Interested in submitting a presentation? Please see our Presenter Guidelines and Presentation Submission Form
Kevin Patterson is an active member of the Philadelphia polyamory community. He’s been practicing ethical non-monogamy since August of 2002 after opening up a relationship that eventually became his marriage. In April of 2015, Kevin was inspired to start Poly Role Models, an interview series for people describing their experiences with polyamory. Poly Role Models is part of a drive and a desire to change the way our lives and communities are viewed. It is currently the most diverse and inclusive platform for polyamory available. To continue the discussion of polyamorous representation, Kevin has extended the blog’s work into nationwide speaking engagements about how race and polyamory intersect. This has led to the writing of the book, Love’s Not Color Blind: Race and Representation in Polyamorous and Other Alternative Communities. Along with co-writer Alana Phelan, Kevin launched a sci-fi novel series, For Hire. The series centers characters of color and as well as other marginalized identities. https://polyrolemodels.tumblr.com/
Allie Phelan, the Polyamorous Librarian, is an author and community organizer who uses her twenty years of experience in and out of ethically non-monogamous relationships to help others through advice, relationship support, dating events, and more.
Andre Shakti is a journalist, educator, performer, activist, and professional slut living in Baltimore, MD. She is devoted to normalizing alternative desires, de-stigmatizing sex workers and their clients, and not taking herself too seriously. Andre wrestles mediocre white men into submission is the reigning polyamory pundit at her biweekly non-monogamy advice column “I Am Poly(amorous) & So Can You!”, which you can visit – and submit questions to! – via IAmPoly.net. Andre frequently lectures, coaches and advises on the intersecting issues of sexual health, politics and pleasure, race, trauma, gender diversity, sex worker rights, non-monogamy, and queerness. When not working, Andre can typically be found marathoning “Law & Order: SVU” under a chaotic pile of partners and pitbulls, and yes, she knows how problematic that show is. Andre encourages you to connect with her on Facebook via “Andre Shakti”, follow her NSFW exploits on Twitter via @andreshakti, and support her Patreon via patreon.com/IAmPolyamorous
Anne More, CSB, is a trauma-informed International Blueprints™ Coach, Conscious Kink Coach, and Certified Sexological Bodyworker with over 25 years’ experience in mindful sexuality, movement, intentional touch, and body awareness through the Esalen Institute and the Institute for Somatic Sexology. She is a featured presenter and works side by side with Jaiya Ma, internationally acclaimed sexologist and mastermind behind the Erotic Blueprints™, and with Pamela Madsen, founder of Back to the Body Sensual Retreats for Women. She has worked directly with Joseph Kramer, PhD and former Jesuit, foremost teacher of erotic bodywork and founder of Body Electric, and with Ellen Heed, developer of the STREAM protocol for body trauma release and scar tissue remediation. Her coaching and individualized bodywork sessions bring play, expansion, and healing into all areas of erotic exploration, including Energy play, Sacred Surrender, power exchange, Japanese rope bondage, and other sexy and kinky adventures. http://yesannemore.com
Carol Morotti-Meeker, MS, MLSP is a researcher, activist, speaker and therapist. She works in a community mental health clinic in Philadelphia, Pa. and also has a private practice with adults and families who engage in alternative sexuality and consensual non-monogamous lifestyles. Carol was formerly a Senior Coach with The Earth Moved, LLC. She has provided professional education at the 2007 and 2012 American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT) annual conferences. She was an Advisory Board Member 2000-2007 for the Institute for 21st Century Relationships and on the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom Board in 2005-7. She has made presentations at nine Poly Living Conferences in Philadelphia. Carol led a professional round table discussion for the Community-Academic Consortium for Research on Alternative Sexualities (CARAS) in 2011 in Washington, D.C. and co-presented about communication and sex in non-monogamous relationships at the 2013 CARAS event for students and professionals.
Cassendre Xavier is a longtime presenter at Poly Living Philadelphia (workshop: Soulmate Attraction for the Rest of Us) and recently presented at Rocky Mountain Poly Living (workshop: Coming Out: A Spiritual Practice & Social Action). A self-described “multi-media healing artist” she is a Leeway Foundation Award-winning musician and poet. Her article series “Living with Bipolar Disorder” is part of her monthly column at Wisdom-Magazine.com, which she has written since 2009. Cassendre has been part of the poly, kinky, and pagan communities of Philadelphia since the early 90s. http://cassendrexavier.wordpress.com
A New Jersey native, Dwayne Smith has been active in the polyamorous community for two years, having started his alt-sex journey in the lifestyle/swinger community nearly a decade ago. A PhD. candidate and social data / computer scientist, Dwayne’s primary areas of research are; criminal justice policy reform, restorative justice initiatives, and the impacts of public policy on economically disadvantaged and minority communities in the U.S. Outside of his academic and career pursuits, Dwayne is an avid pilot, politics junkie, outdoorsman, fitness competitor, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu athlete.
