2017 Speakers

 

Keynote Speakers

Carrie Ichikawa Jenkins and Tracy Bear

Speakers



Adam Koebel

Adam Koebel is a full time content creator who uses YouTube and Twitch as a platform for discussing the way games impact the LGBT+ narrative. He’s a queer relationship anarchist with a lot to say. He also plays a lot of Dungeons & Dragons.



Alex S. Morgan

Alex S. Morgan is a gender, sexuality, and relationship coach, a sexual rights advocate, and a genderqueer sacred intimate. Working directly with others’ sexuality since 2004 has given Alex a deft sensitivity to the needs of those exploring new facets of themselves and an understanding of the power of connection and authenticity in both our public and private lives. A believer in continuing education for all adults exploring sex, gender, and relationships, Alex presents internationally on relationships, kink, sexuality, gender, and related policy and social justice issues at venues ranging from private workshops to public organizations, Stanford to SXSW. They offer talks, private workshops, and inservice trainings by request. Alex is available for individual and couples coaching and sacred intimate work via Skype, at their practice in the Bay Area, or at your location by request.

Follow Alex S. Morgan on Facebook, on Twitter as @Alex_S_Morgan, or at http://alexsmorgan.com



Anlina Sheng

Anlina is a sex educator, poly activist, sex worker, and harm reduction proponent. Since 2010, Anlina has been working on community building and activism in Winnipeg and beyond, including founding PolyWinnipeg and the Sex Workers of Winnipeg Action Coalition. They currently work at the Manitoba Harm Reduction Network as a rural coordinator. 

Anlina frequently presents at conferences, universities and community events across Canada, and has worked around the globe on sex workers rights. 

Anlina is a genderqueer, polyamorous, multiracial queer who loves cats. 



Angie Gunn

Angie Gunn LCSW is a therapist in private practice in Portland, OR, and online through Talkspace, who as a queer, kinky, polyamorous slut, fights to balance personal and professional fulfillment and sexual expression. She serves LGBTQIPA+, kinky, non-monogamous, sexual trauma, and others as an ally, advocate, and resource for connection, change and healing. She also serves as Sex Therapy Expert for Talkspace, more than 1000 therapists. Trained in sexuality, trauma, attachment and family systems, She worked as a therapist and clinical social worker, identifying the barriers to healthy relationships, sexual expression, and overall well-being and assisting in developing resiliency skills. She’s also experienced in training, facilitation as well as mediation across different audiences. 



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Carrie Ichikawa Jenkins – Keynote

Carrie Jenkins is Canada Research Chair and Professor of Philosophy at the University of British Columbia, where she heads up a multi-year interdisciplinary research project on the metaphysics of romantic love. Her new book What Love Is And What It Could Be has been described by Booklist as “a master class in how to think and why.” Publishers Weekly says she “shakes things up from the very start” and “her vulnerable voice is charming and relatable.” Carrie has also recently written for Elle Canada, The Establishment, and The Globe and Mail. She lives in Vancouver and tweets @carriejenkins.



Cathy Vartuli

Cathy is a sex-positive Emotional Freedom Coach who helps people transform their traumas into their greatest strengths using love, laughter and inner guidance. She uses a practical yet intuitive approach to help people connect with their own power and guidance. Prior to establishing her coaching business, Cathy got her Masters in Physics at SUNY Binghamton and her PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Florida. She has 19 patents and works in major semiconductor companies doing R&D.

On topics around body image, shame reprogramming, and powerful self-expression, Cathy helps clients of all shapes, sizes, ages, and gender expressions break out of old patterns and find their voice, with a focus on helping those who feel shy or awkward gaining their confidence.

As an all around geek who compulsively studies marketing and consensual influence… She also loves helping heart-centered sex-positive businesses find their unique voice and expand their audience and increase abundance. 



