Tharros Place, a nonprofit providing residential services for girls ages 12 to 17 who are survivors of human trafficking, announced recently that it has hired Jenn Steele to serve as its Education Coordinator. In that role, she will provide a culturally responsive instructional program, regularly assess the learning and behavioral needs of students, and provide an environment conducive to students’ intellectual, physical, social, and emotional development

“We are thrilled to have Jenn become part of the Tharros Place team,” said Julie Wade, Executive Director of Tharros Place. “She has a rich background in counseling, advocacy, and human rights, and she will help us achieve our ultimate goal of transforming our girls from victims to young women brimming with confidence, self-respect, and courage.

Upon admission to Tharros Place, girls will be assessed for reading and math achievement and develop a personalized education plan that focuses on their strengths and interests, as well as chart a path forward beyond K-12 education. Girls will attend school online through Georgia Cyber Academy, with supplemental learning by Steele and support from an Education Mentor

Steele originally served Tharros Place as its Compliance Manager, where she created, reviewed, revised, and compiled all policies and procedures to meet required state licensure standards. Prior to coming to Tharros Place, she worked as a substitute teacher, a career counselor, and a school counselor, where she provided counseling for victims of childhood sexual abuse and trauma, connected students and families with necessary community resources, and wrote scholarship and grant applications to secure financial resources supplementing school counseling programs. 

Steele, who lives in Thunderbolt with her husband and two daughters, recently graduated from Columbia University with a Master of Arts degree in human rights. She also holds a Master of Science degree in counseling from Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tenn., and a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from The University of Alabama in Huntsville, Ala.