Jeri Lynn Astra Herbert has presented at Poly Living Philadelphia, Rocky Mountain Poly Living, APW, Southwest Lovefest, PolyDallas Millenium, and Open Love Presents in NYC. She is the founder and one of the hosts of Poly Cocktails Jersey City, as well as JC Polyamory and Alt Relationship Network, a leader with Open Love New York, and one half of Deconstructing Polyamory. Jeri is a bellydancer, and the co-founder of NY Sea Findyhoppers. She continues to work as a model and founded JC RetroStyle, is the Jersey City Face of Fashion 2018 as well as a model captain, and serves as a member of the Jersey City Carribean-American Carnival Fashion Committee. A third degree student at APS, Jeri is looking forward to ordination and continuing to serve the Pagan community through her work on the Wiccan Family Temple board of directors. And, last but not least, she has a visual art/potion brand called Faechelmy Creations! She is the proud mom of rescue furbaby Leopold Merlin and wishes to thank her incredible partner Joe for his unending love and support.
Jessica Fern is a psychotherapist, coach and national speaker, specializing in non-monogamous relationships. Jessica loves working with individuals, couples, and polycules who no longer want to be limited by their reactive relational patterns, cultural conditioning, internalized stories, emotional triggers, insecure attachment styles and past pains, so that they can embody new possibilities in life and love. Jessica holds a Master’s in Conflict Resolution and her practices focuses on Somatic Narrative Therapy, Emotional Trigger Work, Internal Family Systems, and Attachment and Trauma Therapy. http://www.jessicafern.com
Jesus is the Board President of Loving More Nonprofit, polyamory activist and leader in the community. He is a native of the San Francisco Bay area who began exploring alternatives to monogamy in 2004. In 2005 he attended his first Loving More Retreat. In September 2006 he was invited to join Loving More’s Board of Directors. He has worked at raising money for many worthy causes and continues to work tirelessly as Loving More Nonprofit’s volunteer Director of IT. Jesus has been presenting on polyamory at conferences, Universities and special events. He is a key coordinator for Loving More conferences and volunteers. In addition Jesus has worked in the computer information technology field since 1995.
Jim Fleckenstein ([email protected]) is a relationships educator, coach, researcher author and activist. His currently heads The Earth Moved, LLC (www.affirmativeintimacy.com), an educational and coaching practice. He created the Affirmative Intimacy ™ approach to building healthy and sustainable relationships. His book, Love That Works: 38 Awesome Hacks for Amazing Relationships. came out in 2019. A polyamory activist since 1998, in 2000 he co-founded what is now the Foundation of the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom, and served 12 years on the NCSF board. He’s spoken at PolyLiving, NYC Poly Pride, CatalystCon East, and the Woodhull Sexual Freedom Summit. Jim is a member of the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists, the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, and the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, and has been chosen to present at 13 professional conferences. Jim’s research was published in the peer-reviewed journal Sexual and Relationship Therapy, and he has a paper under review for the Archives of Sexual Behavior. He is a member of the American Psychological Association Division 44 Task Force on Consensual Non-Monogamy.
Kitty Chambliss is a #1 Amazon best selling author, relationship coach, keynote speaker, polyamorous and sex-positive activist, and founder of Loving Without Boundaries (LWB) since 2012. She is a member of the American Psychological Association (APA) Division 44 Consensual Non-monogamy Task Force. Kitty has been a contributing writer for such publications as Multiamory and Swingtowns with her advocacy work also featured in the books “Stories From the Polycule” and “It’s Called Polyamory: Coming Out About Your Nonmonogamous Relationships.” She has given workshops around the country at conferences such as Beyond The Love, Atlanta Poly Weekend, Southwest Love Fest, and the National Sex Educators Conference, as well as appeared as a special guest on broadcast shows and podcasts, such as CNN and PolyWeekly. Kitty is a professional certified relationship coach from the International Coaching Federation (ICF). Lastly Kitty is thrilled to have brought her first book: “Jealousy Survival Guide: How to feel safe, happy, and secure in an open relationship” out in the world. Kitty has made it her life’s mission to make thriving relationships – even unconventional ones – attainable to everyone. http://lovingwithoutboundaries.com
Libby Sinback is a queer, ace-spectrum, polyamorous mom and relationship coach, and active in the DC Metro area polyamorous community for many years. She is trained in Relational Life Therapy and the Gottman Method and practices high-impact, deep coaching. She is passionate about helping people have healthy, authentic, loving relationships in the configuration that best serves them. She believes healthy relationships are not only essential to our wellbeing as humans, but are also the building blocks of a just society. http://facebook.com/libbysinback
Max and Elise Rivers are life-partners as well as co-mediators. Elise is an attorney, acupuncturist and a graduate of the Priestess Path Training. Max is the lead mediator at The Marriage Mediator.net where he is a professional Relationship Mediator. He has pioneered the process of coaching people to find the benefit of their differences, specializing in helping people in nontraditional intimate relationships. Max was the Director of the Boston Men’s Center for 20 years, running hundreds of men’s groups and workshops across the Northeast. Together they are pioneering the use of mediation to help people in committed relationships work through their differences and learn to communicate constructively. http://maxrivers.net
Natalie and Robert live in the Washington, DC area and are actively involved in the poly, kink, and swinger communities. They are life partners and have been non-monogamous in various forms for twenty years. They have taught workshops at poly and kink conferences on communication skills, polyamory and drama, and have led bawdy story telling. Natalie and Robert embrace the practice of kitchen table polyamory, where members of the polycule are comfortable sharing a meal or having group movie nights, but they also recognize the need for one-on-one time between partners and metamours. They believe we can all learn from each other on the journey of polyamory.
