Inspiring The State of Colorado To Respond to Human Trafficking

Featuring Amanda Finger —
Executive Director of the Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking

Amanda Finger, the Executive Director of the Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking, has spent the last 20 years dedicated to combating human trafficking. 

As a student at the Josef Korbel School for International Studies at the University of Denver, graduating with a Master’s of Arts in International Human Rights and a Certificate in Global Health Affairs in 2007, Amanda first encountered the realities of human trafficking and their impact on societies and individuals. She was moved by a desire to see her generation uphold human rights more effectively and, in 2005, formed a state chapter of the national Polaris Project. The national response to human trafficking was still in its infancy and efforts were isolated, uncoordinated, and disconnected from the data, especially in Colorado.

While starting her professional career, Amanda continued engaging and advocating for anti-human trafficking, from working as a women’s health advocate in Washington, DC to conducting field research in Johannesburg, South Africa on human trafficking and health services. She served two years as an Adjunct Professor with the Institute for Women’s Studies and Services at Metropolitan State University of Denver, teaching Human Trafficking and Women’s Health courses.

In 2009, Amanda co-founded an independent nonprofit organization called the Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking with Dr. AnnJanette Alejano-Steele. The Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking believes a comprehensive response to human trafficking in Colorado will contribute to their vision of ending human trafficking across the world. The Laboratory, under Amanda’s leadership, has conducted four major research projects, led the operation of Colorado’s 24/7 Human Trafficking Hotline, trained nearly 90,000 community members and professionals, and supported more than 200 aspiring human rights leaders, becoming a critical force in supporting survivors and strengthening Colorado’s response to human trafficking.

One important lesson we can learn from Amanda is the importance of rest and rejuvenation for leaders in order to continue working passionately and tirelessly for their mission. A few years ago, Amanda went on a two-month sabbatical to reflect and rest on her seventeen years of leadership in anti-trafficking work. Amanda believes this sabbatical sets a great example for the people she leads, especially being in the nonprofit sector where burnout is a large threat to teams and these types of breaks can be critical to continue the good work of the organization’s mission.

In Amanda’s words, “I’ve come to realize how important it is for leaders to recognize when a break is needed – when we should step back and recharge. I also believe that championing others to lead can build resilience in an organization and even in a movement. Beyond that, the problem of human trafficking is much bigger than one person or one organization! So I’m ready to pause and reflect, to read stories of resiliency and hope, and to have time to simply sit still. It is key to sustaining this work.”

Putting Students at the Center of the System

Featuring Virgel Hammonds —
Co-CEO of FullScale

Virgel Hammonds is the Chief Executive Officer (formerly President & CEO) of the Aurora Institute, now unified with The Learning Accelerator to become FullScale. He leads a national movement to transform K–12 education into learner‑centered systems, where all students have access to high‑quality, personalized learning.

Virgel holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts Lowell and a Master of Education from Fresno Pacific University. His professional journey spans roles from tutor and teacher to principal and superintendent. Notably, as a principal at Lindsay Unified School District in California, serving entirely low‑income students, he championed mastery-based learning models where students earned proficiency, not grades. As superintendent of RSU 2 in Maine, he led five communities to ensure that every student met standards through personalized curriculum systems.

Hammonds joined the Aurora Institute as CEO effective January 29, 2024, after serving as Chief Learning Officer at KnowledgeWorks and earlier as Board Chair of Aurora. His appointment followed an extensive national search and reflects his two decades of experience working alongside young people, educators, administrators, communities, and policymakers. At KnowledgeWorks, he forged national partnerships and developed tools to support districts in implementing learner-centered, competency-based learning strategies.

Virgel's advocacy focuses on dismantling inequitable education structures through personalized learning, mastery models, and system redesign. He has driven initiatives that blend policy, research, and on-the-ground practice, such as evaluating Washington State’s Mastery-Based Learning Collaborative, which showed increased student engagement, improved school climate, and culturally responsive teaching implementation. Through Aurora, he convenes educators and policymakers to share best practices, promote policy changes, and accelerate innovation across states and districts.

Beyond his executive role, Virgel serves on numerous boards and advisory councils including PBLWorks, Jobs for Maine Graduates, CompetencyWorks Advisory Board, Mastery Transcript Consortium, Innovation Lab Network, and iNACOL Board (now part of FullScale). These roles amplify his influence in shaping systems that prioritize equity, mastery, and learner agency.

Under Virgel’s stewardship, Aurora Institute (now FullScale) has expanded its reach as a national convener and thought leader, pushing for transformative policy and practice in personalized learning. His decade-plus career reflects a powerful legacy: inspiring educators, redesigning systems to serve underserved students, and fostering environments in which all learners can succeed.