Mel Alvar is a community advocate, and human trafficking subject matter expert from Duluth, Minnesota with nearly 20 years of experience in grassroots harm reduction, and gender-based violence prevention, and positive youth-development work. Mel works as the Safe Harbor Regional Navigator at PAVSA, where she is a point of contact in Northeast Minnesota for training and consultation to increase awareness, and build community and professional capacity for walking alongside youth, individuals and families impacted by exploitation and human trafficking.  Mel is a 2023 Class 8 Graduate of the Human Trafficking Leadership Academy (with NHTTAC/OTIP) and is fiercely passionate about improving equity and outcomes and lowering community and systems barriers that folks impacted by violence encounter on their healing journey. Mel is a mother, creative artist, business owner (Traveling Beads), and CrossFit athlete in recovery, with lived experience of intimate partner trauma and exploitation.

Areas of Expertise: Human trafficking and exploitation