Nolan Lawless is a Licensed Professional Counselor, sex educator, public speaker, and polyamory advocate. He is co-founder of Deconstructing Polyamory, through which he has presented to professional and community audiences across the United States and Canada on alternative sexuality and alternative relationship models. Nolan serves as CEU Coordinator for Loving More, a national nonprofit organization for polyamory, and is a member of the APA Division 44 Task Force on Consentual Non-Monogamy. He is owner of Infinite Heart Coaching, which provides video conference coaching services to clients of diverse gender identities, sexual orientations, and relationship dynamics. Nolan and his wife are cofounders of the first polyamory support and social network in Lawton, where they live with their two very spoiled dogs, Chester and Daisy. http://www.infinteheartcoaching.com/
Rebecca Hiles is a dating, relationships, and sexual wellness coach called The Frisky Fairy (www.friskyfairy.com ). They are the co-author of the book “It’s called Polyamory” Coming Out About Your Nonmonogamous Relationships. They are a member and contributor to the Gentle Perverts Social Club podcast, and contribute their voice when they can. They are a writer who addresses issues of polyamory, cancer, sex education, and mental illness. Rebecca has spoken at CatalystCon East, West, and Midwest, Poly For All Seasons, AwesomeCon, Rocky Mountain Poly Living, Atlanta Poly Weekend, InfinityCon, The Geeky Kink Event, Sex Down South, DragonCon, and Woodhull Sexual Freedom Summit. They were voted one of the Top 100 Sex Blogging Superheroes of 2014 and 2015. They are a member of the Poly Leadership Network, and are certified as a sex educator through Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts. They are currently seeking their Master’s in Social Work, with a specialization in Mental Health and Sexuality at Temple University with an expected graduation date of May 2020.
Robyn is the Executive Director of Loving More® Non-Profit, a national organizer, and leading activist for polyamory awareness. She is a polyamory counselor, workshop facilitator and writer. Since 2004 Robyn has worked to expand media awareness of polyamory appearing in numerous articles, radio shows and TV including Our America with Lisa Ling, Montel Williams, Baisden After Dark, Michael Baisden Bad Boy Radio Show, Alan Colmes Radio Show, Colin McEnroe Show/NPR, and many others. In addition Robyn works to connect the media with other polyamory activists and individuals. Robyn and Loving More were instrumental in the formation of Polyamory Leadership Network. A national speaker and advocate for polyamory she has been a speaker at conferences, taught at universities and been a featured keynote speaker. Robyn has been openly polyamorous for 28 years, raising three children in a polyamorous family. Robyn has been running polyamory support groups, teaching and facilitating relationship and sexuality workshop since 1999. In addition she counsels polyamorous individuals and families. Currently Robyn is working on two polyamory related books. www.robyntrask.com/
Ruby Bouie Johnson is the CEO, Founder, and organizer for PolyDallas Millennium LLC. Ruby is a clinical social worker and sex therapist who has 14 years of experience in a variety of behavioral health settings. Currently, she is in private practice in Plano, Texas. Over the last 4 years, Ruby’s clients are kinky, polyamorous, open relationships, sexually and gender fluid clients. Ruby has a strong family and group theoretical and intervention skill set. She is able to work with triads, quads, and polycules with power dynamics and communication within their relationships. Ruby has published in various journals and in the African American Encyclopedia on Criminology. Ruby has presented at Kinky Kollege, Consent Summit, Association of Black Sexologist and Clinicians, American Association of Sexologists, Educators, Counselors, and Therapists, and her proposal was accepted by National Education Conference. Consent, Negotiation, and Coercion is Ruby’s service area. She is giving a lot of presentations in the Dallas Area. Ruby Johnson is a contributor for HuffPo and guest blogger. Ruby Johnson is on faculty for the Kink Knowledgeable Program. Mrs. Johnson serves on the board for the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom. Annual Symposium informaiton can be found at www.polydallasmillennium.com. Ruby has a hub of information at www.blacksexgeek.net.
