Meet Our Founder

Jenny Williamson is a social entrepreneur, life coach, published author, business leader, and inspirational speaker. She sits as the President of the Board of Directors. Through personal passion and professional leadership, Jenny has influenced national policy with regard to the issue of child sex trafficking due to her ground-breaking work with the population. Jenny led her team in creating a blueprint for success by developing—from scratch—a proven model of restoration in a long-term residential setting. ​ Jenny has spearheaded community campaigns to involve individuals, faith-based organizations, and business and government leaders in a collaborative effort to meet the needs of child victims impacted by the crime of trafficking. For her leadership, impact, and efforts in the community, Jenny has been recognized nationally, receiving awards including the prestigious FBI Director's Community Leadership Award, the Sacramento District Attorney Community Spirit Award, and the Community Impact Award from William Jessup University. She was additionally awarded the prestigious L'Oréal of Paris Women of Worth Award and was named one of the George H. W. Bush Presidential Points of Light Honorees. Jenny grew up in Jackson, Mississippi where she still has strong family and community ties, but relocated to Northern California and, later, Northern Nevada with her husband, Michael. She and Michael co-own Williamson Energy, Inc., an energy consulting business. She is a mother to three adult biological sons, two adopted adult daughters, and many other young women who now call Courage House home.

Corry Thornton is a versatile Senior Executive with extensive knowledge in sales, operations, and personnel management. Corry has a proven track record in his professional career of stepping into diverse, challenging business situations and making immediate, positive contributions and changes. Corry’s focus in his current position is optimizing operations and motivating employees while establishing marketing dominance. Corry’s attention to the financial details of the operation ensures profitability of the organization. Corry has had years of experience scaling operations through the purchase of other organizations and integrating the operations and personnel into the whole of the organization. The particular skill set Corry brings to Courage Worldwide is financial forecasting, media relations, risk management, business development, revenue cycle management, staff, financial and operations management, and creating healthy teams and culture. Corry is a native of Jackson, Mississippi where he became a rabid Ole Miss and New Orleans Saints football fan. He attended Delta State University where he played football. He now resides in Raleigh, North Carolina with his wife, 3 adult children, and 2 grandchildren.

Gary Aldridge was born in Jackson, MS, where he knew CWW’s Founder, Jenny Williamson. Gary graduated from the University of Mississippi, where he was a cheerleader, and later received his MBA from the University of Alabama. He went on to acquire other credentials in accounting and finance such as CPA, CVA, CFE, and CEPA. In 2016, he moved to Nashville, TN to be near his two adult sons and is now self-employed with a focus on helping business owners maximize their business value. His first book, titled LeveragingYOU!, is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2023. As part of Gary’s spiritual journey, he became a Christian at 12 years old, participated in college ministry, and later taught adult Sunday school on and off for over 20 years. During this time, he served on various boards related to inner city ministry. He has been on mission trips to Ukraine, Belize, and Turkey. While his passion still involves missions abroad, he has a newfound passion for helping recover young women from sexual slavery so they can pursue the lives God intended for them. Gary is in the process of setting up his own nonprofit organization called Grow2Give, the sole purpose of which is to teach business owners how to grow the value of their business so they can give to those ministries whose efforts match their own passions. Proceeds from Grow2Give will be used to support ministries such as Courage Worldwide, among others.

Edna Simbi is a graduate student who completed her Masters in International Affairs from Columbia University with a specialization International Security Policy and International Organizations. She also did her undergraduate at Columbia University, graduating with Honors in Political Science. Ms. Simbi is also a wife, a mother of two, and an advocate for women’s rights. She strongly believes no girl should suffer from sex trafficking and encourages women and girls to discover their potential and self-value, to know that they are equal participants and agents of social change, and they deserve the opportunity to thrive, grow and contribute to the community’s betterment. Ms. Simbi knows all too well the stigma of cultural practices that marginalize women. She grew up in Kenya where wife inheritance and female genital mutilation is still practiced. Where education for girls is an afterthought and where days of school are missed because of a lack of accountability. Ms. Simbi decided to take a stand and not only speak against these atrocities but make a difference. She has also been recognized for her advocacy and was awarded a change maker award for her role in women empowerment in 2017 by the United Nations. Ms. Simbi and her husband plan to return to Kenya where she will take on the role of Courage House Executive Director Kenya.

