E. Benjamin Skinner (born May 4, 1976) is a writer on modern-day slavery [1] and Founder and President of Transparentem. [2]
Skinner began his career at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York City, where he focused on U.S. foreign policy. [3][ failed verification] While at the Council in August 2001, he met veteran diplomat Richard C. Holbrooke. [4] Skinner soon became "one of Holbrooke’s youngest protégés," [5] and his Special Assistant for the next three years. Subsequently, he also worked for journalist David Halberstam [6] and Gen. Stanley McChrystal (U.S. Army, Ret.). [7] In 2003, while on assignment in Sudan for Newsweek International, Skinner met his first survivor of slavery. [8]
As a writer, Skinner has infiltrated trafficking networks and slave quarries, urban child markets and illegal brothels, going undercover when necessary. [9] His work has appeared in Time, Bloomberg Businessweek, Travel + Leisure, the Los Angeles Times, the Miami Herald and Foreign Affairs and Foreign Policy, among others. [10][ failed verification]
The New York Times and The Boston Globe called Skinner's first book, A Crime So Monstrous, "devastating." [11] The book was awarded the 2009 Dayton Literary Peace Prize for nonfiction, [12] as well as a citation from the Overseas Press Club in its book category for 2008.[ citation needed] He was also named one of National Geographic's Adventurers of the Year 2008.[ citation needed] The book was published in Czech, German, Korean, Italian, and Polish translations. Chapters from the book have been adapted for an Emmy Award-winning episode of ABC's Nightline and for NBC's Law & Order. [13]
Starting in 2009, Skinner was a Senior Fellow at the Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism at Brandeis University, [10][ failed verification] where he focused on tracing slavery in corporate supply chains from theaters like the New Zealand fishing industry [14] and Indonesian palm oil plantations [15] to U.S. and Chinese consumer markets. Previously, he was the first fellow for human trafficking at the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. [9] In 2011, the World Economic Forum named Skinner one of its Young Global Leaders, [10][ failed verification] and he formerly served on the Forum's Global Agenda Council on Illicit Trade. [13] Skinner is a former senior vice president at Tau Investment Management. [2]
Skinner was raised in Wisconsin and northern Nigeria where his father served as a British colonial administrator. [9] Skinner comes from a long line of abolitionists. His great-great-grandfather, Robert Pratt, served with the 1st Connecticut Artillery at the Siege of Petersburg, which led to Lee's surrender at Appomattox. [12] Skinner received his bachelor's degree from Wesleyan University. [10][ failed verification] He currently lives in Manhattan, NY. [16]
E. Benjamin Skinner (born May 4, 1976) is a writer on modern-day slavery [1] and Founder and President of Transparentem. [2]
Skinner began his career at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York City, where he focused on U.S. foreign policy. [3][ failed verification] While at the Council in August 2001, he met veteran diplomat Richard C. Holbrooke. [4] Skinner soon became "one of Holbrooke’s youngest protégés," [5] and his Special Assistant for the next three years. Subsequently, he also worked for journalist David Halberstam [6] and Gen. Stanley McChrystal (U.S. Army, Ret.). [7] In 2003, while on assignment in Sudan for Newsweek International, Skinner met his first survivor of slavery. [8]
As a writer, Skinner has infiltrated trafficking networks and slave quarries, urban child markets and illegal brothels, going undercover when necessary. [9] His work has appeared in Time, Bloomberg Businessweek, Travel + Leisure, the Los Angeles Times, the Miami Herald and Foreign Affairs and Foreign Policy, among others. [10][ failed verification]
The New York Times and The Boston Globe called Skinner's first book, A Crime So Monstrous, "devastating." [11] The book was awarded the 2009 Dayton Literary Peace Prize for nonfiction, [12] as well as a citation from the Overseas Press Club in its book category for 2008.[ citation needed] He was also named one of National Geographic's Adventurers of the Year 2008.[ citation needed] The book was published in Czech, German, Korean, Italian, and Polish translations. Chapters from the book have been adapted for an Emmy Award-winning episode of ABC's Nightline and for NBC's Law & Order. [13]
Starting in 2009, Skinner was a Senior Fellow at the Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism at Brandeis University, [10][ failed verification] where he focused on tracing slavery in corporate supply chains from theaters like the New Zealand fishing industry [14] and Indonesian palm oil plantations [15] to U.S. and Chinese consumer markets. Previously, he was the first fellow for human trafficking at the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. [9] In 2011, the World Economic Forum named Skinner one of its Young Global Leaders, [10][ failed verification] and he formerly served on the Forum's Global Agenda Council on Illicit Trade. [13] Skinner is a former senior vice president at Tau Investment Management. [2]
Skinner was raised in Wisconsin and northern Nigeria where his father served as a British colonial administrator. [9] Skinner comes from a long line of abolitionists. His great-great-grandfather, Robert Pratt, served with the 1st Connecticut Artillery at the Siege of Petersburg, which led to Lee's surrender at Appomattox. [12] Skinner received his bachelor's degree from Wesleyan University. [10][ failed verification] He currently lives in Manhattan, NY. [16]