Stacey Capps manages technology geniuses as a consultant to a major financial institution. She’s out to her family, friends, and coworkers as bisexual and polyamorous. She’s a video game hobbyist, a dungeon master for tabletop games, and a recent graduate of a socialist night school program. Stacey serves on the leadership team for Open Love NY, where she has joined panels on navigating poly dating and surviving poly breakups. http://openloveny.com/~~~~
Sumati Sparks is a relationship coach specializing in helping mature people navigate the challenges of ethical non-monogamy. She is also a jealousy transformation expert. With 30 years of spiritual practices and 20 years of practicing polyamory and studying relationship & sexuality, Sumati blends a wealth of knowledge & experience with a deep awareness of our connection to the universe. Sumati has been a personal and spiritual growth junkie her entire life. Her training includes having attended over 40 workshops with the Human Awareness Institute, also known as HAI, is a trained Zegg Forum Facilitator and part of the Network for a New Culture, has studied Non-Violent Communication (or NVC) with Marshall Rosenberg, has been practicing 12-step work in the areas of relationship and addiction since 1985, is a trained PSYCH-K Facilitator (a process used to remove limiting beliefs), has a Yoga & Meditation teacher certification through the Sivananda school, and has studied sacred sexuality with Evalena Rose, Baba Dez and other prominent teachers. http://SumatiSparks.com
Sunny Bentley, writing as Solara Gordon, has six contemporary romance books published with Siren-Bookstrand Publishing, three of which are poly themed romances. She’s a member of Romance Writers of America. She recently decided to expand her publishing base to include selfpublishing. She can be found at SolaraGordon.com, on Twitter @solaragordon, Facebook Solara Gordon- Author, and spending time interacting with her street team, Solara’s Glamorous Stars on Facebook. She’s been active in the poly community since her high school and university years. http://solaragordon.com
Tamara Pincus is an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a small group private practice in Washington DC. She has co-written a book, “It’s Called Polyamory: Coming Out About Your Non-monogamous Relationships. She has been active in alternative sexuality communities for over 20 years and lives with her poly family including her husband, his girlfriend, our 4 kids, 2 other roommates, 2 dogs, 2 cats and 1 snake. http://www.tamarapincus.com
Tanya has always been open to exploring new ways of being in relationships with any number of partners. Her love of Science and particularly Biology led her to major in Natural Science at UN-L. Tanya has been part of the swing community for many years and in 2011 began exploring polyamory. She became a volunteer for Loving More in 2012 helping in the office and administrative assistance. In 2014 Tanya become a Loving More Board Member and Board Secretary. Tanya is bisexual, polyamorous and part of the swing community in Colorado, Her experience as a bi woman and support of close transgendered family has opened her eyes to the unique problems of the LGBTQ community. She is thrilled to be co-presenting again at Poly Living.
Tara L. Skubella, founder and Tantra guide for Naked Earth Tantra, has over 20 years working with youth and families in the wilderness therapy to teaching Tantra. Some people know Tara from the 2015 season of Naked and Afraid as the girl with all the bug bites. It was during this challenge, Tara experienced her first spiritual awakening and truly felt her primal connection with mother earth and the universe. Tara uses per passion for the wilderness and Tantra to help people find intimacy and healing in nature as a building block to connect with mother earth, themselves and others to live more full and connected lives. Tara is also an advocate for naturism. http://www.earthtantra.com
Zach is a self-proclaimed nerd, sex geek and consent junkie. He has been a volunteer facilitator for a weekly Polyamory Peer Discussion Group for two years as well as serving as President of the Board of Directors for the Houston Polyamory Organization. He has been actively polyamorous for ten years and loves nothing more than gaining more poly knowledge and sharing it with others. He has served on polyamory discussion panels and recorded podcast episodes on the subjects of polyamory and non-monogamy. Zach became interested in consent as a topic some five years ago as a personal research project. He will share his knowledge with anyone who will listen and will soon begin training as a social worker to be of even more benefit to his community. He lives, works, laughs, and loves in Houston where he enjoys listening to and playing music, converting from a fat boy to a runner, all things Star Trek, reading, gaming, cooking and being owned and loved by a bulldog.Input your search keywords and press Enter.
