Undressed Panelists - Friday, January 16
Pamgrace
Gachenge
Pamgrace Gachenge is the Founder and Executive Director of PAUSE Project a 501c3 non-profit organization. PAUSE Project is a youth based organization committed to sex, sexual health, and HIV/AIDS education. We are igniting change through five pillars -Prevention, Awareness, Understanding, Support, and Empowerment. Pamgrace started her HIV/AIDS education as a peer educator at Bowie State in 2007 and recently participated in the 2014, White House Discussion on HIV amongst Gay and Bisexual Men.
Tracey Gantt
RN, MSN
Tracey Gantt RN, MSN is an advanced practice public health nurse in the DC metropolitan area with over 23 years of service to vulnerable populations. She holds a Master of Science in Nursing from The Catholic University of America with a focus track as a Community/Public Health Nurse Specialist/Educator. Her professional roles have spanned from direct bedside care, community health, academic nursing education and governmental health policy. Her instruction and health education audiences for prevention, treatment adherence and care relate to the infectious and communicable diseases in women, youth, LBGT, the aging and hard to reach populations. Ms. Gantt has presented on topics such as treatment adherence for HIV+ women, priorities in oral health for HIV infected individuals, reoccurring STI’s in hard to reach populations, safe sexual health practices in WSW, MSM and heterosexual engagement. She continues to work towards completion of a PhD in nursing.
LaShay
Harvey Jones
LaShay Harvey Jones is a sexologist, professor, and researcher. Her specific research interests encompass sexual agency, sexual freedom, and sexual identity development in the African American community. LaShay received her BA in Communications from the University of Central Florida, M.Ed. in Human Sexuality from Widener University, and is completing her Ph.D. in Human Sexuality at Widener University. She is currently an adjunct professor at The University of Baltimore. LaShay also coordinates a research study at The Johns Hopkins University (JHU) on pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in adolescent girls and young women, and assists with research from JHU on exotic dancers and their risk environments.
Tiffany
Thompson
Tiffany Thompson has spent 10 years studying, presenting, and critiquing race, gender, sex, and queer identities through work that bridges academia and realness. She received her BS in International business and Marketing from Georgetown University and a Masters in Communication Management from Temple University. Tiffany is currently on the Training and Facilitation Team of the Brown Boi Project. Tiffany also finds joy in projects that involve mason jars, Legos, or cross-stitching, because real butches craft! Follow her on Twitter at @tiffrocking or on Tumblr as butchtiff.
Undressed Presenters - Saturday, January 17
Joy Petway
LICSW, LCSW-C
Joy Petway is a licensed clinical social worker who has been practicing since 2007. She is licensed in the District of Columbia and Maryland. She works with clients from an understanding that many problematic behaviors stem from fear of repeating past pains and trauma. Using a diverse range of skill sets, her ultimate goal is to empower her clients to achieve the life they desire. She specializes in anxiety, trauma, lifestyle changes, dating, building custom relationships, family issues, infidelity and career exploration. In addition to counseling, Joy Petway provides life and career coaching. She creates custom workshops on the topics of trauma, relationship, intimacy, fear vs love, self exploration, and divine purpose.
Emily Rizzo
NCC, LCPC
Emily Rizzo, co-founder of Achieving Joy, is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in DC and MD. She has been in the counseling field since 2007, utilizing an eclectic, creative approach to engage clients. She believes in using creative arts to explore feelings and connecting the body and mind to encourage movement in therapy along with talk. Emily loves to learn about race and ethnicity, sex and communication, the LGBTQ community, and family relations. For the past 5 years Emily has worked with the Upward Bound Program at the University of Maryland and loves working with the teenage population. Emily has provided individual, couples, family, and group counseling in a variety of settings understanding various cultural, racial, and economic backgrounds. Emily is proud to be apart of Achieving Joy and the outlook of our future.
Asha Gray
I come from a varied background having worked in fields from martial arts instructor to zoo keeper but always in a teaching or caregiver role. I started my journey in therapy in my hometown of Chicago at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. I have always had an interest in sex and got my MA with a concentration in treating sex offenders but I wasn’t always interested in therapy. In fact I was originally against it, I only wanted to do assessments. Through a number of twists and turns I found myself a counselor, in DC an d loving every minute of it. I now provide therapeutic services to the major mentally ill, indigent populations at Community Connections and have my private practice at Freed Bodyworks. Through both settings I see a wide variety of folks and am able to do so much fulfilling work. Though some of my favorite work still is working around sexual related topics whether it be helping folks learn about new sexual areas in their lives, working on their relationships or incorporating ethical non-monogamy into their lifestyle.
Jayne Kelly
The relationship that a person has with a partner is the most unique and special relationship that one can have with another human being. It is my life mission to coach people into a long, healthy relationship with whomever they choose.
My name is Jayne Kelly and I am a relationship coach, a 2012 graduate of the Accomplishment Coaching Program. Accomplishment Coaching is a rigorous one year program in the study of ontological coaching, the state of being. Currently living in Baltimore with my loving wife Blair, I have come to the realization that if a person is willing and able to maintain a healthy relationship, they will have success and meet their life goals.
With the help of therapy, coaching and introspection I have been able to use all my life’s trials and triumphs to find an inner peace and lead an intentional life. From being a young single mother to dealing with family mental illness, I have brought all my life’s experiences together to create an adventuresome life and a committed relationship.
Bianca
Palmnisano
Bianca Palmnisano is an independent sex educator, non-profit professional, and a self-professed sex geek. An experienced facilitator of LGBT cultural competency trainings and provider of youth-oriented sex education workshops, Bianca developed a reputation as an engaging and accessible presenter that focuses on concrete takeaways for businesses and individuals alike. With a background in International Relations and many years serving the LGBT community, Bianca brings an interdisciplinary approach to sex education and deep knowledge of women’s and LGBT sexual health. She has been featured for her work through The Parents Project, University of Maryland Sex Week, and American University's GLBTA Studies Colloquium, and current produces the weekly column “Between the Sheets” for the online edition of Men Sex MD.
Michelé Prince MA, PhDC
Michelé Prince is a writer, collaborative cultural producer, and doctoral candidate in the Department of Women’s Studies at the University of Maryland, College Park. Michelé holds a Master’s in Women’s Studies from University of Maryland, College Park and a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Women’s Studies from the University of Washington. They are fascinated with utilizing the lens of race, class, gender, and sexuality to study power, the creation and maintenance of hierarchies, the roots of oppression, and the stifling of difference. Their research and creative interests center quare masculine cultural production, womyn of color speculative thought, movement, dance, and percussive sounds, as well as storytelling and mythmaking praxis.