The Lunch Hour with Federal Newswire

Noel Thomas stands as a visionary leader, driven by an unwavering dedication to eradicating the scourge of human trafficking through pioneering technological solutions. With a multifaceted background deeply entrenched in identifying organized crime, orchestrating law enforcement coordination, and advancing technological innovation, Thomas emerges as an entrepreneur poised to rewrite history in the fight against exploitation.His journey commenced amidst the mission fields of Operation Mobilization and Youth With A Mission (YWAM), where he bore witness to the harrowing impact of human trafficking on vulnerable communities worldwide, igniting within him a fervent desire for meaningful change. This propelled him on a mission to combat the injustice at its core, a mission that would lead him to serve as the former Statewide Counter Trafficking Coordinator for Florida.In this role, Thomas orchestrated collaborative efforts between law enforcement agencies, NGOs, and governmental bodies, spearheading initiatives to disrupt trafficking networks and provide vital support to survivors. His strategic leadership proved instrumental in elevating global awareness of human trafficking and implementing comprehensive intervention strategies.

Brian Darling is the president and founder of the firm Liberty Government Affairs. He was Senior Communications Director and Counsel for Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) and a former senior fellow in government studies at The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think-tank based in Washington, D.C. Darling has been involved in U.S. politics since the early 1990s, in roles as a congressional aide, lobbyist, and legal counsel.

Mike Prado is a member of the Senior Executive Service (SES) and serves as the Deputy Assistant Director for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), where he leads its Cyber Crimes Center (C3). At C3, he leads a federal law enforcement workforce utilizing cutting-edge technology and 21st century investigative techniques to combat cyber and cyber-facilitated transnational criminal activity. C3 provides investigative, technical, and resource support to all HSI domestic and international field offices, in support of a broad spectrum of cyber investigations, including online child sexual exploitation and abuse, network intrusion, and illicit activity on the dark web, to include narcotics and weapons trafficking. C3 also oversees HSI’s Computer Forensic program and maintains programmatic oversight and coordination of all cyber training, outreach, and specialized solutions to counter illicit use of technologies.

Jessica Melugin is director of the Center for Technology & Innovation at the Competitive Enterprise Institute. Her research focuses on technology issues including antitrust, online privacy, artificial intelligence, telecommunications, social media content and net neutrality regulation. Her writings have appeared in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, USA Today, Bloomberg Law, National Review and others. She has been cited in The Washington Post, Politico, U.S. News and World Report and Variety. Ms. Melugin is a frequent cable news television and radio guest.She is an Innovators Network Foundation Antitrust and Competition Policy Fellow.

A dynamic public relations practitioner that hails from the great city of Detroit, MI with nearly 20 years’ experience designing and implementing creative engagement processes and programs within the public and private sectors. Serving as External Affairs Officer for Operation Allies Welcome, being selected as DHS’ first Social Impact senior executive, implementing the DHS Loaned Executive Program, and creating the Exemplar training with industry program are the highlights of my DHS tenure.Selected as the Office of Partnership and Engagement’s first chief of staff to fully realize the merger of nine offices and campaigns and administer a multi-million-dollar budget. I’m a visionary with excellent interpersonal communication skills to effectively build relationships with key internal and external stakeholder groups.

Kent Lassman has served as president and CEO at the Competitive Enterprise Institute since 2016, overseeing strategy and operations for the free-market organization.As president, Lassman brings to CEI more than 30 years of public policy, research, and executive management experience. He has held positions in nonprofit organizations, on advisory boards, at private firms, and public policy organizations. He is a member of the board of directors at the Center for International Private Enterprise.

Stone Washington is a Research Fellow with the Competitive Enterprise Institute’s Center for Advancing Capitalism. At CEI, his research primarily focuses on financial developments in the market, ESG investing, and federal regulation of the economy. He is currently a Frédéric Bastiat Fellow with the Mercatus Center, participating in a host of educational colloquia on the study of political economics. He previously completed a Humane Studies Fellowship with the Institute for Humane Studies. Prior to his current role at CEI, Stone served as a trainee with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in the Division of Examinations. Before this, he worked as a Research Assistant for the Manhattan Institute, assisting several Senior Fellows with policy projects in the areas of legal policy, public sector unions, and higher education.

Vincent Vernuccio is a senior fellow at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. He served as the Mackinac Center's director of labor policy between 2012 and 2017.Vernuccio is a graduate of the Ave Maria School of Law in Ann Arbor, Mich. Under President George W. Bush he served as special assistant to the assistant secretary for administration and management in the Department of Labor.Vernuccio has published articles and op-eds in such newspapers and magazines as The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Investor’s Business Daily, The Washington Times, National Review, Forbes and The American Spectator. He has been cited in several books, and he is a frequent contributor on national television and radio shows, such as "Your World" with Neil Cavuto and Varney and Company.

Dr. Marion Mass is a pediatrician in the Philadelphia area. She serves on the editorial board of the Bucks County Courier Times and The Doylestown Intel and on the board of The Bucks County Health Improvement Partnership, and is a delegate and member of the Pennsylvania Medical Society.Practicing Physicians of America (PPA) is a 501(c)(6) non-profit organization that supports the common business interests of its physician members and works to limit interference of the doctor-patient relationship by third parties in an effort to improve the medical profession.

Wayne Crews is the Fred L. Smith Fellow in Regulatory Studies at the Competitive Enterprise Institute. His work explores the impact of government regulation of free enterprise. He studies antitrust and competition policy, safety and environmental issues, and the challenges of the information age like privacy, online security, broadband policy, and intellectual property.Crews is the author of the annual report, “Ten Thousand Commandments: An Annual Snapshot of the Federal Regulatory State.” He co-authored “This Liberal Congress Went to Market?,” a Bipartisan Policy Agenda for the 110th Congress, and “Communications without Commissions: A National Plan for Reforming Telecom Regulation.” Prior to the assorted government bailouts now taking place, he wrote the report, “Still Stimulating Like It’s 1999: Time to Rethink Bipartisan Collusion on Economic Stimulus Packages.”