Zach is a self-proclaimed nerd, sex geek and consent junkie. He has been actively polyamorous for ten years and kinky for even longer than that. Zach became interested in consent as a topic more than five years ago as a personal research project. He is currently working towards a Master’s of Social Work degree at the University of Houston to be of even more benefit to his community. Zach lives, works, laughs, and loves in Houston, Texas where he enjoys listening to and playing music, converting from a fat boy to a runner, all things Star Trek, reading, gaming, hockey, cooking and being owned and loved by rescue dogs including a spoiled rotten boxer named Jadzia. Zach has served on polyamory and kink discussion panels, conducted workshops, and recorded podcast episodes on the subjects of polyamory, consent and kink. He is also a proud advocate for the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom and a proud member of the Board of Directors for Loving More. Zach’s website is www.consentwarrior.com
Marina was raised in polyamorous family from birth. As a young teen Marina identified as polyamory and bisexual. At age 15 she began assisting in organizing Loving More events from Poly Living Conferences to Pride Fest Booth and Parade in Colorado. In2013 she co-facilitated a presentation on children and raising sex positive kids at Poly Living Philadelphia and at Woodhull in August 2014. Recently Marina started a Teens in Polyamory Facebook page, a place for teens exploring polyamory or those raised in poly families to be able to connect and learn from each other. An aspiring actress Marina performed in the play “Journey to the West” by OpenStage Theatre in Fort Collins in the fall 2014, her first performance with a professional company. Marina is an honors student from GOAL Academy, a statewide online high school currently participating in concurrent enrollment at Front Range Community College in Fort Collins, CO and will graduate this spring. She plans to attend college at the University of Northern Colorado and major in theatre, and hopes to expand from stage acting and modeling to film in the near future. www.facebook.com/polyteenagers/
Jessica Fern is psychotherapist, coach and speaker, specializing in Non-Monogamous Relationships. Jessica loves working with individuals, couples, and Poly loved ones 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 with a focus on Somatic Narrative Therapy, Internal Family Systems, Emotional Trigger Work, Non-Violent Communication, Attachment/Trauma Work, and Up leveling Your life.
Mim Chapman, Ph.D., is the author of “What Does Polyamory Look Like?” as well as the UU poly curriculum being used by congregations to nurture understanding and acceptance of poly families. She is also the author of a sex education performance-art piece, “The VP (vagina-penis) Dialogues.” She is a certified Myers-Briggs trainer and has led workshops in various aspects of diversity, learning styles, multiple intelligences, collaboration, anti-harassment, sex and aging, and the change process for conferences, schools and businesses. She was Toastmaster’s “Communicator of the Year,” the YWCA/British Petroleum “Woman of Achievement,” and serves on the Board of Directors of Loving More. She currently lives in Santa Fe, where she is a relationship coach, surrogate partner, associate professor and keynote speaker. http://mimchapman.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.
Elizabeth “Liz” Newsom, LCSW is a sex therapist working with those who identify as kinky and/or practice ethical non-monogamy; cisgender nonconformists, and/or people questioning sexuality; as well as those who need help with things like depression, anxiety, mood disorders, trauma, and more.
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 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. The 4th Annual Symposium is July 13-15, 2018 in Dallas. www.polydallasmillennium.com. Ruby has a hub of information at www.blacksexgeek.net.
Sex and relationship geek Reid Mihalko of ReidAboutSex.com helps adults and college students create more self-esteem, self-confidence, and greater health and accountability in their relationships and sex lives using an inspiring mixture of humor, personal stories, keen insight, and comprehensive sexual health information. In early 2018, some very brave people came forward sharing harms that Reid had caused them. Reid stepped down from teaching and initiated a restorative justice-based accountability process to address his misconduct and make amends, if and where possible. The formal, year-long process along with Reid’s apology and resources were shared publicly and can be found at TinyURL.com/reidaccountability. Going forward, Reid’s projects and appearances will include pointing people towards resources and experts on restorative and transformative justice-based accountability processes. Reid teaches internationally on communication skills, alternative relationship styles, and shame-free sexuality. He has appeared in media such as Netflix’ Chelsea Does… with Chelsea Handler, Our America With Lisa Ling on OWN, and many more. 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.
