Joseph Charafi
Founder & President, Stop the Traffic Foundation | Founder, Charafi Entertainment
Joseph Charafi is an award-winning filmmaker, nonprofit founder, and child safety advocate dedicated to combating child exploitation through storytelling, public awareness, and policy reform.
As the founder of Charafi Entertainment, Joseph has spent his career producing films, documentaries, and media campaigns that tackle difficult social issues and inspire meaningful action. In 2025, he founded the Stop the Traffic Foundation, a Nevada-based 501(c)(3) organization focused on preventing child trafficking and exploitation through education, advocacy, community partnerships, and legislative engagement.
Joseph's commitment to this mission is deeply personal. Years ago, he faced every parent's nightmare when his son was unlawfully taken across state lines. After months of legal battles and navigating multiple court systems, he was ultimately reunited with his child. The experience forever changed his understanding of vulnerability, family, and the importance of protecting children.
That journey led him to ask a difficult question: What happens to the children who never make it home?
Determined to make a difference, Joseph began researching the realities of child trafficking and exploitation in Nevada and across the United States. What he discovered led him to launch a movement dedicated not only to raising awareness, but also to advancing practical solutions. Through documentary filmmaking, public education campaigns, community outreach, and legislative initiatives, he works to equip families, empower communities, and advocate for systemic change.
Joseph believes that awareness without action is not enough. His vision for the Stop the Traffic Foundation is to bring together survivors, advocates, educators, law enforcement, policymakers, and everyday citizens to create a safer future for children.
He does this work because he knows how close loss can come, and because he believes every child deserves the opportunity to grow up safe, protected, and free from exploitation.
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Dr. Kent Smith
Vice President, Stop the Traffic Foundation | Educator & Community Advocate
Dr. Kent Smith serves as Vice President of the Stop the Traffic Foundation, bringing decades of experience in education, leadership, community engagement, and the arts to the Foundation’s mission of protecting children and preventing exploitation.
Kent is also a Customer Success Manager at CutTime LLC and works with Stop Human Trafficking as an educator and presenter. Through presentations to churches, schools, and community organizations across the Las Vegas Valley, he helps raise awareness about human trafficking, equips communities to recognize warning signs, and encourages practical steps to better protect young people.
Before transitioning into the corporate sector, Kent spent 30 years as an Associate Professor of Music, dedicating much of his career to teaching, mentorship, and the development of young people.
Kent holds a Bachelor of Science in Bible from the University of Valley Forge, a Master of Music in Piano Pedagogy from West Chester University, and a Doctor of Musical Arts in Church Music from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
As Vice President, Kent brings his experience as an educator, communicator, and community advocate to help strengthen the Foundation’s programs, partnerships, and outreach throughout Nevada and beyond.
Kent has been married to his wife, Karen, for 36 years. Together, they have two adult children, one son-in-law, and three grandchildren. His commitment to the next generation is deeply personal and at the heart of his passion for keeping children and families safe.
David Gleason
Stop the Traffic Foundation |
Director, Producer, and Founder of Atmos Forces Productions
David Gleason is a director, producer, and production manager whose experience spans Hollywood film sets to independent projects of faith and purpose. As the creative mind behind the upcoming feature Atmos Forces, David’s mission is to bring multi-million-dollar Christian projects—and the message of the Gospel—into mainstream entertainment.
As a board member of Stop the Traffic Foundation, David uses his creative expertise and industry connections to help expose exploitation and champion the protection of children in peril both in Las Vegas and across the nation.
A devoted husband and father, David is driven by faith, family, and a vision to use storytelling as a weapon for light in a dark world.
Cody Whipple
Communications Advisor | Hiko, Nevada / Las Vegas, Nevada
Cody Whipple is a fourth-generation Nevadan, small business owner, and communications infrastructure specialist based in Hiko, Nevada. He founded and operates a regional digital two-way communications network that supports first responders, school districts, and emergency agencies across Nevada and the surrounding Southwest.
Through his communications business, Whipple has helped improve coordination between public safety agencies, rural communities, and emergency responders, strengthening infrastructure for crisis response and situational awareness. He also manages his family’s cattle ranch and has spent more than two decades building businesses that serve rural and urban Nevada communities.
Whipple’s work focuses on strengthening public safety communications, connecting agencies, and ensuring reliable coordination during emergencies. His background in rural operations, infrastructure development, and multi-agency communications provides valuable insight into response readiness and community resilience.
As Communications Advisor for the Stop the Traffic Foundation, Whipple supports strategy related to outreach, emergency coordination, and public safety communications.
Luke McCarthy
Crisis Management Expert | Las Vegas, Nevada
Luke McCarthy is a veteran firefighter and crisis management professional serving the Las Vegas community for more than two decades. He currently serves with the Clark County Fire Department and has held leadership responsibilities within the International Association of Firefighters Local 1908, where he has been involved in public safety advocacy and candidate evaluation efforts.
McCarthy holds academic degrees in political science and fire science administration, along with a master’s degree in crisis and emergency management from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. His career spans service in multiple fire departments including Atlanta and Arlington County, Virginia, before joining Clark County in 2006.
In addition to frontline emergency response, McCarthy has worked as a franchise consultant supporting first responders transitioning into entrepreneurship, and has been involved in community discussions around homelessness, housing, and public safety policy in Southern Nevada.
With extensive experience responding to emergencies, coordinating multi-agency operations, and managing crisis situations, McCarthy brings operational leadership and real-world emergency response expertise to the Stop the Traffic Foundation.
Our Team.
The Movement Behind the Mission
At Stop the Traffic Foundation, our team is more than staff, we are storytellers, survivors, strategists, and advocates bound by a single belief: child trafficking must end in our lifetime.
With backgrounds spanning filmmaking, nonprofit leadership, law enforcement collaboration, crisis response, and public policy, we bring both heart and precision to everything we do. From producing national awareness campaigns to crafting AI hotline systems and Safe Haven training kits, our team is committed to bold, collaborative, and measurable impact.
We’re not here to maintain the status quo —
we’re here to shift it.