Presenter Biographies
Brief introductions to those presenting at the Fair

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Every year, Fantasia Fair attracts some of the finest and most knowledgeable people in and out of the Transgender community. Below are brief descriptions of each who is expected to attend. We encourage you to get to know these people and to attend as many of their presentations as you can.


Mariette Pathy Allen
Mariette has been a professional photographer, writer and speaker on, and on behalf of, the TG community since 1978. She is the author of Transformations: Crossdressers and Those Who Love Them and The Gender Frontier, which won a 2004 Lambda Literary Award. Her photographs make a significant contribution to Leslie Feinberg's Transgender Warriors, illustrate Riki Anne Wilchins' Read My Lips and are included in many other books. She has worked on five documentary films, the most recent being The Transgender Revolution, and Southern Comfort, which won the Grand Jury prize at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival. Mariette has been on the staff of The Transgender Tapestry since the mid-1980s. She received a Trinity Award in 1991, an award from Fantasia Fair in 2001, for her artistic contributions on behalf of the transgender community, and a Rainbow Award at IFGE 2006. Her photographs are included in national and international collections and have been exhibited widely. Please visit her website at www.MariettePathyAllen.com.


Teresamarie Victoria Betz
Teresamarie, (born Danny) is a major nobody born in the late 50's, whom grew up in a sleepy town called Mystic, CT. An ex-marine, ex-technical and ex-college non-graduate, received her education and life experience on her own. Studied music, the trombone, the violin and played just about any other instrument she picked up. A master of nothing and rue Goldberg of everything, she can do just about anything, but never perfectly. Presently not employed as a Connecticut real estate agent, she transitioned, albeit very slowly, starting in 1998. As scared as a crow, she took this path with open arms and much attention. The final result was her 0th birthday on June 14, 2005 performed by the infamous Marci Bowers in Trinidad, Colorado. She still doesn't think she is pretty, needs a B cup and a face redo with a bigger bottom lip. She is the happiest girl alive!


Kathryn Bode
Kathryn Bode is a Cordon Bleu certified professional chef. She, with her loving partner Lauren Bode, are co-founders of WAHOO, the Wives and Husbands Outreach Organization located in northern California. Kathryn is the current chairwoman for Real Life Experiences, and first came to Fantasia Fair in 1990. She was the 2001 recipient of the Ms. Fantasia Fair award, a personal high honor. You've been able to find her for the past several years in the Fantasia Fair office waiting to help rectify any obstacles that our Fair attendees may encounter.


Holly Boswell
Holly came out in Asheville NC in 1980, and founded Phoenix Transgender Support in 1986 -- the first open group in the Southeast. Holly has been active ever since as a writer, educator and activist on regional and national levels, and is a founding member and co-creator of the Southern Comfort Conference hosted in Atlanta. In addition, she founded “Kindred Spirits”, a transgender spiritual network, and has built a year-round guest house & retreat facility near the Great Smoky Mountains. Holly’s work centers around the awakening of our spirit within nature, and transcending the paradigms of gender to further human evolution for all beings. Holly's website is at www.TranSpirits.org.


Helen Boyd
Helen Boyd, M.A. is the author of My Husband Betty, a Lambda Literary Award finalist now in its 6th printing. Her blog (en)gender can be found at www.myhusbandbetty.com. Her next book, She’s Not the Man I Married, was recently published by Seal Press.


Arthur Brantz, M.D.
Dr. Brantz is a member of the transgender education association of Washington D.C., and is involved both personally and through the efforts and his wife’s sibling, Miqqi Alicia Gilbert. Practicing gynecology and Gynecologic Endocrinology for about 20 years and board certified by the American college of ob/gyn. past associate clinical professor of ob/gyn for George Washington university. Passed Associate Clinical Professor of OB/GYN for George Washington Medical School, board Certified in OB/GYN and Fellow of the American College of OB/GYN. His private practice now is more inclusive to provide global general care and also to provide transgendered patients a comfortable and accepting environment in which to obtain health care. This includes hormonal therapy tailored to the individual.


