Keynote
Ruby Bouie Johnson
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.
Workshop Presenters
Partial List - More to come...
Ben Silver
Ben is a singer, musician and poly and bi activist who has been in an open primary relationship for 26 years. He and his partner started a support group for committed non-monogamous relationships in the ‘80s which met monthly for over 15 years. As a performer, Ben’s music slides through folk, R&B, funk, jazz and back again; he sings about freedom, the environment, LBGT issues, parenting and love. His writing has been published in “Carry it On,” ”Sing Out” magazine and the book “Hearing Everyone’s Voice.”
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Jesus Viramontes Garcia (Chuy)
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.
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Robyn Trask
Robyn Trask is the Executive Director of Loving More Non-Profit and a national organizer and leader for polyamory awareness. She is a polyamory counselor, workshop facilitator and writer. Since 2004 Robyn has worked to expand media awareness of polyamory and relationship choice appearing in numerous articles, radio shows and TV as well as helping to connect the media with other polyamory activists and individuals. CBN(Christian Broadcast Network), Montel, Baisden After Dark, Lisa Ling, Alan Colmes Radio, NPR, and Tyra Banks are just a few of the shows Robyn both appeared on and helped with casting. 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 25 years, raising three children in a polyamorous family. She began facilitating polyamory support groups, teaching and facilitating relationship and sexuality workshops in 1999. In addition she counsels polyamorous individuals and families. www.lovemore.com, www.RobynTrask.com
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Marina Reiko
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/
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Kevin Patterson
Kevin Patterson is an active member of the Philadelphia polyamory community. He’s been practicing ethical non-monogamy since 2002 after opening up a relationship that eventually became his marriage. At some point, Kevin and his wife, Antoinette, took the limits off of their dating and began practicing very similar to Relationship Anarchy. 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 a platform for the diversity of our relationship structures and the people within them to shine through.
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Mim Chapman Ph.D.
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
Tanya Hixon
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.
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Julio Cortés
As a Relationship and Integrative Life Coach, Julio helps his clients leverage their mind/body wisdom, connect to their great selves to create lives that suit their unique bodies, lifestyles, and goals. He uses ancient wisdom and cutting edge science to help his clients transform themselves, their relationships and their lives. This means more energy, greater focus and ease in Life. To this end, he provides individual and group coaching, classes, workshops, seminars and retreats, cutting edge information and innovative methods to help his clients do more with less. By working with Julio, clients/students not only become healthier, they also become more effective, productive, and happier at work and in their daily lives.
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Mischa Lin
Mischa Lin is the co-founder and current Vice President / Director of Communications for Open Love NY, an active and diverse community of more than 5,000 members worldwide. She led the organization's growth through its formative years as the Founding President while mentoring new leaders to continue the group's member-focused mission. She has also been a member of the Polyamory Leadership Network since 2009. Professionally, her background is in corporate communications and public relations, with more than 20 years of experience working for Fortune 500 companies. Her media relations skills have contributed to successful placements about polyamory in the New York Times and ABC-TV’s “The View.” For more information, visit openloveny.com.
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Christopher N. Smith
Christopher N. Smith is a doctoral student at Howard University pursuing his PhD in Sociology with his research centering on consensual non-monogamous relationship trends in current and historical contexts. His prior education includes a Master of Arts in Religious Studies with a concentration in Religion and Society and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Anthropology form Howard University. Mr. Smith has extensive experience within the education, human services and criminal justice and laying the ground work for The Tenability Movement; an education and arts based advocacy organization. He is an educator, community builder, father, relationship advocate and passionate about increasing awareness of and support for non-monogamous relationships structures in the United States.
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Rill
Mx. Rill is a queer, Boston based, solo poly relationship anarchist. They are an AFAB, genderqueer, non-binary switch. They/Them or He/Him in everyday life. Most definitely "boy" or "Sir" in scene or in bed! Rill has been poly and kinky since before they began having relationships at 15. They formally entered the leather/BDSM scene at 20, *koff* years ago. They are a member of NELA (Queer and Kinky SIG), TES, and were a founder of MOB (Massachusetts Orgasmic Bitches - Boston's first and only woman to woman S/M group.) Rill is a retired EMT, and a lifeguard. Service boy that they are, they can often be found wearing the sexy neon orange DM vest, helping facilitate your kinky fun. They also provide First Aid and Support for large events, both as a member of Operation Hammond (https://www.operationhammond.com/) and on their own. They teach hands on S/M skills, negotiation, and sacred kink. In other context, Rill is a graduate student in applied math, and the HP of a fledgling coven.