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Chad Walters

Chad Walters, from Tsilhqot’in Nation’s Williams Lake in northern BC, is a recent graduate student from UBC, completing his Master of Social Work degree in 2016. His academic career focused on health, anti-oppression and LGBT+ issues and activism as they relate to local, national and international phenomena. With a deep-seated interest in diversity, culture and the Newcomer experience, Chad’s Master’s research focused on the experience of LGBT+ asylum seekers and refugees.

His interest in LGBT+ refugees, and his inclination towards activism and action, landed him on the Board of Directors of the Foundation of Hope. The sole purpose of the Foundation is to raise funds and distribute grants to other Canadian charities and sponsorship groups that are directly supporting LGBT+ Newcomers and Refugees. Chad values sexual and personal liberation and expression, and therefore fully endorses the Foundation’s vision of “A world where LGBT+ Newcomers and Refugees can live safely and be themselves.” 



Cherish Dorrington

Cherish Dorrington has a great passion in life: to assist others in finding the freedom to live their lives their way, without guilt, shame or fear. Having spent 20+ years working as a psychological therapist, she’s observed the struggles of countless partnerships and differing relationship dynamics, largely due to expectations that don’t meet with reality. In recent years, she redirected her focus to concentrate solely on sex and relationship coaching, so that she could put her energies where her passion lies: setting people free from sexual and relational shame and creating an environment of courageous vulnerability and personal ownership.

Cherish has offered workshops on both poly and kink, over the past 15 years or so, is an instructor with Polyamory Starter Kit, and has been a director for two alternative sexuality organizations.

Cherish believes that the way we see life determines our experience of it. If this be so, then shifting perspectives makes change possible. After witnessing so many individuals who really long for a more fulfilled life, she believes it’s time to equip, empower and cheer them on.



Cora Bilsker

Cora Bilsker believes that exploration, acceptance and being asked excellent questions can change your life. She has been building knowledge of unconventional relationships and sexuality since 2000 and began her practice, Nested Heart Counselling, to provide recognition and emotional support to people in Victoria and Vancouver, BC. As a Registered Social Worker, Cora strives to nurture holistic perspectives, integrating concepts such as systemic oppression, intersectionality and generational trauma into her practice. Sessions with Cora offer clients a compassionate space to release the heaviness they have been carrying and discover new ways of living free of shame and fear. Cora is also an instructor with Polyamory Starter Kit, which began with the intention to reach out to people exploring opening up a relationship for the first time and has since expanded to providing a plethora of workshops for professionals, couples and groups. Self-expression without fear is what Cora is passionate about, and whether you’re struggling with an unconventional relationship structure or something else entirely, she knows that her welcoming and knowledgeable approach can make a significant contribution to the freedom you feel you have to heal.



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Elisabeth van Assum

Elisabeth van Assum has inhabited many identities; some in dark sweaty rooms and some in bright shining places. Long an advocate of radical empowerment and critical self-analysis, Elisabeth now manifests as an engaged clinical counsellor who fiercely and compassionately supports clients in their processes of self-liberation and empowerment. Her first contact with academic Feminism and Queer Theory came in the form of bell hook’s fluidic text Feminist Theory: From Margin to Centre and it’s all been uphill from there.

Currently she serves clients who live with life transition issues, depression and inter & intra generational trauma.

Elisabeth has UBC honours BA in Women’s Studies and Sociology; thesis on Women and Bisexual Identity; A Masters in Women’s Studies from the Universty of Utrecht; thesis on Islam and Racism in the Netherlands; and a UBC Masters in Counselling Psychology, unfinished thesis on Women’s Knowledge of Fertility.

Connect further with Elisabeth at www.elisabethvanassum.com.



Fredrick

Fredrick focuses upon “Teaching the Art within Sexual Acts” as a sensual educator in Tantra + Kink.

www.TantricKink.com

Being a sensual educator has allowed me to teach others how to engage and explore their passions in a way that is fun, loving, and safe both mentally and physically.

