the Equal Pay Act. Melissa tried two federal civil rights jury trials, obtaining verdicts in favor of her clients in actions brought under 42 U.S.C. section 1983 and the EPA. In 2016, Melissa served as one of three attorneys in the Attorney General’s newly-formed Human Trafficking and Transnational/Organized Crime Section. In this role, she tried two felony human trafficking jury trials and obtained convictions on all counts.
David Henderson – Board Member, David is an experienced trial lawyer and a world champion public speaker who specializes in civil rights litigation. David earned his BA in Plan II Honors and his law degree from the University of Texas. David began his career with the law firm Vinson & Elkins. Though David enjoyed the intellectual challenges of complex litigation, he wanted to try cases; so, he eventually worked his way to the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office, where he met Kirsta Melton. David has tried over 70 jury cases to a verdict, ranging from human trafficking to capital murder to civil cases. To improve his courtroom skills, David joined Toastmasters International. In 2010, he won its World Champion of Public Speaking award after competing against over 30,000 contestants from 113 countries. During his time at the DA’s Office, David was named local Criminal Justice Member of the Year and received the President’s Award for outstanding service from Mothers Against Drunk Driving. After leaving the DA’s Office, David became a plaintiff’s attorney and is currently of counsel with Ellwanger Law, where he specializes in civil rights litigation.
Karin Leeburg Larsen – Board Member, Karin is a founding member of Truckers Against Trafficking, a 501(c)3 dedicated to educating, equipping, empowering, and mobilizing the trucking, bus, and energy industries in the fight against human trafficking. Karin has worked in the corporate world for the last twenty years for a wide variety of Fortune 100 companies, including Capital One and Amazon. She has designed and built programs and teams across the globe in finance, human resources, learning, public relations, internal communications, and operations.
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
In the old cowboy movies when all the shooting is done, and the dust clears, the hero rides off into the sunset alone. He came, stood for the town against the forces of greed, violence, and villainy and now he takes the lonely road to the next community in need of his brand of justice.
The world is hurting. 2020 has brought loss to each one of us, and while it has taken more than its fair share, it has left a gift of its own if we are wise enough to recognize it. It doesn’t come in glitzy paper, a sparkling bow, or designer bag. Think brown paper, corners coming untucked, a tear on the edge, and a smudged return address.