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Biography
Jessica Wickey Byrd is the Executive Director of the UCF Center for the Study of Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery and leads recruitment efforts at the Rosen College of Hospitality Management. A double UCF alumna, she earned a master’s in Hospitality and Tourism Management in 2013 and a doctorate in Educational Leadership in 2024.
With 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, she has worked in restaurants, resorts, events, and convention centers. As Director of the Internship Program, she launched a human trafficking education initiative in 2020, training over 5,700 students to identify and report trafficking in the hospitality sector.
Dr. Wickey Byrd is a recognized speaker on human trafficking, presenting at forums including the Florida Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Summit. She serves on the Greater Orlando Human Trafficking Task Force, chairs the Central Florida National Academy Foundation’s Advisory Board, and collaborates with WorldOrlando and the U.S. Department of State on global anti-trafficking initiatives.
