Author Biographies
alithia zamantakis, Ph.D. is a sociologist and health scientist at Northwestern University’s Institute of Sexual & Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing. Her work can be found in Sexualities, Journal of School Health, Sociological Inquiry, AIDS & Behavior, Annual Review of Psychology, Liberation School, and more.
Briana Niblick, Ph.D. has been active in the ace community since 2004, across three continents and three languages. When not organizing, singing in choirs, or practicing photography, Dr. Niblick leads national environmental engineering research focusing on sustainable design and environmental justice.
Craig Wynne, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of English at the University of the District of Columbia. His research interests include writing and psychology and the emerging field of Singles Studies. He has published articles in venues such as including Psychology Today and Writer’s Digest, been featured on a variety of podcasts, and published a book, How to be a Happy Bachelor. When he is not on the front lines of dispelling popular, damaging myths about singlehood, he enjoys reading, writing, dancing at concerts, hiking, analyzing movies, and playing with his cat/son, Chester. You can learn more about him and his work at thehappybachelor.org.
elicia (pronounced eh-lee-see-uh) gonzales is a queer Latinx who holds Masters degrees in Social Work and Human Sexuality Education. She currently serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Pennsylvania. Between 2017-2023, she proudly served as the Executive Director (ED) for the Abortion Liberation Fund of PA (formerly named Women’s Medical Fund), an organization that since 1985 has worked to ensure and expand abortion access now and always through direct service and community organizing. Elicia formerly served as ED for GALAEI (pronounced: gahh-lay): a queer Latinx Social Justice Organization and adjunct professor for Widener University’s Center for Human Sexuality Studies. Elicia served on the boards for Bread and Roses Community Fund and Planned Parenthood of Southeastern PA, was a founding member of the Philly Pride Collective, is the co-founder of the SEXx Interactive Collective, and was a former appointed member of the Pennsylvania Commission on LGBTQ Affairs. Elicia lives in Philly with her amazing wife and furry pet children, and is originally from Denver, Colorado.
Jayleen Galarza Patterson (they/them) is a queer, Puerto Rican, non-binary, often able-bodied, mother, partner, daughter, friend, scholar, educator, therapist, and activist living in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania on the unceded lands of the Susquehannock tribe. I am a first generation college graduate who grew up in a household that struggled with financial insecurity, and I was privileged in having various folks and programs, including East Stroudsburg University’s Upward Bound program, invest in my success and help me access resources that would assist me in navigating and graduating college and graduate school. I am an Associate Professor within the Social Work & Gerontology Department at Shippensburg University, which is situated on the unceded lands of the Susquehannock. I am also a co-host of a podcast focused on sex and aging called Our Better Half.
Juan Camarena, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in the Community Based Block Multicultural Community Counseling and Social Justice education graduate program at San Diego State University. Dr. Camarena is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, and nationally certified Sex Therapist. Dr. Camarena also provides psychotherapy at his independent practice with specialties in sex, gender, Queer, and culturally-affirming therapies. He has been passionate about teaching and learning, social-justice focused research, and combating marginalization via psychotherapy since receiving his Master’s degree in Counseling from San Diego State University with specializations in Community Counseling, School Counseling, andMarriage & Family Therapy. Dr. Camarena also received Masters and Doctorate degrees in Human Sexuality, with clinical concentrations, from Widener University. You can contact him jcamarena@sdsu.edu.
Native to Puerto Rico, Julissa Coriano is a licensed clinical social worker and sexuality therapist in private practice in Delaware. Holding a Masters in Clinical Social Work and a Masters degree and advanced doctoral work in Human Sexuality from Widener University, Julissa’s academic research focuses on the impact of marianismo and machismo on Latinx sexuality. With over 33 years of advocacy experience, Julissa’s clinical specialization centers the Latinx community, particularly undocumented victims of crime, the LGBTQIA community, and victims of human trafficking. Julissa is the founder of Orgullo Delaware, an organization that clinically serves LGBTQIA-identified Latines and their families in Delaware. Julissa is also the founder of the Delaware Sexuality and Gender Collective, which is a hub for other clinicians and sexuality professionals to share resources and professional development information. Finally, Julissa holds a leadership role on several LGBTQIA boards and committees throughout Delaware. In 2021 and 2022, Julissa was named one of Delaware’s most influential for social justice and advocacy. In 2018, in recognition of her commitment to the Latinx community, Julissa was honored as the Grand Marshall of the 42nd annual Wilmington Hispanic Festival.
