*If you need information on becoming a speaker, please visit the visiting or presenting page.
While there are generally posts that accompany each visit by speakers, I wanted to provide a page where basic biographical information was available for review. This may not be an exhaustive list, but I will endeavor to move speaker information here for reference.
As I tell students, the speakers who visit our classrooms are all professionals in their own right. Many of them are world-renowned in their respective communities and often they visit us under stage or scene names to protect their privacy. They each bring something valuable to our learning experience and they do so without compensation (a bottle of water and a parking pass is what they are offered).
They take time away from their busy work and lives to share deeply personal information with candor and humor. Some do this at risk to their anonymity and I am grateful they share my belief that knowledge is power. It is my hope that students leave these visits remembering the words of Aristotle
“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.”
along with James Baldwin‘s response to being labeled:
“There’s nothing in me that is not in everybody else, and nothing in everybody else that is not in me. We’re trapped in language, of course.”
Speakers are NOT ordered by last name as many are known by single names, aliases or group names. NOTE: if a speaker’s name is not capitalized, that is NOT a typo. Some prefer lower case letters and I do my best to remember that.
Barak and Sheba
Barak & Sheba are pansexual, polyamorous, married partners who reside in Columbus, Ohio; with some gigantic cats. They are Contributing Authors for Sexis Online Magazine and have written numerous short stories and essays on Polyamory, Kink, and Sacred Sexuality. Traveling around the country, they present classes for Kink, Leather, and Vanilla audiences. On the first Monday of each month, you can hear them talking about all forms of creative sexual expression on BS’ing with Barak & Sheba hosted by the Erotic Awakenings Podcast network. Together they are the founding members and owners of Adventures in Sexuality(AIS), a fun, frolicking, PanPolyBSDM/Kink group in Central Ohio. Through AIS they are Coalition members of the NCSF (National Coalition for Sexual Freedom) are active supporters of The Sexual Assault Response Network of Central Ohio (SARNCO) and the Buckeye Region Anti-Violence Organization (BRAVO). They currently promote Pansexual BDSM Educational Events in Central Ohio.
In their “Intro to Kink” presentation, they introduce the audience to the Who, What, Why, Where and How of Sensation, Roleplay, Fetish, and Bondage. You are hearing about Bondage, BDSM, Kinky Sex, and many of the taboo buzzwords thrown all over, since 50 shades came out. But what does it all mean? How do people “spice” up their relationship without going overboard? In this informational class, they discuss the general avenues that make up Kink, Alt Sex, or Creative sexuality. They offer some general guidelines, and provide a PG-13 rated “show and tell” that illustrates some key points.
Big Girl Burlesque
The Big Girl Burlesque is a troupe of like-minded women who believe that size has nothing to do with sexy! They own their curves and love their bodies. They invite you to come see what a body positive burlesque experience can be!
Follow the Big Girls on Facebook at
https://www.facebook.com/biggirlburlesque
Twitter: Big_Girl_BurlyQ
BigGirlBurlesque.com
Bondage Nexus
BondageNexus has enjoyed incorporating rope bondage into his sex life since puberty. In the last ten years he has done bondage in the public kink scene mostly as an outreach to folks who are new to kink in hopes that they can be more comfortable in their love of bondage. If you’ve been to Trauma in Columbus, you may have already caught one of his performances. He has presented (and performed) at numerous events and leads a group known as CORG. The Central Ohio Rope Group “is a great, safe place for people of any level of experience to come and share their love of rope bondage, knot skills, shibari, fusion bondage, and anything related” to rope/rigging. They welcome local and regional attendees to their monthly meetings in Columbus Ohio.
Evolved Body Art with Nick Wolak
From his Website:
Nick Wolak is the proud parent of two amazing children – Lennox Jahi and Ayala Itzel. He and his wonderful partner, Jennifer have dedicated their years together to balancing the endless tasks and joys of parenthood, academia, yoga/judo, body modification, meditation and traveling.
Nick has been in the industry since 1995 at Dos Gavachos Y Un Chilango Tattoos in Acapulco, Mexico. He has traveled to more than thirty countries where he has visited studios, done guest spots, and taken part in body modification rituals & ceremonies.
Nick completed his Masters degree at the Ohio State University in Somatic and Cultural Studies in 2002. His final project, “Somatic Piercing: The Art and Ritual of Body Piercing” portrays his experiences in body rituals as well as illuminates other piercers’ views on the matter.
Kevin and katie
Kevin and katie are married and have enjoyed a M/s relationship for 12 years. They have maintained a loving 24/7 TPE (Total Power Exchange) relationship while surviving raising teenagers, full time employment, a total-loss house fire, correcting huge debt, home renovations, and Alberta winters. Their presentations are a rollicking mix of humor and honesty – like any good scene, you might not be sure whether it feels good, or you should cry.
Kevin has clinical experience watching what makes couples succeed and what causes them to fail. Through moderating Power Exchange discussion groups together, they have heard the real struggles faced by real couples. Their mission is to help people create, maintain and optimize their relationships. They hope to encourage individuals and relationships to grow through proper focus on goals and priorities.