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Myla
Myla (Lisa Sandhusen) suburban homemaker and MILF is the creator of Bellydance - Secrets from Behind the Veil. She is an eternal explorer and curious mind. Myla weaves together a diverse set of interests and professional experience including, bellydance performer & instructor, sex, birth and relationship educator, herbalist and professional artist model and poly activist to create workshops, classes and retreats that support people in connecting authentically to themselves and others in sexy and socially sustainable ways. She is a bit of a Yenta and enjoys matchmaking, experimenting with vegan and gluten free dessert recipes and trying out new dance moves with her partners.
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Byron Sheldon
Byron Sheldon is an educator and community organizer within the kink community. He has presented at BDSM events on topics including body positivity, impact play, scene negotiation, and dungeon etiquette. A long-time feminist, he is also a sadistic heterosexual man. Reconciling these tendencies has led to the development of a play style that is weird and definitely not for everybody. He has a particular interest in the emotional and psychological dimensions of BDSM play. But he likes to consensually hit people too.
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Michelle Enos
Michelle Enos is a queer & non-binary polyamorist in Philadelphia, PA. They are currently on the steering committee for Polydelphia, a large polyamory community centered in the Philadelphia area, where they help host events and moderate an online forum. Michelle lives in West Philadelphia with friends and partners. In their day job, Michelle is a classically-trained pianist who performs solo and with ensembles, and teaches lessons to children and adults.
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Max, & Elise Rivers
Max, & Elise Rivers, two members of a 3 person polycule, are mediators and NVC practitioners. They were able to gracefully open up their relationship nine years ago using their NVC and mediation skills. Max has developed a six session process called the Teamwork Method to teach couples and polycules this process. Max's book,"Tired of Having the Same Old Argument?" discusses these issues and is available on Amazon. They have taught workshops at New Culture camps (East, West and Hawaii), at LovingMore Conferences and other poly camps and can be heard on podcasts including NVCPractice.com and Relationship Alive!
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Allie Phelan
Allie Phelan is a librarian, writer, and polyamorous activist. She has assisted in the growth and development of various polyamorous communities in Southern New Jersey, Philadelphia, and Connecticut, and occasionally moderates for the Philadelphia Mindful Polyamory Meetup discussion group. She is a co-creator and leader of the Polyamory Hub of Philadelphia, which helps connect poly communities by organizing various events in and around the city and its tri-state suburbs.
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Michael Rios
Michael Rios is a practical visionary and social entrepreneur with a creative approach to freedom and empowerment. For more than a decade he has been a major organizer of "New Culture" and Polyamory events (http://cfnc.us) aimed at creating a culture based on awareness, compassion, and freedom rather than on fear and judgment. In 2011, Michael became the director of Abrams Creek Center (www.abramscreekcenter.com), a retreat center in the mountains of West Virginia dedicated to life-affirming events. His current passion is creating an “intentional village” there and in the nearby town - a place where people live consciously with and near one another, building a life based on personal enterprise and freedom, economic independence, and a web of social interconnectedness (http://cfnc.us/aciv).
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Indigo Dawn
Indigo Dawn is a being of light and love, with a passion for deep connection and movement. An intuitive mover since the age of 6, she has trained in contact improvisation, West African, Middle-Eastern, classical Indian, swing, salsa, contemporary, and modern dance styles. After working to combat educational inequality with Teach for America, she left the corps to pursue societal change via individual transformation. Shortly thereafter, she embarked upon the mission to live and spread "New Culture" (http://cfnc.us/newculture.html) as a key organizer and presenter for Center for New Culture (http://cfnc.us). As a change maker, Indigo seeks to improve the lives of others by spreading authenticity, awareness, and self-expression.
