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wbjournal.com | August 19, 2024 | Worcester Business Journal 49 4 0 U N D E R F O R T Y A L U M N I How have you continued to build upon your professional success since receiving this award? In 2017, I thought my career was defined as a lawyer, but my dream job, serving Worcester and its residents, specifically its most vulnerable community members, was fast approaching from completely out of the blue. Serving on the Board of Living in Freedom Together (LIFT), I confronted the harsh realities of the sex trade: pervasive gender-based violence, deep-rooted racial and gender inequities, and the relentless vulnerabilities faced by those forced into exploitation on the streets of Worcester. Today, I am the Co-Executive Director and Chief Operations Officer at Safe Exit Initiative (formerly LIFT). Since serving as founding COO in 2019, I've supported the development of programs for people in the sex trade and have helped drive our year-over-year revenue growth leading to our expansion to Springfield, Massachusetts, and Baltimore, Maryland. Most significantly, we serve over 550 individuals annually and have created job opportunities for more than 30 people in Worcester. I have been deeply committed to the success of Worcester and its residents since moving here in 2012. I built my family and career here and work to make it a place where other people will have equal and equitable opportunity to do the same thing. Current Title: Co-Executive Director & Chief Operations Officer Current Company: Safe Exit Initiative, Inc. LinkedIn handle: linkedin.com/in/courtneyrossescobar/ COURTNEY ROSS ESCOBAR, ESQ. Class of 2017 WBJ Ensure your team has ALL ACCESS to WBJ. We offer discounted group subscriptions starting at 5 users. Reach out to us at circulation@wbjournal.com for a quote. Madeline Mendoza Jessica Morris Nathan Oriol Nicholas Pelletier Courtney E. Pelley Lilian Radke Ryan Matson Blaine Schnare Michael P. McDonough, CPA Bonnie J. Walker Asmar N. Akman Patrick J. DiGregorio Kevin G. Johnson Andrew B. Palumbo Jamie Salois Brendan Aylward Justin Dufresne Kevin Peterssen Jody Staruk Heather Mangione Greta Bajrami Campoverde Courtney Ross Escobar Jay Merrill John T. Pitcavage Francisco Torres Kathryn Behan Robert Fecteau Meghan E. Montaner Julia Randall Abel Travis Heather Belair Hilary Gardner Edward Murphy Keith Reardon Elizabeth Tripp Neil Callahan Ashleigh C. Gelinas, Esq. Joy Rachelle Murrieta Giselle Rivera-Flores Alexis G. Vallejos Michelle L. Cote, Esq. Avra Hoffman Dr. Milka Njoroge, PharmD Patrick T. Royce David Viens Julianne Dahrooge Maryann C. Johnson Jim Notaro Lindiana Semidei Ryan A. Wagner 2017 ALUMNI Sponsored Alumni Profile