Jan Brown
Jan Brown is a happily married hetero crossdresser who comes from upstate NY (somewhere north of NYC) and is a cofounder of the Mid-Hudson Valley Transgender Association (MHVTA) which meets in the Poughkeepsie area. She's involved with MHVTA and tries to help in various ways including helping to donate TG materials to the LGBT TG library in NYC. She is an official "lurker" on several list servers and chimes in when she thinks it's needed. Jan loves her TG nature and also likes to play golf, do computer things, and read.


Carolyn Caywood
Carolyn has been a public and children's librarian for three decades and an avid reader for five. She has served on numerous book award committees, and was herself awarded Librarian of the Year by the New York Times.


Sandra S. Cole, Ph.D.
Dr. Cole is a sexologist, nationally AASECT Certified as a sex educator and sex counselor, and for thirty-eight years has been faculty in University academic medicine. For the past 24 years she has been friend and colleague with the transgender community, working with transgender individuals and their partners on topics of sexual health, intimacy and relationships. As founder of the University of Michigan Health System Comprehensive Gender Services Program, she served as its Director for seven years, recently retiring from that position to continue her work with the transgender community and strongly advocate for social justice for transgendered individuals and their families. Sandra remains full professor at the University of Michigan School of Medicine and University of Michigan Health Systems. She is a founding member of Gender Education & Advocacy, Inc., which can be found at www.gender.org.


Jamie Dailey, M.S.
Jamie has been active in the transgender community since the mid-1990s. She is an author, academic, and self-described computer geek from Connecticut and for many years was a member of the board of directors for Connecticut Outreach Society - a support group for transgendered individuals and their significant others. In 1998, Jamie fell in love with Fantasia Fair and attended every year since. Over the years, she has helped put on the Fantasia Fair Fashion Show, produced the Fantasia Fair Follies, and presented workshops. She is currently a member of the Fantasia Fair organizing committee as well as the board of directors for Real Life Experience - Fantasia Fair's parent organization. Jamie is proud to have been recognized with the 2002 Ms. Most Helpful award, the 2004 Ms. Congeniality award, and the 2006 Ms. Fantasia Fair award. You can read more about Jamie at her website, www.IAmTransgendered.com.


Dallas Denny, M.A.
Dallas is founder and was for ten years Executive Director of the American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. (AEGIS), a national clearinghouse on transsexual and transgender issues.  She is currently on the board of Gender Education & Advocacy, Inc., AEGIS’ successor organization, which lives at www.gender.org.  She is Fair Director of Fantasia Fair and a member of the board of directors of Real Life Experience - Fantasia Fair's parent organization. Dallas was editor of Transgender Tapestry magazine and was editor and publisher of the late Chrysalis:  The Journal of Transgressive Gender Identities.  Dallas is a prolific writer with hundreds of articles and three books to her credit.  She recently decided to retire her license to practice psychology in Tennessee, since she seems to have found a permanent home in Pine Lake, Georgia, pop. 650, the world’s smallest municipality with a transgender nondiscrimination ordinance.


Fantasia Fair Organizing Committee
The members of the Fantasia Fair Organizing Committee include Dallas Denny, Miqqi Alicia Gilbert, Stephanie Pierce, Jamie Dailey and Lauren Bode.


Leslie & Deb Fabian
The Fabians met when both were "en femme" nearly twenty years ago. Upon meeting again a month later, Leslie thought, "WOW! I like him as a guy, too!" Married since 1991, Deborah and Leslie have attended at least a dozen Fantasia Fairs since then, and have especially enjoyed the couples' offerings. Debbie is a medical professional. Leslie is a licensed clinical social worker, working as a psychotherapist, and specializing in couples work. She has been mentored in gender counseling by Niela Miller. Between them, the Fabians have six children, four of whom are aware of Deborah's existence. This couple is deeply committed to individual personal growth, as well as to a strong, healthy, loving marriage. To this end, Leslie and David/Deborah have attended numerous couples' workshops and presentations, and are delighted to have the opportunity to share their insights with the couples at Fantasia Fair, 2007.