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Bex Caputo
Bex Caputo is a sex educator, blogger, speaker, and professional dildo peddler. Their blog, BexTalksSex, has been ranked on Kinkly’s top 100 sex bloggers for two consecutive years as a source for sex toy reviews, how-tos, navel gazing, and tales of weird things they’ve put in their vag. They have been a proud and undeniable kinkster ever since they insisted on being served their meals in a dog bowl at the age of 8, and even before that, probably. Bex is a Virgo, a Hufflepuff, a masochistic pup, and a genderqueer nerd who has finally grown into the pop punk skater boi of their high school dreams.
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Chrissy Holman
Chrissy Holm
an is a queer polyamory activist from Brooklyn, NY. She is the President of Open Love NY and helps to host the popular monthly Poly Cocktails event. She also administrates the online group Polyamory, which hosts a safer space for 27,000 marginalized people who are exploring ethical non-monogamy. She is a member of the global Poly Leadership Network and has co- presented workshops on relationships, diversity, inclusivity and accessibility at Poly Living Philadelphia and Atlanta Poly Weekend. She currently resides on the Upper West Side with her partners and children and is a graduate student at Columbia University, studying Nonprofit Management. Chrissy is also a marketing volunteer at End of Life Choices NY. She's recently segued into the nonprofit sector after spending a decade doing radio promotion and artist development for Sony Music.
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Aimee Hurford
Aimee is a jack of all trades with a Bachelor's Degree in Philosophy. She has been polyamorous for about ten years, but she only learned that there was a name and a community for the way she was living about two years ago. Since then, finding ways to serve the polyamorous community has become one of the great joys of her life.
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Jim Fleckenstein
Jim Fleckenstein is a relationship educator, coach, researcher and activist. He heads The Earth Moved, LLC (www.affirmativeintimacy.com), a professional practice helping individuals and groups. He is the creator of the Affirmative Intimacy ™ approach to building healthy and sustainable relationships. A polyamory activist since 1998, in 2000 he co-founded the Institute for 21st Century Relationships, now the Foundation of the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom (NCSF), and serves on the NCSF board. He has spoken at PolyLiving, CatalystCon East, the Woodhull Sexual Freedom Summit, and internationally at the Non-Monogamies and Contemporary Intimacies Conference. He’s been interviewed by the Chicago Tribune, the Guardian (UK), and on TV and radio. Jim is a member of the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT), the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality (SSSS), and the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists. He has been chosen to present at multiple AASECT and SSSS conferences and to the Society for Sex Therapy and Research. Jim’s research was published in the peer-reviewed journal Sexual and Relationship Therapy, and included in an academic book.
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Carol Morotti-Meeker, MS, MLSP
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 also serves as a Senior Coach with The Earth Moved, LLC (www.affirmativeintimacy.com), presenting the Affirmative Intimacy ™ approach to relationships. 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 the 2008, 2010, 2011, 2014, and 2015 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.
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Natalie and Robert
Natalie and Robert live in the Washington DC area and are actively involved in the poly, kink and swinger communities. They have been married for twenty-plus years and non-monogamous for more than fifteen. They maintain long term relationships with others as well as shorter term relationships and engage in play dynamics. This workshop is based on techniques from a range poly books and websites and refined by their past experiences. Natalie and Robert have presented this workshop at several Dark Odyssey events and are always looking for ways to better meet the needs of attendees through feedback. Natalie is also writing a poly memoir.
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Alison Hunter
Alison has lived in a poly family for over a decade. Her polycule includes several active duty military members and those with custody considerations from past relationships. She herself is a figure head at her company and has appeared in Emmy-nominated documentaries and routinely appears in media interviews that span television, radio, and print. Alison has also served as an Ombudsman for the military and has taught military families how to protect their personal online presence from espionage. She can’t be out in a truly public way without risk to careers and child custody on multiple levels and is presenting this workshop under one of her aliases, a persona that can be out.
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Aaron Browne
Aaron Browne has been practicing non-hierarchical polyamory for four years. In that time, he has learned how challenging and rewarding it is to combat traditional power structures, especially toxic masculinity, in himself and in his closest relationships. Aaron has also been a member of the Polydelphia Steering Committee for the past year. In that role, he is trying to ensure that other ethically non-monogamous people in Philadelphia, especially those who are historically marginalized, have a safe place to discuss their own relationship choices, joys, and difficulties. He is actively searching for constructive ways to support other white and male identifying folks in finding and giving up the ways they wield non-consensual power.