Kailer Patterson, BSW (he/him) is a proud trans man, Navy vet, social worker, and stay at home dad. He’s devoted much of his time these days to raising mindful and caring humans.
Mariotta Gary-Smith (she/her) is a 3rd generation social justice agitator & Oregonian. While her family history nurtured her interest in social justice, she gravitated to public health & human sexuality in high school. As an adolescent, she was a youth health advocate/peer educator, and participated on local & national youth councils (National Black Women’s Health Project (Atlanta, GA); Be Present Institute (Atlanta, GA); Planned Parenthood Teen Council (Portland, OR); and National Board Youth Representative for NARAL (now NARAL Pro-Choice America).
Mariotta holds degrees from Agnes Scott College, the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University; and is an alumna of the Inaugural Class at the Center of Excellence for Sexual Health (CESH) Scholars Fellowship at Morehouse School of Medicine. In 2009, she co-founded the Women of Color Sexual Health Network (WoCSHN; pronounced ‘wok-shyn’) – an online-based collective for women/femme-identifying/gender expansive sexuality professionals of color. She’s an AASECT (American Association of Sexuality Educator, Counselors & Therapists) Certified Sexuality Educator and past Associate Editor for the American Journal of Sexuality Education (AJSE).
With over 20 years of experience collaborating with people/organizations holding multiple identities & perspectives, Mariotta remains deeply committed to engaging spaces that support clear & accountable learning on the intersections of race, social justice, sexuality and “actionable agitation”.
Melissa Murphy Thompson MSW, LCSW, OSW-C (she/her) is an award winning online educator and professor of social work. Melissa utilizes models of accompaniment, trauma informed teaching and learning, and radical hope in her work with students, colleagues, and clients. A board certified oncology social worker, she has worked in mental health, health care and community settings as a clinician and a leader. She is in private practice in the Chicagoland area. Her research, teaching, and clinical practice focus on supporting those who have experienced trauma, the LGBTQQI+ and non-binary communities, military veterans and families, and chronic health issues. Melissa was a on the faculty at Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois where she was the Director of Online Learning and Development and the Coordinator of the Military Social Work Program. She is currently a Clinical Assistant Professor at Salisbury University in Maryland. Besides accompanying amazingly talented and passionate students, Melissa’s contributions in higher education include curriculum design for both online and face to face learning communities, training for teaching excellence, student success, and professional development for faculty and administration. She is often found researching how to make a class, content area or a program more effective, engaging and student centered. Melissa is a sought after keynote speaker and consultant in the areas of social work, higher education, health, business leadership and employee wellness. Melissa holds a Master in Social Work degree from Aurora University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Human and Organizational Development from DePaul University in Chicago.
Natalie Blanton, PhD (she/they) is a Professor of Sociology in Social, Cultural, and Justice Studies at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She teaches and researches the nexus of reproductive and environmental justice, investigating the effects of regional air pollution and global climate change on reproductive decision-making, fertility behaviors, and future ideation. Before relocating to the Southeast in 2022, Natalie worked to create and implement inclusive and trauma-informed curricula with the Planned Parenthood Association of Utah where she began her community education and advocacy work, teaching sex and pleasure education to women experiencing incarceration. She has worked in social and environmental justice organizing spaces for the last ten years and utilizes her expertise to seek accountability for harms within our community, from the interpersonal to the global. In navigating their work/life balance, Natalie takes time to explore her environment and connect to their body through dancing and roller-skating. You can reach them via twitter (@_nat_v_nat_), linkedin (linkedin.com/in/natalie-blanton), or email (natalie-blanton@utc.edu).
