Biography
Noel is the co-founder of Organization for Prostitution Survivors (OPS), a 501c3 non-profit organization in Seattle, WA; and is a survivor of commercial sexual exploitation. Since her time being sexually exploited, Noel went to school and became a state-certified chemical dependency counselor, while earning her BA in Social Justice. As a CD counselor in 2005, she worked with high-risk, justice impacted youth in juvenile detention facilities. Noel quickly developed rapport with the young girls she was
meeting and soon became aware that these girls were being sexually exploited. Even worse, Noel later realized there were no services for these victimized girls being held in detention facilities. Noel began working for Youth Care in 2008 as the first CSEC
advocate and the only anti-trafficking advocate in the city of Seattle. She was also contracted by the city of Seattle to facilitate the John School, as well as the Sex Industry Worker’s class – a diversion program; that if completed, pending charges were
dismissed. During her time serving victimized youth, Noel began hearing from adult women who needed services too. At that time, there were no available services or programs in Washington state. Prior to these engagements, Noel was thinking about starting an anti-trafficking organization. She finally made the decision (along with Peter Qualliotine) to start a non-profit organization that is focused on social change for adults and youth survivors of commercial sexual exploitation. Noel has trained the FBI, social workers, advocates, teachers, doctors, nurses, and most people currently involved in anti-human trafficking work in Washington state.