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/
Dr. Leanna Wolfe holds a PhD in Sexology, an MA in Anthropology and has published numerous scholarly articles and books, as well as conducting in-depth field work on polygamy, polyamory and infidelity all over the world. She did her doctoral research on “Jealousy and Transformation in Polyamorous Relationships.” Dr. Wolfe is a retired professor of anthropology, having taught upwards of 10,000 students over the course of her 35 year career. She currently sees clients for sex and relationship counseling, is working on her memoir, “My Life as a Sex Researcher” and is honing her skills as a performance storyteller. Dr. Wolfe has been the lead researcher on a variety of sexological studies including: Changing Perspectives on Sexual Assault (2018), The Culture of Cybersex and Internet Chat (2016), Herpes: Folklore, Fear and Realities (2014), Orgasm in America: Current Beliefs and Practices (2012), The Oral Sex Void: When There’s Not Enough at Home (2011), Sexual Culture of Baby Boomers (2010), and Who Cheats and Why? (2009). She has been featured widely on TV, radio, and in print and is the author of numerous articles on polyamory including “Adding a Co-Wife” and “When One Lover is Not Enough” as well as the critically acclaimed book, Women Who May Never Marry: The Reasons, Realities and Opportunities.
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.
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.
Robert McGarey, M.A., has a contagious love for life and a quirky sense of humor. He has been leading personal growth groups for forty years, and has been poly for more than thirty five. He has served as the Roving Poly Counselor at five Loving More Conferences. He’s founder and director of the nonprofit Human Potential Center in Austin, Texas, and is the author of the Poly Communication Survival Kit. Contact him by emailing [email protected], calling (512) 441-8988, or visiting www.RobertMcGarey.com.
Cassendre Xavier (born non-monogamous in 1969, began poly lifestyle in 1996) considers herself a “multi-media healing artist.” Under her birth/legal name as well as Amethyste Rah, she is a recording and performing singer-songwriter-guitarist with several albums and downloads of music and spoken word guided meditations. Cassendre has been writing a monthly spiritual and personal growth articles for www.Wisdom-Magazine.com since 2009, and has been performing, presenting workshops, and self-publishing zines and chapbooks in the Philadelphia area since 1991.
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.
Patrick Rauland has been in the poly lifestyle ever since he read a book about it in high school. He’s fascinated by the intersection of poly & kink and he’s obsessed with factoids, books, and podcasts.
Chris and Elisha have recently celebrated 11 years together as a polyamorous couple with an M/s dynamic. They are the current representing Arizona as the Master slave 2018 titleholders. They believe that continued growth is important to a successful long term relationship and to that end are continually pushing their own, and each other’s, boundaries. They are both graduate students looking at various sex positive related topics. Chris is looking at perceptions of hierarchy in long term polyamorous relationships. Elisha is looking at the intersection of perceived benefits of yoga and BDSM participation, for example body image. Chris has been featured on PolyWeekly and together they have presented on various topics at Behind Closed Doors, Loving More’s Rocky Mountain Poly Living, Beyond the Love, Arizona State University’s Diversity and Inclusion Science Initiative Conference, Arizona Power Exchange, and other venues. They lead the Arizona Chapter of Loving More, a national nonprofit 501(c)3 focused on polyamory awareness and support. They both can be reached through their website at ttp://trulybeloved.com.
Sumati Sparks is a relationship coach specializing in helping mature people with the wonderful world 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 technologies, Sumati blends a wealth of knowledge & experience with a deep awareness of our connection to the universe.
I am an out poly bi woman, race car pilot, partner and mother. I own my own classic car business and I have dedicated more of my time recently to giving back to the ENM community that has supported and educated me and my family for over a decade. I live in Westchester NY with my two foundation partners and our two kids, dog, cat and two singing guinea pigs.
Paul Gross, LPC, is a gender and sexuality therapist in Southern Colorado Springs at 4Square Counseling. He has been in practice for 4 years and works extensively with the LGBTQ community as well as co-facilitating a support group for transgender youth and young adults. He has experience with the polyamory/kink/queer community and is trained as a marriage, family, and child therapist. Polyamorous clients have been a large part of his practice since its inception. He has recently earned his Certification in Gender Diversity Studies on the journey to his PhD in Counseling in Gender Diversity.Input your search keywords and press Enter.