Joel has served churches and non-profit ministries for over 30 years. He planted Living Water Church in California in 1999 where he served for 18 years. He and his wife, Stephanie, are Regional Directors of Courage House in Tanzania. They also mentor girls who have transitioned from Courage House and are pursuing additional academic or vocational college education. They provide training to pastors, leaders, students, and young adults on the topics of human trafficking, the effects of trauma, emotional health, and more. Their first book, Battles and Breakthroughs in Setting Captives Free, was released in 2018. Joel grew up as a missionary kid in Madagascar and has a passion for missions and seeing local churches of all denominations work together. He has been married to Stephanie for over 30 years and they have 3 grown sons together.

Edwin Mugambila is a human rights lawyer with specialization in Trafficking in Persons, Refugee and Immigration, Gender-based Violence, and Child Protection Policy and Research. Edwin has been an active champion of TIP awareness programs in Tanzania, having appeared on TV, radio programs, and other public platforms to raise awareness of trafficking in persons. Edwin has partnered with Courage Worldwide on many community events as well as advising and training Courage House residents in their personal rights while representing their legal ones.

Tiffany's career experience has included leadership across both the private and public sectors and experience with collective impact. Tiffany has also been directly involved in youth mental health crisis response system activities, as well as modalities across prevention and postvention including strategy, assessments, communications, community engagement, and data advocacy. Throughout her career, Tiffany has developed and led common agendas, strategic planning, business planning, proforma development, funding strategies, design and construction, hiring staff and providers, and assessing performance to plan. She has been a senior leader in Washoe County for 14 years and has cultivated working relationships with community leaders across various industries. She has served on the board of directors for REMSA Health and the Nevada Hospital Association, as well as being a Hospital Advisory Member of the Nevada Physician Wellness Coalition.

Dr. Vanessa Snyder is a Georgia Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified Sex Therapist, Master Traumatologist, an American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (AAMFT) Approved Supervisor, Approved Clinical Supervisor, Certified Sex Addiction Therapist Candidate, and a Green Cross Certified Trainer. Dr. Snyder is the Chief Clinical Officer for Uncaged, an international anti-trafficking organization. Her clinical research focus is on complex trauma, including the treatment of children and adults in the commercial sex trafficking trade, both nationally and internationally. She also researches and trains organizations in secondary traumatic stress, compassion fatigue, and burnout, specifically those who serve traumatized populations. She founded Resilience Source, LLC counseling collective, in Roswell, Georgia. Resilience Source exists to counsel, consult, and train in the areas of acute and complex trauma, sexual issues, marriage and families in crisis, addiction, trauma-informed care, compassion fatigue, and organizational trauma. She is also an adjunct professor at Richmont Graduate University in Atlanta and Concordia University in Irvine. Dr. Snyder earned her Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from Regent University. She holds her Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy with a specialization in Christian Sex Therapy from Richmont Graduate University. She is clinically trained in Eye Movement and Desensitization and Reprocessing (level 2); Trauma-Informed Hypnosis (Level 2); Internal Family Systems (Level 2); Certified Sex Addiction Therapy (Mod 1, 2, & 3); Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Attachment, Regulation and Competency (ARC) Framework; Gottman Couples Therapy; and Prepare-Enrich. Dr. Snyder resides in Roswell, Georgia with her husband, Mark.

John Bullock formerly served in Britain's Royal Navy. Alongside his wife, Debbie, he has pastored churches in the UK since 1989. He was a denominational overseer in East Africa (Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi) from 1998-2001 and more recently lived and worked in missions in Tanzania. It was during this period that he became very acquainted with the work of Courage Worldwide. John and Debbie have two children and three grandchildren and they are now Lead Pastors of Kingdom Life Church and Acorn church in Newcastle in the North East of England.