Often one or more people in a partnership have a curiosity, that they have wanted to explore, but had not yet felt the permission do so such. Then with some guidance, I can see the glow in them as their worlds open up and are full of possibilities for the expression of their love together! I love this, and it is the primary motivation that I have to teach more in the future.

The subjects that I have enjoyed teaching are: Dominance / submission, Ritual, Protocol, Tantra, Consensual Communication, Multi-Modal Sensual Connection, Power / Energy Exchange, Listening, Rope Arts, Fire, Wax and Electrical Play, Extending Touch with Toys, Primal Tactility, Service, and Etiquette.



Gloria Jackson-Nefertiti

Gloria Jackson-Nefertiti is a poet, public speaker, panelist, singer, photographer, performance artist and long-time artist’s model, as well as a former fundamentalist Christian and cult member. She is also a breast cancer survivor. In fact, the cancer diagnosis in 2013 helped her realize how short life is; this served as the catalyst that caused her to come out as sex-positive, bisexual and polyamorous. Most importantly, it helped her to finally set boundaries and refuse to accept shabby treatment (especially shaming) from others. She is very much interested in helping others identify shame, recognize shaming behavior, and finally, to transcend shame. She lives in Seattle, WA.

You can learn more about Gloria from the articles, “There are no Absolutes with Anything” and “Life with Two Boyfriends: Inside a Polyamorous Relationship”.



Jillian Deri

Jillian Deri is the author of Love’s Refraction; Jealousy and Compersion in Queer Women’s Polyamorous Relationships. She’s a lecturer in Gender & Women’s Studies at University of British Columbia Okanagan (in Kelowna).



Joslyn Mae Nerdahl

Joslyn is a sex educator, intimacy coach and human & sexual rights advocate who believes strongly in communication and consent. Her passion is helping people learn how to talk about sex and helping clients find safe ways of exploring how to get their sexual needs met, creating healthier individuals, couples, families and communities. She specializes in sex and disability and rehabilitative sex education. She is the co-founder and a primary director at The Sacred Sex Foundation; a non-profit Vancouver based organization dedicated to empowering, educating and advocating for healthy human sexuality. She volunteers at Pace Society helping DTES sex workers with transition and support services when she isn’t coaching clients, studying to complete her clinical sexology degree, traveling or tending to her son. You can find her at www.mojomediator.com for more information.



Kale Gōsen

Kale loves geeking out about relationships and sexuality. That, along with a deep need to continually be learning new things, led her to create the website www.relationship-anarchy.com, to start a Facebook group, to lead a monthly discussion night in Vancouver BC, to create videos on YouTube, start a podcast, and organize Converge Con, the first conference of it’s kind on the west coast of Canada. She is a queer relationship anarchist, and spoke about relationship anarchy at Harvard in 2016.



Kate Sinclaire

Kate Sinclaire is a porno tour de force. Residing in the somewhat unlikely city of Winnipeg, Kate has been making porn, both soft and hard, for over a decade. She is the owner and founder of philanthropic softcore site cherrystems.com, and the ethically minded queer hardcore production company, Ciné Sinclaire. When not making porn, she’s in charge of sales for Fuze, a Canadian silicone toy company, and is a member of the Sex Workers of Winnipeg Action Coalition. She has spoken at many conferences and events, and has been featured in major Canadian publications on topics like performer safety, porn literacy, and the importance of DIY.

Kate obtained a B.Arts at the University of Manitoba, studying sociology and philosophy, and continues casual study outside of degree programs. 

Otherwise, you can find her in her garden, on her bike, or hoisting a drink with friends.



Lauren Shay

Lauren Shay is a Registered Clinical Counsellor, Registered Social Worker, sexual health educator, and anti-violence activist who resides in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Lauren has worked with feminist anti-violence organizations since 2008, including Battered Women’s Support Services and WAVAW.  Through individual counselling and facilitation of support groups, she helps clients recognize the long-term impacts of trauma on their lives, learn functional coping strategies, and improve their relationships with themselves, their loved ones, and the world they live in.  Recently, she has developed and facilitated support groups which focus on recovery from the sexual impacts of sexual violence.   

