Ms. Flores has been a licensed Social Worker for over twenty years. She received a Master’s in Counseling Education from University of Dayton and a Bachelor’s of Social Work from Ball State University.
Ms. Flores was appointed to the Ohio Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Commission in 2009 and has testified before the Ohio House and Senate in supports of Human Trafficking Legislation. Her efforts were a major part of the success of these bills being passed into laws.
In January 2012 at the State of the State Address, Ms. Flores received The Courage Award from Ohio Governor Kasich for her work in human trafficking. She received the 2013 Christian Service Award, the highest award given by the University of Dayton’s Alumni Association for her work with SOAP. And just last year, “The Theresa Flores law” passed Michigan legislation which removes the statue of limitation for all minors of human trafficking.
Ms. Flores has been featured by the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center Museum in a traveling exhibit entitled, Invisible Slavery and has published several books, “The Sacred Bath,” “The Slave Across the Street” and newly released “Slavery in the Land of the Free” for middle and high school students. The audio version of her book was nominated for the 2011 Audie Award, being in the top 5 of all memoirs and biographies and is on the Wall Street Journal and USA Today Best Seller list for e-books. She is an international speaker and regularly presents to middle and high school students, at universities and to groups of people wanting to learn the red flags of trafficking in the U.S.
Ms. Flores was the featured in a Short Documentary, The Girl Next Door, which has won many awards at film festivals all across the U.S. Her TEDx talk has been viewed many times and her story has been seen on The Today Show, MSNBC: “Sex Slaves-The Teen Trade”, the 700 Club, CNN/HLN, Glenn Beck’s “For the Record” as well as many local and national radio shows. Her national rescue mission- S.O.A.P. has been featured on Dateline, Nightline and America’s Most Wanted.