(Washington, D.C. February 21, 2025) Polaris, a leader in the global fight to eradicate human trafficking and help survivors restore their freedom, appointed Megan Lundstrom, a longtime survivor leader in the anti-trafficking movement, as the new CEO. Ms. Lundstrom joined Polaris in 2023 as the director of the Resilience Fund and before this she was founder and CEO of The Avery Center, where her work focused on survivor-driven, evidence-based program development with a priority on economic empowerment.
“Megan Lundstrom is the leader we need at this point in time. We are excited to announce that a survivor leader will take the reins of an organization that has always prioritized listening to survivors,” said Jean Gilbert, board chair of Polaris. “Her appointment is a natural step for us. We have always admired her work and are grateful that she is bringing all of her experience in the anti-trafficking field to the CEO position.”
“I am honored to step into the role of CEO at Polaris and to work alongside the dedicated partners, advocates, and professionals committed to combating human trafficking. My focus is on strengthening collaboration across all sectors while ensuring that the experiences, needs, and rights of survivors remain at the heart of our work. Together, we can build meaningful solutions that create lasting change.”
In addition to her experience as a national speaker and trainer, Ms. Lundstrom is the author of The Survivor’s Guide to Money, a financial wellness curriculum designed for survivors of exploitation and trafficking. Her expertise in helping survivors understand the financial abuse they endured, identify obstacles, and set goals on their journey to financial wellness not only continues the dynamic of listening to survivors but also deepens the understanding of what they need to make empowered choices as they recover their freedom.
Ms. Lundstrom is a national speaker and trainer, and internationally published researcher on topics including human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation. She is a Network Consultant through the Office for Trafficking in Persons, is an alum of the Human Trafficking Leadership Academy through NHTTAC, and has served on advisory boards for Polaris, ALIGHT, and American University’s MOSAICS program.