Lauren also works to create structural change through policy development and program design. She has helped progressive social agencies across the Lower Mainland to implement harm reduction practices which promote inclusion of drug users, sex workers, and other marginalized and pathologized groups.  

Lauren is registered with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors and the BC Association of Social Workers.  She got her Masters in Social Work at the University of British Columbia.  She completed Sex Therapy training at the University of Guelph and the Sexual Health Educator Certification program through Options for Sexual Health.



Little Woo

Little Woo is the founder of the School of Enchantment, offering courses and coaching on the art of being a Magical Human: one who creates a meaningful life with Compassion and Imagination! 

Formerly feeling like “The Loneliest Girl in the World”, Little Woo is now a mentor and speaker who inspires people to bring Beauty and Magic into their relationships, work and everyday life!  Whenever we share our Love and Creativity, we access our true soul AND spread Enchantment in the world.  

For 12 years, Little Woo has created safe spaces for deep explorations of our humanity, sharing tools for empowerment and transformation.  From learning how to say YES to Life fully to knowing how to say NO gracefully, her teachings have helped students and clients in Canada, USA, Costa Rica, Europe, China and India.  It is possible to be happy AND creative in THIS lifetime! Please join her www.littlewoo.org



Dr. Liz

Dr. Liz believes that great sex can change the world. She is on a mission to help you have more meaningful, pleasurable relationships in life and work, as well as the bedroom. She’s a coach and licensed psychologist (CA 27871, AZ 4315) helping couples and singles develop self-confidence and honesty in their relationships, whether conventional or non-traditional. Dr. Liz makes regular media appearances, including a recurring guest host on the Life on the Swing Set podcast. As a sex educator, Dr. Liz has spoken on many stages including the AASECT Annual Conference, CatalystCon, and the Woodhull Sexual Freedom Summit. Dr Liz believes that being confident in who you are is the gateway to great relationships and great sex – and great sex, according to Dr. Liz, can change the world. Learn more about Dr. Liz at sexpositivepsych.com.



Meagan Lee Filteau

Meagan Lee Filteau is a sex geek, educator, and adventurer born and raised in Calgary, AB. During the daytime, she works at the Calgary Sexual Health Centre, delivering comprehensive sex education for youth through a feminist, anti-oppresive lens. Her extracurricular passion is leading Eudaimonia Sexuality Seminars, a volunteer-run organisation that offers pleasure based sex education for adults. Since 2014, Meagan and the Eudaimonia team have built and facilitated over 40 workshops for a variety of events, including the 2015 LGBTQ Health Forum, hosted by the University of Calgary’s Medical Students for Gender and Sexual Diversity.

Meagan holds a diploma in Applied Psychology and Counselling, a certificate in Sex and Intimacy Counselling from the Kelowna College of Professional Counselling, and a Massage Therapy Certificate from Mount Royal University. In her spare time, she volunteers with Calgary Communities Against Sexual Abuse, and the Harm Reduction team at Shambhala Music Festival. You can find her at www.eudaimoniasexualityseminars.ca 



Melody Anne

Melody Anne is a sexuality educator and researcher from Vancouver, Canada. An unabashed sex geek and feminist, she graduated from the University of British Columbia with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Critical Studies in Sexuality, recently completed Options for Sexual Health’s Sexual Health Educator Certification program, and juggles her time between working and volunteering at two sex research labs. Melody Anne has presented on topics ranging from sexuality and disability to BDSM and mindfulness at a number of venues including the University of British Columbia, Metro Vancouver Kink, and the Biennial Western Canadian Sexual Health Conference.

