Ep. 523 - Brittany Dunn – Remarkable Resilience and Building Hope in 90 Days

Second in Command: The Chief Behind the Chief with Cameron Herold

In this powerful episode of the Second in Command Podcast, co-host Sivana Brewer sits down with Brittany Dunn, COO and co-founder of Safe House Project, a national nonprofit dedicated to eradicating human trafficking in the United States.

Brittany shares the remarkable story of how she and her co-founder built Safe House Project from an idea into a nationwide movement, launching a full organization in just 90 days while balancing motherhood, military life, and a mission to save lives.

She discusses how her background in international business and M&A shaped her operational mindset, and how she’s using corporate systems to solve one of the world’s most complex humanitarian challenges. From developing Simply Report, a tech platform helping identify trafficking cases, to fostering a trauma-informed team culture, Brittany offers a masterclass in leadership under pressure, emotional resilience, and purpose-driven innovation.

Timestamped Highlights

[00:01:00] – Brittany shares the mission behind Safe House Project and how it began.

[00:02:15] – Only 100 safe house beds existed for 300,000 trafficked kids—why resources were so scarce.

[00:04:26] – How two military spouses built a national nonprofit in 90 days.

[00:06:01] – Why they launched nationally instead of locally (and how it changed everything).

[00:08:00] – A day in the life: policy, survivor support, sting operations, and leadership.

[00:10:20] – The corporate skills that transferred and the ones that didn’t.

[00:12:17] – Balancing strategy with empathy: why people aren’t “projects.”

[00:13:01] – Hiring survivors to co-create programs that work in real life.

[00:15:27] – The emotional weight of leading in trauma-informed work.

[00:17:14] – Launching Simply Report, a new tech platform for anonymous trafficking tips.

[00:19:00] – The behavioral algorithm behind Simply Report and how it works.

[00:21:17] – The power of partnerships and why Brittany took every call early on.

[00:22:41] – Preventing burnout: clarity, communication, and individualized care.

[00:25:37] – Inside her relationship with her co-founder and how they model healthy conflict.

[00:29:23] – Building a culture of trust, ownership, and open dialogue (“Cuss and Discuss”).

[00:34:05] – How Safe House Project hires intentionally and why cultural fit matters most.

[00:36:10] – The art of letting go: why firing fast protects mission and morale.

[00:37:30] – A recent setback and how the team turned disappointment into innovation.

[00:40:18] – Choosing integrity over comfort: giving back salaries during COVID to keep promises.

[00:42:01] – Daily rhythms that keep Brittany grounded in hard seasons.

[00:43:23] – The next big challenge: state-level adoption of Simply Report.

[00:44:13] – A hopeful look ahead: documentary, podcast, and shifting public awareness.

Resources & Mentions

• Safe House Project
• Simply Report App (iOS & Android) – Anonymous reporting tool for human trafficking
• Trust-Based Leadership by David Horsager
• StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Gallup
• Radical Candor by Kim Scott
• Kolbe Index

About the Guest

Brittany Dunn is the COO and co-founder of Safe House Project, a national nonprofit on a mission to eradicate human trafficking in the United States. Drawing from her corporate background in international business development and M&A, Brittany has helped scale Safe House Project into a leading force for survivor advocacy, education, and policy reform.

Under her leadership, the organization has supported thousands of survivors, built national coalitions, and launched innovative technology like Simply Report, which enables citizens to identify and report trafficking cases in minutes.

Brittany is also a military spouse, author, and mother of two, balancing purpose-driven leadership with heart-centered resilience.

🔗 LinkedIn | Website | Email | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

About the Co-Host

Sivana Brewer is a Fractional COO for Remote Teams and former COO at Closers.io, where she helped scale the company to multiple eight figures and built over 500+ sales teams in just 2.5 years. She specializes in leadership development, remote operations, and systems that empower teams to grow sustainably.

🔗 Connect with Sivana on LinkedIn

Important Links

• Connect with Cameron: Website | LinkedIn
• Explore the COO Alliance - The World’s Leading Community for Seconds in Command
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• Take Cameron’s leadership course: Invest In Your Leaders Online Course (Use promo code PODCAST10 before the end of the month for 10% off)
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