Explore
The Work of The Coterie
Engage in high level training on human trafficking and intersecting issues.
Strategize
Build capacity through program development: policies, procedures, grant support, and staff training.
Advocate
Learn practices and access resources to improve support and services for individuals who have been impacted by human trafficking.
Who is at The Coterie?
Marissa Castellanos, msw
Founder and Director
Marissa Castellanos is Founder and Director of The Coterie, providing training, technical assistance, resource development, publications support, and program development and implementation. Marissa is a member of the Technical Working Group for the National Standards of Care for Anti-Trafficking Service Providers, a project implemented by Freedom Network USA and supported by the DOJ Office for Victims of Crime and the ACF Office on Trafficking in Persons.
Marissa is Director of Grants at Love146, an international human rights organization that addresses child trafficking and exploitation through prevention and survivor care programming. Prior to Love146, Marissa worked at Catholic Charities of Louisville where she began in 2008 developing what is now known as the Bakhita Empowerment Initiative, a statewide program addressing human trafficking through services, prevention, training, and awareness.
Marissa is a representative member of the National Advisory Committee on the Sex Trafficking of Children and Youth in the U.S. and led the planning and implementation of the first National Labor Trafficking Conference, hosted in Louisville, KY in October 2018 as well as the 2nd National Labor Trafficking Conference in October 2021.
Marissa has been a peer reviewer for the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services and provides training and technical assistance for the ACF Office on Trafficking in Persons. Marissa also provides training and technical assistance to the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services. Through her work as a member of the HHS Region 4 Human Trafficking Advisory Group, Marissa co-authored the Guiding Principles for Agencies Serving Survivors of Human Trafficking.
In 2023, Marissa received the Visionary Voice Award from the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, which “recognizes creativity and hard work of individuals around the country who have demonstrated outstanding work to end sexual violence”.
Marissa received her Bachelor of Science and Master’s in Social Work from the University of Kentucky.