JVanessa Bouché, Director of Research

Dr. Vanessa Bouché is an award-winning scholar and thought leader whose extensive research on human trafficking has garnered international recognition. Her expertise has been sought after by numerous prestigious organizations, including the U.S. State Department, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the U.S. Agency for International Development, Polaris, the McCain Institute, Thorn, and Allies Against Slavery.

Dr. Bouché's work is characterized by a deep commitment to social justice and inclusion. As an applied mixed-methods researcher and social entrepreneur, she has pioneered innovative, data-driven solutions to address critical social issues. In response to the paucity of publicly available, valid, and reliable data on human trafficking in the United States, she established the largest open-access, searchable web application dedicated to human trafficking data in the country. Recognizing the significant barriers trafficking survivors face in obtaining sustainable, living-wage employment, she founded a social enterprise to advance economic justice for trafficking survivors.

Dr. Bouché holds a B.A. from Columbia University, an M.P.Aff. from the University of Texas at Austin's LBJ School of Public Affairs, and a Ph.D. in political science from The Ohio State University. Her professional background includes experience as an intelligence analyst and as an Associate Professor at Texas Christian University. She currently serves as a Research Fellow and Adjunct Professor at the University of Texas at Austin, LBJ School of Public Affairs.

Dr. Bouché is dedicated to advancing a more equitable and just society. She inspires teams to envision transformative possibilities and drives collective efforts towards achieving systemic change.