Poly Living 2010 Presenters

Keynote

For the activists among us, progress for the poly movement has never been fast enough. For those who've been "poly for years," shows like Big Love and the occasional Oprah episode on open marriages -whether "poly" is used or not- reassure us that things are shifting. For the newly poly, posting "In an open relationship" on our Facebook profile reminds us that we are no longer the only stranger in a strange land. And for the monogamous person choosing into a poly relationship, today, more than ever, there are books, workshops and DVDs to help you get your black belt in relationships and increase your odds of survival... No matter where you are on the poly spectrum of experience, what we all have in common is that polyamory is not yet mainstream... Has anyone thought about what happens when it does?

Join Reid Mihalko as he talks candidly about his own relationship journey, his experiences bringing poly to Hollywood's world of reality television, and what he thinks is going to happen to us when polyamory becomes a household word -and what you can do today to help!

Curtis Bergstrand, PhD,

Curtis is a sociology professor at Bellarmine University in Louisville, KY. His recent book, Swinging In America: Sex, Love, and Marriage in the 21st Century reflects his recent interest in non-monogamy and its implications for families in the future. He appeared on the National Geographic Channel's Taboo series as an academic expert on swinging and marital infidelity.

Mim Chapman, Ph.D.

Mim is relationship coach, keynote speaker, educator, and change agent, has been entertaining and mentoring people for more years than she chooses to admit. She is a certified Myers-Briggs trainer and has led workshops in various aspects of diversity, learning styles, multiple intelligences, collaboration, anti-harassment, sexuality, and the change process for conferences, schools and businesses. She was Alaska’s “Curriculum Leader of the Year,” Toastmaster’s “Communicator of the Year,” and the YWCA/British Petroleum “Woman of Achievement.” Her current creative passion is her sex education performance arts piece, “The VP (vagina-penis) Dialogues,”

Jim Fleckenstein

Jim Fleckenstein is a researcher, activist, educator and community organizer. He co-founded the Chesapeake Polyamory Network and the Institute for 21st Century Relationships (now the Foundation of the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom), and is currently a member of the NCSF Board, chairs the NCSF Foundation, and is a member of the Polyamory Leadership Network. He is also a member of, and has presented for, the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists and the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality.

Eric Francis

Eric Francis is an artist, writer and counselor who has presented at Loving More on and off since 1997, and been out as poly since 1986. He writes the Planet Waves column, a morph of astrology, gender studies and politics; and is the author of Book of Blue, an ongoing literary-photojournalism project exploring his relationship to women and his own sexual identity. He lives in upstate New York. His websites are: PlanetWaves.net and BookofBLue.com.

Jesus Garcia

Jesus is the IT Director of Loving More Non-Profit, a position he volunteers for after his full time job in IT as a Senior Systems Administrator. A native of the San Francisco Bay area Jesus 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 has been a great help as Loving More makes it’s transition to non-profit. He has worked in the computer information technology field since 1995. In college he majored in Biology and Psychology with an emphasis on bio-psychology.

Sean E Graham

When he isn't hosting comedy shows or practicing Yoga and finally putting the final pieces together for his poly positive queer empowering short films "Switch Hit Studios" (you learned it here first people!) he volunteers for BiNet USA as part of the Youth Task Force Committee as well as an active member of the New York Area Bisexual Network.
"It isn't logical to define how to love someone using a newer system that is failing with an even older one exists that was working perfectly" are his thoughts as well many MANY more on the subject. You can find him online via facebook and myspace. Just search for sean.e.graham@gmail.com which just also happens to be his email address.

Ken Haslam

Ken Haslam is a retired anesthesiologist Polyamory activist well into the Medicare years and sliding all too rapidly into senility.

Lee Hencen

Lee has been actively poly for a long time and still has a lover that dates back to high school days! She specializes in a family style of polyamory, where she has had great success being involved with committed couples with an element of long distance. Lee has spent many years overcoming her own body issues and developed this workshop to continue her own path to freedom and perhaps help others along the way. She has presented at Poly Living, Loving More East Coast Retreat and Building Bridges.

Jessica Karels

Jessica is a writer, speaker, and workshop facilitator that is helping to bring about greater public awareness about polyamory. She has been a council member for the St. Paul - Minneapolis polyamory group, MNPoly, since 2004. In addition to leading on a local level, Jessica is helping to build a poly-friendly web presence. Her blog, Young Metro Poly, consists of her writings about poly leadership development as well as her personal musings about being Generation Y, a corporate professional, and openly polyamorous. Jessica is also one of the co-founders of the new poly news and social networking site, Modern Poly.

Buck L.

Active member of Open Love NY and formerly on the Leadership Committee of PolyNYC. Co-Hosted with honey Donna the Super Massive Cuddle Party for Poly Pride Weekend 2008 and other events. Member of the 2nd National Polyamorous Leadership Summit Organizing Committee. In business, Buck is a construction professional working in lower Manhattan. Helped raise two lovely daughters, who are out of the house and on their own.

Alan M.

