A Heartfelt Goodbye from Lindsey Speed
After nearly 15 years of service to the inspiring mission and incredible people of Traffick911, I’ve discerned that it is time for me and the organization to enter a new season. Thus, August 31, 2025 will be my final day as Executive Director, and I will hand the reins of executive leadership to a successor, proud of what we have accomplished so far and eager to see what the organization will achieve in the future.
What began as a coffee conversation in 2010 developed quickly into a life-altering calling. I could have never imagined that learning about the issue of child sex trafficking in our own backyard would lead me to join this fight full time, becoming the organization’s first staff member and, later, its lead executive responsible for guiding a growing team through many challenges and transformations.
Over these fifteen years, Traffick911 has grown from a small grassroots effort into a nationally recognized leader in the anti-trafficking movement. We’ve built a trauma-informed team of 30 professionals, walked alongside hundreds of child sex trafficking survivors through our Voice & Choice Program, developed strategic partnerships with law enforcement and child welfare agencies, and advocated for survivor-centered systemic change across Texas and beyond. Today, we operate with a $3.5 million budget and a bold vision to break the cycle of exploitation for every child we serve.
I could not be more proud of what we’ve accomplished together, and I believe with all my heart that Traffick911’s greatest impact is still ahead.
The decision to step away was not an easy one, and it was arrived at only after many months of prayer, discernment, and counsel from trusted mentors and peers. It is the right time for both me and Traffick911. The organization is healthy, the mission is strong, and the momentum is undeniable. With that momentum comes an extraordinary opportunity: for a new leader to take the helm and shepherd Traffick911 into its next chapter of growth, innovation, and impact.
While this may seem sudden from the outside, this transition has been slowly paced and intentional. I gave the Board a six month notice at the beginning of the year, and we’ve been working collaboratively behind the scenes with stakeholders and our team to ensure a smooth transition. I will continue to cheer Traffick911 on as an Advisory Board Member.
I’m deeply grateful to our Board of Directors, our partners, our staff, you, our donors, and—most of all—the courageous survivors who have allowed us to walk with them. Their resilience has changed me. They are the “why” behind every decision, every pivot, every late night, every prayer. They are why I said “yes” then—and why I’m still saying “yes” now, even as that yes takes a new shape.
I’m excited about what’s next—for all of us This work is far bigger than any one person. It’s a movement, and it will continue to grow, fueled by vision, strategy, and an unrelenting belief that every child deserves to live free.
As for me, I will be getting married this summer and taking some considerable time off the gird to rest after my end date at Traffick911. My future husband and I are in the beginning stages of pursuing mission work in Togo, West Africa (his home country). You can follow along my next adventures on Instagram or LinkedIn.
With deepest gratitude and hope,
Lindsey Speed
Executive Director and CEO, Traffick911