Rebecca Bender

Rebecca Bender is a social activist, thought leader, and consultant who equips professionals and organizations to identify and fight human trafficking.

A TEDx Speaker, CEO, and published author, Bender was appointed to the U.S. National Advisory Council and regularly testifies as an expert witness in court. Her specialized trainings have equipped well over 118,000 professionals including FBI, Homeland Security, regional law enforcement, community leaders, and medical personnel. A highly sought-after speaker, consultant, and nationally recognized authority, Bender is passionate about seeing people transform their lives so they can change the world.

After escaping her trafficker in 2007, Bender was determined to make a new life for herself and her young daughter. She worked hard, eventually opening her own business and earning a Master’s degree. While she was attending college online, Bender dreamed of launching a school for survivors of human trafficking - a place where anyone with lived experience could enroll and learn the skills and knowledge necessary to build a new life.

In 2014 Elevate Academy was born and within eight years had served nearly 1,600 students in 22 countries and over 630 U.S. cities across the nation. This innovative online school is thriving today and remains a place where survivors continue to connect, grow, and find tools to ignite their futures.