Alan is a polyamory-awareness activist who specializes in connecting people. He has run the Polyamory in the News site, polyinthemedia.blogspot.com, for the last four years. He's on the membership committee of the Polyamory Leadership Network, is a Loving More regular (and supporter), is active in Unitarian Universalists for Polyamory Awareness, and has appeared at Poly Pride Weekend in New York and Transcending Boundaries in Massachusetts.

Donna M.

Active member of Open Love NY and formerly on the Leadership Committee of PolyNYC. Food and Decorating Director for 2008 Poly Pride Weekend, PolyNYC Holiday Party, and Co-Hosted with honey Buck the Super Massive Cuddle Party for PolyPride Weekend 2008 and other fun events. Member of the 2nd National Polyamorous Leadership Summit Organizing Committee. In the business community, Donna is an AVP in the financial sector for a company in lower Manhattan, as well as a certified Reiki Master. Mother of two, grandmother of three. Organizations or Associations: Native American Healing Circle, Open Love NY, Polyamorous Leadership Network, Association for Women in Insurance, and Chester Historical Society.

Nancy Miller

Nancy Miller is a nurse midwife with years of professional and personal experience with women’s changing sexuality as they mature.

Carol Morotti-Meeker, MS,MLSP

Carol is a social scientist and clinical professional in practice near Philadelphia, PA with people involved in polyamorous and other alternative loving styles. She is involved in serving on national poly boards and a co-editor of a guide to polyamory for therapists through NCSF.

Michael Rios

Michael has been creating and living alternative lifestyles and personal growth experiences for 40 years. His favorite social organization principles include guerrilla capitalism and responsible anarchy. He regularly organizes "New Culture" events aimed at creating a culture based on awareness, compassion and freedom rather than on fear and judgment.

Ben Silver

Ben is a singer, musician and poly and bi activist who has been in an open primary relationship for 25 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.”

Sarah Taub

Sarah uses her training in cognitive science, group facilitation, and transformative practices such as co-counseling and Nonviolent Communication to create powerful experiences for human healing and growth. Her current koan: only when you let go of urgency can you be truly effective. She regularly organizes "New Culture" events aimed at creating a culture based on love and freedom.

Robyn Trask

Robyn is the Managing Editor and Executive director of Loving More Non-Profit since October 2004. She has been openly polyamorous for 20 years, a mom for 21 years, been a student of Tantra for 23 years, and Tantric teacher for 10 years. Robyn has been running poly support groups, teaching and facilitating relationship and sexuality workshop since 1999. She has done numerous interviews on polyamory for radio, television, newspapers and magazines articles including features in the Denver Post, the Hartford Current, Mom Logic, Boulder Dailey Camera, Baisden After Dark on TV One, the Montel Show and Christian Broadcast Network on the 700 Club. Robyn has worked with the media to bring awareness of polyamory as a viable alternative in today’s changing styles of love relationships. She counsels individuals and couples using Sacred Sex techniques to improve intimacy, self awareness and appreciation of pleasure. She was the Keynote for the Florida Poly Retreat in 2007, featured speaker at Poly Pride in 2006, 2007 and 2008, presented at the 2006 and 2007 Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality Western Conference, has done guest lectures at CU Boulder and Denver University.

Anita Wagner

Anita is a polyamory advocate, writer, spokesperson and educator who serves as a community advisor to the Community-Academic Consortium for Research on Alternative Sexualities (CARAS), is a board member of Loving More® and Unitarian Universalists for Polyamory Awareness, gives workshops on poly relationship skills, and works with the media to help educate the public.

Jens Wennberg

Jens Wennberg is supposed to be a retired Physician Assistant. He will be willing to share the joys and sorrows of his aging process.

Valerie White

Valerie is a divorced parent of adult children, co-parenting twins in a 15-year triad. She is a lawyer, parent, and executive director of the Sexual Freedom Legal Defense Fund, Valerie White has spoken on sex, law, polyamory, and parenting at national and regional conferences, including Boston Area Sex and Spirituality Network, Transcending Boundaries, Building Bridges, True Colors, Arisia, PolyCamp, Poly Living and Loving More. She was founding president of Unitarian Universalists for Polyamory Awareness and serves on the Coordinating Council of Family Tree. She has lived in an open triad for 14 years, and her family includes 7 year old twins. Her writings on polyamory have been published in “Loving More” and “The Humanist”. A long-time sexual rights activist, she was president of the Vermont ACLU affiliate and former council co-chair and Freethinker of the Year of the Freedom from Religion Foundation, www.sfldef.org

Dr. Leanna Wolfe

Dr. Leanna Wolfe is a social anthropologist who studies gender, marriage patterns, and sexuality. Her research has taken her to the hinterlands of East Africa and Morocco, the highlands of Papua New Guinea, ceremonial sites of India, Thailand and Bali as well as a host of swing parties and polyamory potlucks. She has been featured widely on TV, radio, and in print and makes her living as a writer, college professor and a sex researcher. For more information see her website: www.drleannawolfe.com

Michelle Z

Michelle is a trans, pagan and poly activist who has presented workshops at the Dark Odyssey, Free Spirit Beltane and Gathering festival, Loving More East and West, Poly Living, Building Bridges conferences, and at the Community for Spiritual Living. Michelle is also known as Michael when she changes genders.

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