Ava Van Straten is a 2025 graduate of Yale University with a B.A. in Psychology and a certificate in Education Studies. She has published two children’s books and accompanying curricula; is a member of the inaugural class of female Eagle Scouts; and recipient of the Girl Scouts of the USA Gold Award. She currently works on the Child Sex Trafficking Team at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, with previous experience in the U.S. Department of Justice, Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section. Ava served as a research assistant in the Yale School of Medicine’s Child Study Center, examining social-emotional learning in classrooms. She presented her findings at conferences of the American Psychological Association and the Society for Prevention Research. Her academic and professional interests center on evidence-based approaches to justice, education, and advocacy dedicated to recovering and supporting children impacted by sex trafficking, abuse, and exploitation. Ava plans to pursue a career in law.