Ali Hopper is an internationally recognized expert in human trafficking and criminal behavior, and a paralegal with more than a decade of experience working alongside law enforcement, policymakers, and field-based criminal research initiatives. She serves as President and Co-Founder of GUARD Against Trafficking, a 501(c)(3) organization advancing research, intelligence, training, and prevention-focused strategies to combat trafficking and exploitation. Her work focuses on child exploitation, grooming, and transnational trafficking networks, translating offender behavior and criminal operations into actionable investigative, prosecutorial, and policy solutions.

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Ali is the author of Florida’s landmark Anti-Grooming Bill, now used as model legislation in multiple states. She has testified before the United States House of Representatives and United States Senate on trafficking and exploitation issues, delivered congressional and Senate briefings, and received a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition for outstanding service to the community. Her work has informed legislative initiatives, law enforcement training, and public awareness efforts aimed at protecting children and disrupting trafficking networks. A frequent national media contributor, she helps shape public understanding of trafficking and exploitation trends.

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Ali conducts extensive field research throughout the United States, Mexico, Central America, and South America, including direct interviews with incarcerated human traffickers and cartel-affiliated offenders. Her work provides firsthand insight into grooming behaviors, recruitment pathways, coercive control, facilitation methods, and the operational structure of transnational criminal organizations, helping inform investigations, prosecutions, and prevention efforts.

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She has trained law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, policymakers, and government officials across the United States and internationally, including INTERPOL in South America, a Central American military defense force, and in collaboration with a U.S. Embassy in the region. Ali has also served as a subject matter expert and expert witness in human trafficking-related matters. She serves on Florida’s Circuit 12 Human Trafficking Task Force and regularly collaborates with multidisciplinary teams focused on child protection, complex investigations, and exploitation prevention.