Deborah Sigmund and Matt Osborne

On this fourth episode of "Turning A Million Eyes To Save Lives," we hear Innocents at Risk Founder and Director Deborah Sigmund in conversation with Matt Osborne, Director of International Operations for Operation Underground Railroad, also known as O.U.R., a privately run organization founded by Tim Ballard in 2013 to rescue children from sex trafficking and sexual exploitation. O.U.R. has made a significant impact in the fight to end sex trafficking and sexual exploitation by rescuing and supporting thousands of survivors in 30 countries and all 50 American states.

Prior to becoming the Director of International Operations for Operation Underground Railroad, Matt Osborne served with the Central Intelligence Agency and the Department of State, where he worked issues related to terrorism against the homeland, illegal narcotics, organized crime, and human trafficking. He regularly provided secrets and analysis to U.S. presidents, senior Cabinet officials, and the National Security Council.

With Operation Underground Railroad, Matt has led a total of 21 undercover rescue operations overseas that resulted in the liberation of 206 human trafficking victims and the arrest of 63 suspected traffickers. He's been married for almost 25 years and has two daughters who give him the drive to fight child exploitation and human trafficking.

Five years ago this month, Innocents at Risk welcomed Matt Osborne as special guest of honor at Innocents at Risk's 2017 Gala, held in Washington, D.C., at the Organization of American States under the patronage of the Ambassador of the Dominican Republic. We hear about that event and the work Innocents at Risk and Operation Underground Railroad have done in collaboration.

We also hear about the dangerous on-the-ground work conducted by O.U.R.'s ops team of highly experienced current and former law enforcement personnel, and the forthcoming feature film "Sound of Freedom," which tells the story of Tim Ballard and O.U.R.’s greatest rescue of more than a hundred children. The rescue took place in Cartagena, Colombia, and was a success due to the partnership of O.U.R. and the government of Colombia and their special forces. We can all look forward to seeing the powerful action film "Sound of Freedom" later this year in theaters everywhere.