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Cassendre Xavier
Cassendre Xavier has been a contributing writer at Wisdom-Magazine.com since 2009, where she writes "Soulmate Attraction for the Rest of Us" and "Living with Bipolar Disorder," among other topics. Ms. Xavier has presented this workshop at the 10th Annual Poly Living Conference in Philadelphia 2015 and Sisterspace Weekend in Darlington, Maryland 2014, and is working on a book of the same title. Cassendre has been living with bipolar depression her whole life, has been a member of Philadelphia’s LGBT and polyamorous communities since 1991, and from 1996-1999 facilitated Sisters Healing Together, a peer support group for women survivors of incest with a special focus on compulsive overeating, which she also founded, at the William Way LGBT Community Center in Philadelphia. Cassendre is the creator of the popular Affirmations for Survivors guided meditation audio series (“Self-Love” and “Spirituality” were released in 2007; “Sexuality” and “Life Skills” are soon forthcoming). For more information, please visit https://cassendrexavier.wordpress.com
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Nolan Lawless
Nolan Lawless is a Licensed Professional Counselor and owner of Mount Scott Counseling in Lawton, Oklahoma, and Infinite Heart Counseling in Denton, Texas. He has over ten years of experience in working with diverse populations, including multiple gender identities, sexual orientations, and relationship dynamics. His practice focuses on providing a supportive and caring environment for his clients to navigate the unique challenges of their relationships to overcome obstacles, improve communication, and rediscover the joy
that love can bring. Nolan previously presented at Playground 2015 in Toronto on "Counseling for Diverse and Alternative Relationships and Sexualities". He and his wife are co-founders of the polyamory support and social group in Lawton, where they live with their two very spoiled dogs, Chester and Daisy. www.infiniteheartcounseling.com
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Jeri Lynn Astra Herbert
Jeri Lynn Astra Herbert is founder of Jersey City Poly & Alt relationship Network, and founder/hostess of Jersey City Poly Cocktails. She presented at APW 2016 and has served on the following panels: Widener College's Human Sexuality Program's presentation on polyamory, OLNY's discussion group on Mental Illness and Polyamory. She is founder of JC RetroStyle, which is an organization that sponsors photo shoots, parties, and other events in order to promote community, increase skill sets, provide exposure, and elevate the voices of all genders, nationalities, and sizes in the pin-up and alt fashion universe. Jeri is a dancer with the NYC chapter of PURE (Public Urban Ritual Experiment), an international troupe of dancers and musicians working to promote community, healing, and social change. When she's not advocating, educating, organizing, or hostessing, she can be found dancing, modeling, working on her art line (Jude the Blackbird), or at her day job in the promotions department of a Manhattan advertising agency. Jeri lives in Jersey City with her amazing anchor partner, and her very large orange tabby cat Frankie.
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Lee Hencen has been poly for a long time with poly experiences of being married, single, part of a triad and currently in a domesticating life-partner relationship in Brooklyn, NY with Murray Schechter. She practices a family style of Polyamory which includes long distance relationships. A retired RN, Lee has presented various workshops at Poly Living, Beyond the Love, Loving More East Coast Retreat, Eastern Naturist Gathering, Deepening Connections for B-More Poly and Building Bridges. Murray Schechter has identified as polyamorous since 2004. He's been part of PLN (poly leadership network) for the past 7 years and served on the Leadership Committee of OLNY (Open Love NY). Murray is a naturist and has presented at various naturist gatherings, Poly Living, Beyond the Love, Deepening Connections for B-More Poly and Open Love NY discussion groups. Lee and Murray have known each other for 12 years and in relationship for the last 8 years. They've been living together in Brooklyn for the last two years. Their relationship has a deep commitment to open communication of honesty, integrity, vulnerability and growth which is practiced in their daily lives as well as by attending and presenting various workshops.
Tara L. Skubella, Founder and Tantra guide for Naked Earth Tantra, has over 18 years working with youth and families in the wilderness therapy field to adoption support 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, along with spiritual practices, to help people find intimacy 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.