Actual workshop attendees say: “Your workshops were a breath of fresh air and the first meaningful TPE workshops to offer a practical strategic framework as well as some tactical behaviours to underpin it. They were also entertaining without being content-free.” and “Their presentations are so good, I skipped Bow Chicka Wow Wow for one.”
Kevin and katie present at Leather, Power Exchange, and Kink events in both the US and Canada.
linworth
linworth has been actively exploring the kink world since 2007, and while having all sorts of “deviant” proclivities, has mainly settled into her two favorites of power exchange and rope bondage. While generally the shy, submissive type, she has a passion for education and discussion surrounding consent culture, rope bottoming, and the safe practice of all things kinky.
Ms Brenda and arcane
Ms. Brenda and arcane are a 24/7 power exchange couple.
She was born and raised in Florida, where she was a professional wrestler, and worked in retail management. She moved to Ohio in 1996, with her late husband, where they helped start a local munch and educational group.
arcane is a retired massage therapist. He relocated from Texas to Ohio, in 1997 to marry his late Mistress. She encouraged him to make floggers as a career, which keeps him busy vending and presenting at events all across the country.
They originally met years ago through the munch group and both couples became good friends. After losing their spouses, Ms. Brenda and arcane began dating and were married, complete with collaring ceremony in Feb 2013. They earned the title of Great Lakes Master/ slave, they take pride in carrying the titles as education and understanding of the Master/slave dynamic is very important to them.
PolyColumbus
THEIR MISSION (From their website):
PolyColumbus empowers individuals that either self-identify as polyamorous, open, or ethically non-monogamous, or are exploring such possibilities. We build community to provide a safe and inclusive place to not only be ourselves, but also meet like-minded individuals from all backgrounds.
We advocate for the equal treatment of the ethically non-monogamous under law, and for broader societal acceptance of the same. We serve organizations with similar goals by documenting best practices and creating other resources for successfully running such an organization.
Finally, we educate each other, allied organizations, and the broader community on what it means to be ethically non-monogamous.
INSTRUCTOR NOTE: If you – or someone you know – is interested in this group, more information is available on their website (links above throughout) or here if you would prefer to copy and paste:http://www.polycolumbus.org
Rendezvous Hair Salon with Dakota
Dakota has been cutting, coloring, styling, and essentially being madly in love with doing hair for the past 9 years. She followed her heart to the Aveda Institute Columbus after experiencing a few years of college and has never looked back. She has proudly spent her entire career at Rendezvous…. She especially loves to utilize her skills to help you achieve looks that are gender-bending, unexpected, or simply outside the norm: QUEER! But most of all, she thrives on making each and every person that sits in her chair feel like a rockstar, whether their hair is a neon rainbow or a natural brunette.
Tara McKenzie Allison
Tara is an attorney who graciously offers her time to my students. Active in the local LGBT community, Tara is a tireless activist supporting equal rights for all people. Her presentation is followed by an informative Question&Answer period. Previous students have described her visit as life changing… and that echoes my sentiments. She is amazing.
More about Tara: In 1987, Tara received her undergraduate degree in Marine Engineering, from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis. Following graduation, she served as a Commissioned Officer in the US Navy. After being honorably discharged, Tara worked as a nuclear engineer for over a decade. She is a licensed Professional Engineer. In 1999, she partially completed a MBA degree, at the College of William and Mary, before relocating to Columbus. In 2005, Tara graduated from Capital University Law School, cum laude, passed the Ohio Bar Exam, and was admitted to the Ohio Bar. Following graduation from law school, she has served as General Counsel / Contracts Manager for a mid-sized, construction-industry company, in Lexington, KY. In 2008, she relocated back to Columbus, in order to start her own law practice. She is a member of the Columbus Bar Association and is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. She practices primarily in the areas of domestic/family law, Lesbian, Gay, Bi, and Transgender law, contract law, construction law, and civil litigation. Tara is an active public speaker on LGBT-related issues; she has spoken numerous times at The Ohio State University, The Ohio State University Law School, Capital University Law School, Dennison University, Ohio Northern University, Transylvania University, Columbus Alternative High School, the King Avenue United Methodist Church in Columbus, Ohio, and the LGBT Subcommittee of the Columbus Bar Association. She has been a presenter at the TransOhio Annual Transgender and Ally Symposium (2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011). She has also spoken on LGBT issues at the 2010 Ohio Diversity and Leadership Conference, the 2011 Equality Ohio CAUSE Conference at Columbus State Community College, before the Columbus Community Relations Commission, and the Columbus Police Academy.
Technicolor aka C.J.
As a community educator, C.J. spreads a sex-positive message on-the-clock and off. She discusses sex toys and educates students on safety and maintenance as well as risks associated with use. After sharing her experiences working at an adult toy store, she’ll answer questions about the types of merchandise offered at adult “toy” stores, who shops there, and how the community feels about their presence.
Anita Parker 