Nathalie Huitema (she/her) holds a Ph.D. in human sexuality and is also trained as a psychologist with a focus on older adults. Currently, she is a registered sexologist, a sex therapist, and a sex educator. Additionally, she serves as a dissertation advisor in the Human Sexuality department at the California Institute of Integral Studies.
In her role as a sex educator, Dr. Huitema has developed diverse sexuality training programs for long-term care. Her passion for sharing knowledge is evident in her capacity as a guest speaker and presenter at both national and international conferences. Furthermore, she is a (co-)author of numerous journal articles and book chapters and has been featured on (local) radio shows and podcasts.
Specializing in the intersection of sexuality, aging, and consent, Dr. Huitema brings a wealth of practical expertise to her field, with over 15 years of experience working in long-term care. Nathalie currently resides in Boston with her husband and three children, accompanied by a dog and a cat. Originally from the Netherlands, her internationally focused work reflects a commitment to advancing understanding and awareness in the realm of human sexuality, particularly in relation to older adults.
Nick Marzo, MS LPC, LMHC, CST, ACS, NCC, CCMHC (he/him) is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified Sex Therapist, Approved Clinical Supervisor, educator, and consultant. Nick has been working in the behavioral health community for close to 25 years with experience in direct care and administrative oversight capacities. When Nick opened Modern Path, LLC in 2017 it was his goal to create a space in Atlanta where those who are marginalized due to their gender, sexuality, and how they build relationships would be able to access therapy in a way that minimized the power in the room, fostering trust and vulnerability. Since that time Modern Path has become the “go to” practice in Atlanta for the intersections of gender, queerness, and neurodivergence. No longer providing direct care, Nick’s time is supervising QT and QTBIPOC clinicians, volunteering as the AASECT Ethics Advisory Committee Chairperson, and providing consultation and training throughout the country. Nick is an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist, recipient of the 2021 AASECT DEI Award and founder of the AASECT Gender Diverse SIG. Nick’s experiences are informed by his intersecting identities of being a middle aged, trans masculine, genderqueer, neurodivergent, consensually non monogamous, birth parent residing primarily in urban and suburban eastern cities throughout his life. Nick can be reached via his website www.modernpath.net
Noah Duckett is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker practicing in the State of Delaware. Noah is passionate about working with LGBTQIA individuals to navigate positive coming out experiences, as well as social, medical, legal, and emotional transitions. He works closely with major LGBT organizations in the Mid-Atlantic region to offer clinical consults and education, and is a co-founder of Orgullo Delaware, the only educational, clinical, and social platform supporting LGBTQIA Latinx Delawareans and their families.
Roberta Hunte, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor at Portland State University’s School of Social Work. She received her M.S. in Conflict Resolution from PSU, and her doctorate from the University of Manitoba in Peace and Conflict Studies. She is affiliate faculty in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Black Studies. Hunte is a community engaged Black feminist scholar, whose academic interests include sexual and reproductive justice, cultural work for social change, and how Black, Indigenous, and People of Color navigate institutions: particularly construction, maternal healthcare, and higher education. Her creative critical scholarship includes the theatre piece “My Walk Has Never Been Average,” and short film “Sista in the Brotherhood,” both informed by her research with Black tradeswomen and devised theater piece entitled “We are BRAVE,” based on reproductive stories from people of color and transgender people.
Dr. Shanna Katz Kattari (they/them) is an associate professor at the University of Michigan School of Social Work, in the Women’s and Gender Studies Department (by courtesy) and is the director of the [Sexuality | Relationships | Gender] Research Collective. A white, Jewitchy, middle class, autistic, neurodivergent, chronically ill, disabled, polyamorous queer fat nonbinary femme, they are an esteemed researcher, scholar, and advocate whose work has made significant contributions to the fields of social work, health disparities, and LGBTQ+ studies. With a steadfast commitment to social justice and equity, Dr. Kattari’s community centered research and advocacy efforts have focused on understanding and addressing the unique challenges faced by marginalized communities, particularly within the realms of gender, sexuality, and disability. For more information, please visit ShamnaKattari.com.
