Kaitrin Valencia

Background

About Kaitrin Valencia

Kaitrin is an author and licensed Tennesee and Illinois attorney and has spent her entire career in public service. She is the Executive Director of A Way Out Ministries, a Memphis non-profit that since 1992 has taken action against sexual exploitation and pornography by advocating for legislative changes, helping rescue and restore those victimized by and trapped in the sex industry, and educating the community on the harmful impact of the sex industry. Kaitrin is also the founder/CEO of the Skyway Railroad, a Christ-centered non-profit with a mission to combat modern-day slaveries. In 2018 Kaitrin authored a book, Voices Outside the Stadium, documenting riveting encounters she's had reaching and rescuing trafficking victims at the Super Bowl, with all proceeds donated to A Way Out and the Skyway Railroad. Kaitrin was the Executive Director of a Christian non-profit (Chicago Dream Center (CDC)) serving our society's most vulnerable populations (homeless, addicted, at risk and delinquent teens, and those who are trafficked). She led 15 ministries that included outreach, housing through 94 beds (homeless shelters, sex trafficking safe house, and teen home), and human trafficking advocacy/outreach. Kaitrin worked for Chicago's Juvenile Court for almost 2 decades as a Deputy Chief Probation Officer and attorney. During her tenure, she developed and implemented innovative juvenile justice programming and initiatives that were national models, including juvenile detention alternative initiatives and evidence-based gender-responsive programming. She was appointed the department's Faith-Based Coordinator and developed startegies and relationships for the court to partner with the faith community. She also led initiatives with the Presiding Judge and local bar associations to recruit attorneys to mentor youth. In 2016 God moved Kaitrin and her family to serve in ministry in Memphis, Tennessee. She served for almost 3 years as JIFF's Operations and Process Director where she assisted in developing and implementing best practices in their Christ-centered community based alternative to detention program for juvenile justice youth. In 2019 Kaitrin published her second book, Waiting I Hate it! Lessons Learned Waiting on God, that documents her personal and transparent journey to not compromise and wait for the fullness of God's plans. Kaitrin and her husband are very active members of their church and mentor many women and youth. She regularly speaks on panels, at conferences/retreats, at churches and has served on multiple nonprofit Boards.