Signify
Consulting
Advocacy
Education
Social Work
Meet Josie
Josie Heyano, LMSW is a Deg Xinag Athabascan woman from Alaska. Her passion for this work includes creating and implementing holistic and decolonized practices within service organizations to better serve Alaska Native and Indigenous people. She is driven to bring awareness to the prevalence of human trafficking in rural communities and to the intersections of MMIP and trafficking. In her work, she hopes to collaborate with communities to understand risk factors for trafficking better, create regionally-specific prevention programs, train and empower service providers to talk about trafficking and use her own experiences to inform policy for services and programs aimed at supporting trafficking survivors.
Josie has several years of experience providing systems navigation and advocacy for youth experiencing homelessness, exploitation, and trafficking in Alaska. She previously served as a Mental Health Clinician with Southcentral Foundation stationed at Covenant House Alaska where she worked with youth who have experienced exploitation, previous to that she was the Subject Matter Expert for Covenant House Alaska’s human trafficking prevention and intervention program and spent five years working with youth at Covenant House. In her undergrad program at UAF she worked with youth experiencing homelessness in Fairbanks. In 2022 she completed a graduate fellowship with Prevention Now, an anti-trafficking non-profit that leverages data and technology to uncover why human trafficking occurs, where she completed a landscape analysis of Human Trafficking data needs in Alaska and co-created the Alaska Human Trafficking Data Needs Assessment which launched the first annual Alaska Human Trafficking Data Summit,
Josie founded Signify Consulting, LLC in 2022 and uses this as a platform to share her experience and lend knowledge and collaboration to communities engaged in anti-trafficking work in Alaska.
Josie is a Presidentially appointed member of the United States Advisory Council on Human Trafficking, a formal platform to advise and make recommendations on federal anti-trafficking policies to the President’s Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (PITF). She also serves on the advisory board of the National Center on Child Trafficking and provides Training and Technical Assistance to the Office for Victims of Crimes Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Center. In 2023 she was awarded the Federal Bureau of Investigations Director's Community Leadership Award for her service to the community of Alaska and her collective stakeholder approach to Human Trafficking prevention and intervention.
Her work is done in memory of her great aunt Linda Miller, murdered in Anchorage in 1973, her case remains unsolved... and for all the girls we loved who are still waiting for justice.
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Founder"Signify is more than a consultancy; we are a force for healing, justice, and change. We channel the fight of those who remain missing and those who have passed on, infusing our work with purpose and determination."
Meet Tiffanie
Boasting several years of advocacy experience, Tiffanie Cosper serves as a dedicated Human Trafficking Consultant, offering exemplary training, case management, advocacy, and system navigation services for youth confronting homelessness and exploitation, including human trafficking, in the challenging context of Alaska.
Grounded in a commitment to innovative thinking, Tiffanie has played a crucial role in developing training programs and delivering impactful presentations aimed at empowering individuals and communities. As a a life long Alaskan, she possesses a comprehensive understanding of the unique challenges faced by youth navigating life on the streets of Anchorage. Tiffanie's extensive experience includes a specialized focus on working with youth involved with the Office of Children's Services (OCS) and those who have endured forced institutionalization.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Tiffanie is a devoted mother of two extraordinary boys, a college student and an artist. Tiffanie worked alongside Signify’s founder Josie for several years and through this time shared in the grief of many losses- a firm believer in justice, Tiffanie extends her passion to advocate for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) movement and educate on the intersections of MMIP and Human Trafficking.
Tiffanie's commitment to dismantling systemic barriers and championing holistic, person-centered healing and empowerment reflects her belief that change necessitates embracing discomfort. Approaching the issue of human trafficking with a tactful yet direct stance, she recognizes the importance of avoiding the minimization of its horror, understanding the impact on survivors and those still experiencing victimization.
Inclusion, equality, and equity form the core tenets of Tiffanie's advocacy, emphasizing the significance of survivor leadership without exploitation. She is vigilant about the potential exploitation within organizations that inadvertently leverage survivors' stories for funding. Tiffanie's work is dedicated to honoring those who cannot be with us today and those still experiencing exploitation, advocating for a world where genuine survivor inclusion prevails.
In her role as a Subject Matter Expert consultant with Signify, Tiffanie Cosper stands as a beacon for survivor leadership, committed to genuine empowerment and systemic change, with an unwavering focus on the principles of inclusion, equality, and equity.
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Subject Matter Expert
“I believe that getting comfortable being uncomfortable is where we can hope to see change.”
Welcome to Signify Consulting, LLC
Our Services
Social Work Services
The primary mission of the Social Work profession is to enhance human well-being and help meet the basic human needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty. Josie holds a license to practice Social Work in Alaska, LMSW #196745. Under this license, we offer advocacy, case management, and connection to resources and community partners for those impacted by human trafficking. The responsibility of a Social Worker is one that we take seriously, our practice is guided by the NASW code of ethics and core values.
Training for Rural and Indigenous Communities
We offer specialized training sessions designed to increase awareness and equip rural and Indigenous communities with the knowledge and tools to identify and combat human trafficking.
Intersections of Mental Health, Substance Use, and Trafficking
Understanding the complex relationship between mental health, substance use, and trafficking is crucial. We provide expertise in navigating these intersections and developing strategies for trauma-informed and person-centered support.
Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP)
Addressing the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People in anti-trafficking is a cornerstone of our work. We offer insight and support to communities affected by the intersection of MMIP and Human Trafficking.
Project-Based Contracts and Program Development
Through tailored project-based contracts, we collaborate with organizations to create impactful solutions, inform anti-trafficking services, develop programs, and implement sustainable change.
Speaking Engagements and Community Events
We engage in speaking events for diverse agencies and communities to raise awareness and spark meaningful conversations. Our speaking experience includes tribal communities, hospitals, non-profits, rural and urban community forums, mental health service providers and academia.
Research and Evaluation
Informed decision-making is key to progress. We engage in research and evaluation to gain insights that drive effective interventions and policy changes.
MISSION
To bring awareness to the prevelance of Human Trafficking in Alaska, uplift the wisdom of communities, and tackle the most complex social issues with creativity and courage.
OUR CORE VALUES
REMEMBRANCE…We carry the memory of the missing and the murdered in every endeavor. Our work is imbued with a deep sense of respect and remembrance, reminding us of the urgency to address the systemic issues that lead to human trafficking.
COMMUNITY…We believe in the power of communities to effect transformative change. Our practices are centered around fostering connections, building relationships, and valuing the collective wisdom of those directly impacted by trafficking.
CULTURAL HUMILITY…Respect for diverse cultures and perspectives is ingrained in our ethos. Cultural humility guides our interactions, ensuring that our services are sensitive to the unique needs and experiences of individuals from various backgrounds.
ADVOCACY AND EMPOWERMENT… We are a steadfast advocate for those whose voices have yet to be heard. Through our work, we empower survivors and communities to reclaim their narratives and contribute to the fight against human trafficking.
INTEGRITY…Integrity is a fundamental core value that underpins everything we do. We firmly believe that our success and impact are built upon a foundation of unwavering honesty, ethical conduct, and consistency in our actions. We hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards of integrity in all our interactions, decisions, and engagements.
Let’s work together.
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May 5, 2023
FBI Honors Anchorage Community Leader with National Award
“FBI Anchorage is honored to recognize Ms. Heyano for her extraordinary efforts serving vulnerable populations in Alaska, where her contributions have enhanced the FBI’s mission of justice and victim support,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Donald W. Lee II of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “Through her advocacy and human trafficking response efforts, she has made a lasting impact on our community.”