Meet the Staff

Mala Malstead

President, Co-Founder Freedom Firm USA

Mala Malstead, an American, was born in Kolkata India in 1970. She spent her first three years in Kolkata and then aboard Operation Mobilzation's ocean-going ship. Living and attending school aboard the Logos, Mala experienced over 40 different countries before she turned 10 years old. The family moved to the US in 1980. When she was eighteen, Mala first heard about child sex-trafficking when she was 18 years old as a senior in highshool (1988). An Indian friend of the family who worked with women in the red-light district in Kolkata, told her about young girls who were sold and forced into sexual slavery. Deeply concerned about this injustice, she vowed to work in India after finishing college.

In 1988 I heard for the first time about girls being sold into prostitution in the city of Kolkata, India. The stories impacted me so profoundly, I had to act.

Leah Henck

Leah completed her MBA from Regent University in December 2008 before joining her future husband in India in January 2009.  Together they spent the next 7 years in Freedom Firm's Pune field office.  During this time, Leah and Mala worked together to found Ruhamah Designs, a business dedicated to providing rescued women a healthy, sustainable livelihood.  After returning to the U.S., Leah rejoined Freedom Firm USA to manage accounts, audits, taxes, and other interesting necessities!  

Treasurer

I love being a part of this team of dedicated people who are willing to get down in the dirt to fight trafficking!

Cathy DiNoto

Side benefit…my new role allows for more time with beloved family members as well as time in the woods. Rescue, restoration and justice takes many hands and willing hearts, so blessed to join the work in progress in the US and partner with my sisters & brothers in India!

Grants Project Manager 4

After leading a women's team from my home church to join a Freedom Camp in 2019 I felt God's call to invest deeper...Making a decision to be semi-retired, leaving Corporate IT and being invited to join the Freedom Firm USA staff is a great gift, "more than I could ask or imagine."