With over a decade of experience in the BDSM community under her belt, Melody Anne identifies as a pansexual, poly-flexible kinkster and avid sensual adventurer.  She believes that accurate information, clear communication, and continuous exploration are key to a life full of sexual celebration! Follow Melody Anne on Twitter @EroticEducator, or on Facebook.



Rebecca Mae Bond

Rebecca is a Tantra Massage Provider. Rebecca has always been interested in life’s mysteries, and her practice draws from the wisdom teachings of various traditions. As Rebecca developed in her practice, she discovered that relationship between herself and her clients deepened her understanding of the core of human creative self expression, as a result of becoming a container of empathy simultaneous to witnessing the essence of another through sexuality. She found that through aligning herself to spirit she was able to release herself from the shaming that runs alongside sexuality and to pass this energy to her clients through her prayers and in holding a certain resonance during the massage. This understanding inspired the desire to share how releasing sexual expression from the tedious shadow of shame benefits both personality and spirit.



Redrobin

Queer. Kinkster. Nerd. Slut. Educator. Activist. Redrobin is an alternative sexuality educator from Vancouver, Canada, and is Vice President of Metro Vancouver Kink. Her background in nursing has fueled her passion for the human body and mind, and favours play involving growling or giggling! You can learn more about her at her website alternativesexuality.ca.



Reid Mikalko

ABOUT REID MIHALKO: America’s favorite sex geek, Reid Mihalko of ReidAboutSex.com, Relationship10x.com, and Sex10xOnline.com helps adults and college students create more self-esteem, self-confidence and greater health in their relationships and sex lives using an inspiring mixture of humor, keen insight, and comprehensive sexual health information.

Reid frequently speaks at colleges and universities on sexual assault prevention and healthy relationship skills, and regularly appears in the media sharing his views on consent, dating, and shame-free sexuality.  

Reid’s workshops and college lectures have been attended by close to 50,000 men and women. He has appeared in media such as Netflix’ Chelsea Does… with Chelsea Handler, Oprah’s Our America With Lisa Ling on OWN, the Emmy award-winning talk show Montel, Dr. Phil’s The Doctors on CBS, Bravo’s Miss Advised, Fox News, in Newsweek, Seventeen, GQ, The Washington Post, and in thirteen countries and at least seven languages.

Reid is also founder of Sex Geek Summer Camp, Sex Geek Conservatory, and Sex Geek School for Gifted Sex Geeks, which help sex educators learn valuable business skills that allow them to reach more people with greater ease, transform more lives, and make a better living as sexperts.

Follow Reid on Twitter and Facebook and YouTube.



Ryan Thomas

Ryan Thomas joined the army when he was 17 years old. During his 11 year career, he experienced both the positive and negative side effects of masculinity, femininity and our cultural narrative towards sex and sexuality.

For years he hated women, thinking they were out to hurt men and were going to cheat on him. Naturally his relationships suffered, until he realized he was the source of all of his problems. He dove deep into personal growth and started to heal his heart and soul.

During this growth process, he encountered several sexual challenges like premature ejaculation, erectile dysfunction and performance anxiety. Feeling the pressure of society to constantly
perform, and never be weak, he felt he couldn’t reach out for help or support. He was left to his own inner dialogue and the rabbit hole of internet research to recover.

Years after he began this journey of growth and emotional healing, his relationships with women completely transformed into loving, compassionate and respectful engagements. Furthermore, the sexual trouble and insecurity he had encountered years prior, were now merely shadows of the past.

Ryan currently spends his time building his company The Intimate Lifestyle. This business is designed to give people all the resources they need to have better sex lives, and healthier relationships
through available workshops, products, books and free content including the website articles and the
Modern SexTalks podcast.
 



Sara Blaze

Sara Blaze is the President of Metro Vancouver Kink, BC’s largest not for profit organization focusing on promoting outreach and education on BDSM and Kink. She is also the Chair of Westcoast Bound, MVK’s premier annual weekend long event focused on BDSM education.  Sara has been interviewed on several occasions, notably with Jill Krop of Global’s Unfiltered and has sat on a number of panel discussions geared at demystifying kink and BDSM.



