STEERING COMMITTEE
Erika
Founder & Advisor
Erika earned her Bachelor’s degree in Counseling and a Master’s in Social Work with an emphasis in ‘Children and Families’ and social justice issues. Her clinical experience includes provision of support and advocacy for refugee families as well as individual and group therapy for children with complex trauma. She holds a current USA Social Work license.
Erika has lived in Italy for most of the past ten years where she and her family were involved in full time ministry. They are now based in the USA, continuing ministry in Italy remotely as a part of TEAM (The Evangelical Alliance Mission).
After more than 5 years of directing ATR, Erika stepped down and is providing support to the rest of the ATR leadership in an advisory role. Erika feels privileged to have be given the opportunity to use her knowledge, skills and passion to lead the efforts of ATR to serve those who are sexually exploited in Italy and to combat the injustices they face in the name of Christ.
She is married to her talented and ever-supportive husband, Jon. They have two beautiful daughters. Erika’s enjoys writing, photography, digital scrapbooking, and being at the beach.
Anna
President & Director
Anna was born in Eboli, a small town off the Amalfi Coast. She moved to Bologna in 2011 to study at the University of Bologna. She has a law degree and the subject of her thesis was national and international law on human trafficking.
Anna started serving with Vite Trasformate in 2012. She has a great gift for befriending all the Treasures she meets during the outreach and making them feel valued and loved. She is passionate about using her knowledge in law to help fight human trafficking in Italy.
Anna is married to Bruno, her high school sweetheart, and they just welcomed their beautiful baby girl, Emma Joy. Bruno is a deacon at Nuova Vita church and together he and Anna lead a small group for young adults. They love the beach, spending time with friends and cheering for the Napoli soccer team.
Anna wants to continue serving Jesus full-time in Italy. Please pray the Lord provides the resources and funds for her to be able to do so.
Erica
Vice President & Safe House Coordinator
Erica was born and raised in the state of Maryland on the East Coast of the USA surrounded by strong believers, followers of Jesus Christ in the home and at the church of her youth. At the age of 13 she witnessed a series of life changing events, through work with that very Church, which generated a dream to one day love, assist, defend, nurture and train those who are left with nothing other than a small flicker of hope and sheer will to survive.
​
After high school and one year of university Erica moved to Italy and began the incredible journey of learning a new culture, a new language, and all the benefits and uncertainties that pertain to full submersion into the unknown. In the midst of these challenging yet enriching years, Erica and her husband, Stefano, began raising their family as well as learning all they possibly could about the Lord’s Word. Their home church in Naples was a fundamental resource and tool in their spiritual growth. It was in Naples in 2012 that Erica realized that the dream of a 13 year old was actually a calling to ministry from the Lord. Stefano, Erica and their daughter now live in northern Italy near the Swiss border. As active members of their church in Mendrisio, Switzerland they continue to grow spiritually and in service towards others. Through the work at their local Church in Mendrisio the calling has been confirmed in multiple ways and multiple times.
As Coordinator of Safe House Development, Erica’s passion is to establish and promote a support team for the benefit of ATR members and partners working to provide spiritual, psychological, physical healing, and renewal through short and/or long term care for survivors of commercial sexual exploitation. Her greatest aspiration is to offer the Living Hope of Jesus Christ to the treasures lost and forgotten.
Spending time with the Lord and her family, encouraging and being encouraged by her husband, teaching her daughter, seeking knowledge and offering her time to the needy are all moments she cherishes. She is a nature lover, enjoys gardening and adores excursions in the Lord’s creation.
Cristhina
Secretary & Victim Intervention Coordinator
Cristhina was born in Colombia and moved to the USA with her family when she was 11 years old. She has a Bachelor's degree in Social Work and gained experience serving victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse during her internship with a non-profit organization.
She moved to Bologna in September of 2013 to serve with Vite Trasformate (VT), a ministry to victims of commercial sexual exploitation, and has been serving full time with VT since. Cristhina is passionate about sharing her faith and discipling women. Her favorite thing about VT is one-on-one interaction with the Treasures and spending time getting to know them. Cristhina is also a skilled administrator and helps with organizational project tasks in her church Nuova Vita.
As the administrator for ATR, Cristhina provides support to the ATR Director and Steering Committee in many significant ways behind the scenes. Her skills in organization management provide valuable assistance in promoting the mission and vision of ATR. She is grateful for the opportunity to serve within ATR and hopes to see this alliance grow so that Christ would be known all across Italy and that many treasures will be saved and freed from spiritual and physical slavery.
Cristhina is married to Manuel, an Italian believer who won her over with his love for coffee and his servant’s heart. She met him at her church in Bologna and they both serve together in other ministries. They enjoy traveling, cooking together and making up new Italo-Spanish words that only they understand.