Our Rescue Welcomes Internationally Recognized Child Protection Expert Jim Cole

SALT LAKE CITY, March 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Our Rescue, a global nonprofit on a mission to end Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation, today announced that internationally recognized child exploitation expert Jim Cole has joined as the Senior Advisor, Cyber Strategy & Child Protection. In this role, Cole will focus on strengthening partnerships with law enforcement and accelerating the identification and protection of child victims worldwide.

Cole brings nearly 37 years of experience in government and law enforcement, including service as a Supervisory Special Agent with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). While serving at the HSI Cyber Crimes Center (C3), he founded the agency's first Victim Identification Program and Laboratory, building systems that have helped identify and rescue thousands of children around the world.

Cole is widely regarded as a global subject matter expert in child exploitation, victim identification, digital forensics, and artificial intelligence. A career spent shaping investigative tools and cross-agency collaboration has strengthened law enforcement's ability to identify victims and hold offenders accountable. That expertise reinforces Our Rescue's commitment to empowering Law Enforcement in the fight against Human Trafficking and Child Sexual Exploitation.

"Jim has dedicated his career to helping law enforcement find victims faster and care for them more effectively," said CEO Derek Benner. "He is one of the world's foremost experts in victim identification, and he understands how to turn technology and collaboration into real-world results. His leadership strengthens our ability to support partners with credibility and practical impact."

In his new role, Cole will work closely with domestic and international law enforcement agencies to expand access to proven investigative tools, strengthen collaboration, and support training that improves case outcomes. Cole will also advance key initiatives that support Our Rescue specific programs, such as ICAC Connect and the Interstate Justice Coalition, ensuring they remain responsive to the evolving needs of task forces on the front lines of child exploitation and trafficking cases.

"As online child exploitation cases continue to rise, we have to work smarter and faster," said Bill Walker, SVP of Operations at Our Rescue. "Jim understands what it takes to move investigations forward in complex environments, and his experience will immediately strengthen our operational support to partners."

"From a cyber perspective, Jim created and shaped many of the investigative tools agencies rely on today," added John Trenary, VP of Cyber at Our Rescue. "His experience and expertise will strengthen how we support technology driven investigations."

Cole's addition reflects Our Rescue's commitment to strengthening long-term law enforcement and practitioner partnerships, expanding capabilities and impact to ultimately better protect vulnerable children.

About Our Rescue
Our Rescue is a global nonprofit on a mission to end Human trafficking and Child Exploitation, while empowering survivors on their healing journey.

For more information about Our Rescue's work, visit www.ourrescue.org.

SOURCE Our Rescue