Stella Harris

Stella Harris is building a world where everyone has the confidence to explore their sexuality safely and free of shame. As a Certified Intimacy Educator and Coach, she uses a variety of tools to guide and empower her clients and she teaches everything from pleasure anatomy, to communication skills, to kink and BDSM. 

Stella has presented at venues and conferences nationally including Catalyst Con Chicago & Los Angels, KinkFest Portland, COPE Ohio, and Seattle’s Center for Sex Positive Culture. She has also spoken at Portland State University, Reed College, Lewis & Clark College and Pacific University. 

Stella has been widely quoted in the media and she’s made guest appearances on numerous podcasts including Sex on the Brain and Playboy Radio. Her articles have appeared on Thought Catalog, Kinkly.com, and Fetish.com, and her fiction is included in more than a dozen anthologies. Learn more at www.stellaharris.net or follow @stellaerotica on Twitter. 



Tenille Campbell

Tenille Campbell is a Dene/Métis author and photographer from English River First Nation in Northern Saskatchewan. She has a MFA in Creative Writing from UBC, and is enrolled in her PhD in English at the University of Saskatchewan. She has published poetry in “Sing: Poetry from the Indigenous Americas” (Ed. Allison Hedge Coke), and is an author in the upcoming “Cîhcêwêsin,” (Ed. Neal McLeod), a collection of Saskatchewan based emerging writing. She is also working on a new collection of Indigenous erotica poetry while avoiding studying. In early 2016, she and Joi T Arcand started the online indigenous collective, tea&bannock, creating a community that focuses on stories of Indigenous women photographers within Canada. Storytelling – be it with words, voice or photographs – seems to be the life for her.



Tracy Bear – Keynote

Assistant Professor cross-appointed with the Faculty of Native Studies and Department of Women’s and Gender Studies. Her dissertation: Power In My Blood: Corporeal Sovereignty Through a Praxis of Indigenous Eroticanalysis won the Governor General Gold Medal award in 2016. She is a Cree scholar from the Montreal Lake Cree Nation in Saskatchewan. Her research areas are rooted in decolonial methodologies often found within Indigenous Studies. Specifically, she engages in the areas of: Indigenous Erotics & Eroticanalysis; Indigenous Feminism, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Sovereignty, Land & Body Politics; and Contemporary Indigenous Art.



Victor Salmon

Victor is an intersectional feminist, consent educator, relationship anarchist, BDSM enthusiast, and avid volunteer. His thoughts on consent culture are informed by attending and eventually facilitating educational workshops for the Vancouver Consent Crew. In addition, he volunteers as a director at large with Metro Vancouver Kink and has been a part of that community publicly for over five years. He believes visibility is key to normalization but not all in his community can afford that luxury. As hard as it is, he’s proud to be out to his family, friends, and Facebook.



Ying Ying Lee

For as long as she could remember, Ying Ying had felt that monogamy was not right for her, but she didn’t know how to articulate her feelings; until she came across “The Ethical Slut” when she was 23 years old.

Ying Ying has presented on various topics at the Whistler Lifestyle Takeover the past three years, including Consent, Bisexuality Bias, Swinger, Open, Poly etc. At the Naughty in N’awlings 2016, she held a discussion on Bisexuality Bias in the Lifestyle, and she was part of a panel on Polyamory vs. Swinging.

She founded SOP Lifestyle Productions in 2015, with a vision to create fun, unique & sensual getaways and vacations where attendees can be comfortable exploring new things and expanding their knowledge and experiences. SOP stands for Swinger, Open, Poly, and her events are  inclusive of everyone in the Lifestyle, from Swinger to Open to Poly to Kink, and more, regardless of ages, gender and backgrounds; singles, couples and more are welcome. Her website is SOP Lifestyle Productions