Alicia "Kozak" Kozakiewicz, M.A.
Motivational Speaker,
Victim and Missing Persons Advocate,
Internet Safety Expert
& Survivor
Alicia “Kozak” Kozakiewicz is an internationally-acclaimed and highly sought-after motivational speaker, Internet safety expert, victim and missing persons advocate, and television personality who has inspired millions through her in person and on-screen appearances. Passionate and straight-from-the-heart, Alicia motivates her audiences to transcend life’s challenges, pursue their passions, and discover their purpose. Alicia’s extraordinary life story exemplifies the strength of the human spirit’s ability to overcome adversity and to deny defeat.
Internet safety expert and founder of The Alicia Project, for the past 17 years she has pioneered insightful Internet safety and sexual exploitation awareness presentations to children and adults. One of the most vocal and outspoken advocates for child safety legislation, Alicia has testified before Congress and works to pass Alicia’s Law, her namesake, which provides funding to the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force enabling them to rescue endangered children.
Alicia was formerly part of the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC) as the Director of Outreach and Global Impact. As ICMEC's spokesperson, she used the platform to protect children globally. As a member of ICMEC, Alicia worked toward the prevention, response, recovery, and healing of every missing, sexually abused, and exploited children to make certain that no child stands alone.
She has been featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show, Dr. Phil, Fox & Friends, Good Morning America, Anderson Live, Investigation Discovery (ID), The CW, ABC, BBC, A&E, CNN, MSNBC, and many others, as well as in international publications such as People Magazine and Cosmopolitan.
"I have never met anyone like her"
"My name is Pauley Perette, I play Abby Scuito on the CBS television show NCIS. There is no way to express how highly I recommend this amazing young woman. Alicia Kozakiewicz and I met while working with America's Most Wanted and John Walsh on a television program about abductions and we have remained very close ever since. Amazingly, Alicia has used her recovery and experience to spend her life educating and protecting children. I have never met anyone like her - her strength, her grace, her intelligence, her heart, and her commitment to using her experience to protect others is unmatched. She is saving lives and changing the world."
Pauley Perette
NCIS Actress and Activist
SURVIVOR
At the age of 13, Alicia Kozakiewicz became the first widely reported Internet-related child abduction victim. The abduction took place on January 1, 2002, when Alicia was kidnapped outside of her Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania home after having been groomed online and lured by an Internet predator. The 38-year-old man transported Alicia by car to his Herndon, Virginia home where she was held captive in his basement dungeon. Throughout her captivity, Alicia was chained by the neck, sexually assaulted, and her torture was live-streamed. Terrified, knowing that the man would soon kill her, Alicia struggled to maintain hope that she would be found. Unbeknownst to her, the FBI received a tip from an online informant who had seen the livestream video. Following digital footprints, law enforcement stormed the captor’s home and discovered the petrified 13-year-old girl chained to the floor. Cutting the chain from around her neck, Alicia was set free.
"Thank you so much"
"Alicia, I can not thank you enough for coming and talking to my school today! I have made a "fake" Facebook and talked to people on it.Today I got home and first thing I did was delete all of my pics and info then unfriended everyone on it and deactivated it. I had this because I think I might be gay and have nobody to talk about it because I feel like everyone will see me as a different person... Thank you so much for sharing your story!"
Grade 7 Student
Erie, PA
ADVOCATE
Following a period of counseling and healing, at just 14 years old, Alicia made the choice to fight back. Refusing to let her traumatic experience define her, but rather, choosing to define it, Alicia began to share her story and motivational message through The Alicia Project. Age appropriate, but never sugar-coated, she continues to educate families and children of all ages, and with presentations tailored to fit each specific audience, Alicia astounds communities, corporations, law enforcement, as well as social and governmental agencies. Alicia has been honored to present at corporations such as JPMorgan Chase Bank, FedEx, Mayo Clinic, Caterpillar, Kimberly-Clark, RSA, Australia Information Security Association (AISA), among others, providing both employee motivation and awareness. She has traveled to Canada and Australia to share her story and inspirational message and is looking forward to future international presentations.
Alicia works to secure the passage of her namesake, Alicia's Law, in all 50 states. Alicia's Law provides a dedicated steady stream of state-specific funding to the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task forces.
Recently, an electronic-sniffing K9 Officer was added to the Wisconsin police. He was named “Kozak,” in honor of Alicia.
Alicia’s documentaries include the multiple award-winning PBS film, Alicia’s Message: I’m Here to Save Your Life and Enough is Enough’s Emmy award-winning, Alicia’s Story. Alicia has also been featured in industrial Internet safety films and PSAs for Investigation Discovery (ID), the FBI, Office of the Attorney General, Protect, and the National Center for Missing Exploited Children, among others. Directly sharing her inspirational message with surviving abductees, Alicia has co-authored a Department of Justice OJJDP publication, You’re Not Alone: The Journey from Abduction to Empowerment.
Engaged by the FBI, Alicia has trained the National Academy as part of the “Youth Violence: Victims and Perpetrators” program. Alicia is also a board member of Pennsylvania State University’s Sexual Assault Forensic Examination Telehealth Center (SAFE-T Center), which was launched with support from the Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime as a solution to enhance access to high quality sexual assault care in under-served communities. Additionally, she is an Airline Ambassador International representative, spokesperson, and Human Trafficking Awareness Trainer.
MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER
To provide deeper understanding of victimology and predatory crime, Alicia has earned a Master’s Degree in Forensic Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. She has been invited to share her journey as part of the Clinton School of Public Service Distinguished Speaker Series. For her contributions to society, Alicia was honored to receive the Courage Award from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, a Jefferson Award, and U.S. Presidential recognition.
Entertaining, uplifting, and inspiring, whether keynote, workshop, or onscreen, Alicia’s message empowers her audiences to maintain hope, aim high, and achieve their goals.
Additionally, Alicia works as a consultant for various projects, including the NBC television series, "GONE,” lending unique insight and her expertise to the cast.
Alicia’s life, mission, and passion prove that she – that all of us – are more than our stories.
"The Alicia Project brings a
unique perspective"
"It’s amazing how students respond to Alicia Kozakiewicz in the classroom. She is able to connect with kids in a way that law enforcement cannot. Additionally, The Alicia Project brings a unique perspective to child abduction and child sex abuse from the eyes of a survivor. As a law enforcement officer, it is crucial to understand both sides of this gruesome crime, not only for the purposes of prosecution, but for the influence and support that I
want to have with my survivors."
Terry Buckley
Investigator, TN
Internet Crimes Against Children
"it can happen to anyone"
"Dear Ms. Alicia, I am thankful that you were able to come to my school and share your story with us. I know that it must be hard for you tell everyone all around the world your story. You are one strong, brave person. I know people a lot of people do not survive what happened to you and make it out alive, but you have. You have taught me how to be more careful online. There was a time when a grown-up contacted me and tried to talk to me online. I did not know he was was a grown-up at first. He told me he was my age and tried to talk to me, but I found out he was a lot older. Because of you, I now know what I need to do if I am ever in a similar situation. You taught me that it can happen to anyone, no matter how old, big or small.
You can still be a victim"
Grade 9 Student
Moundsville, WV