Follies Folks
Fantasia Fair is proud to have Barb & Susan Curry along with Holly Boswell involved with making the Fantasia Fair Follies a reality.

Barb & Susan Curry have more than a dozen Fairs between them. They are professional producers in film and television, and have been involved in both performing in and putting on the FanFair Follies for years. Once again, they are bringing their considerable talent and expertise to produce the FanFair Fashion Show and Follies.

Holly Boswell Holly has a lifelong history in the performing arts, both in music and theatre. She founded the Asheville Repertory Theatre in North Carolina, and is experienced in directing, acting, producing and writing. She especially enjoys empowering others to experience the joys of performing.

Lynda Frank
Lynda Frank has a long history of committment to the trnasgender community. For more than ten years, Lynda was a member on the National Board of Directors of Tri-Ess as well as Regional Director of Tri-Ess Northeast. For many years, she was closely involved with the Chi Delta Mu chapter of Tri-Ess where she contributed as Treasurer for three terms and President for five terms. She is a co-founder of the Sigma Nu Ru chapter of Tri-Ess and its Chairperson in 1996 and in 2002 was the Co-Chairperson for the Tri-Ess National Convention in New York City. Lynda is also a founding member of the Greater New York Gender Alliance, a founder and Director of Northern New Jersey Gender Hotline referral service as well as Co-Director and Founder of Moonlight in Manhattan Member of the Steering/Planning committee for the formation of IFGE & alternate board member.


Stephany Fountain
Stephany Fountain has been associated with Fantasia Fair for over 10 years as a participant and as a volunteer. While researching electrolysis she wondered if self epilating was possible. It is! She is living proof that it can be successfully completed at about 15 to 20 % of the cost of professional services. Although it may not be for everyone, Stephany’s practical approach and extensive knowledge will be of interest to anyone thinking about removing that unwanted hair.


Miqqi Alicia Gilbert, Ph.D.
Miqqi Alicia is a Philosophy Professor at York University, Toronto, Canada. She has published two novels as well a popular book on argument, now in a third edition. Miqqi Alicia has published many scholarly articles in the areas of Argumentation Theory and Gender Theory. She is a life-long cross dresser and an activist in the international transgender community. She is a regular columnist for Transgender Tapestry, the magazine of the International Foundation for Gender Education. You can read more about Dr. Gilbert at her website.


Jamison Green
Jamison specializes in transgender awareness training and policy development for corporations, government agencies. In addition to his business and technical writing work at Visa, he specializes in transgender awareness training and policy development for corporations, government agencies, law enforcement officers, social service providers, and professional groups (physicians, attorneys, psychologists, clergy, etc.).

He is the author of Becoming a Visible Man (Vanderbilt University Press, 2004), which was awarded "Best Book in Transgender Studies" from the Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies (CLAGS) in New York City. and he also writes a column in the TransLand section on PlanetOut.com. He serves on the boards of the Transgender Law & Policy Institute and the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dsyphoria Association. He is also board chairman of Gender Education & Advocacy, Inc., and a speaker at universities, conferences, and LGBT community events around the world. For more information, visit www.jamisongreen.com.


Jean & Shira
Sometime last century, Jean and Shira were booked into Fan Fair by a confused travel agent. Once over the initial shock, and in the spirit of going-along-to-get-along, they joined in the general mishegoss. Eventually, they came to appreciate the myriad (or so) benefits of T-living and Fair attendance and took on some of the usual Fair roles: making fools of themselves in the Fashion Show and Follies, running the occasional workshop, producing the newsletter, sharing a pie at Spiritus, hosting impromptu get-togethers for the Provincetown Rescue Squad, and lately... knitting? You betcha! Since taking up knitting, they have looked forward to bringing the cozy knitting-circle atmosphere to the Fair and to encouraging other FanFairettes to pick up the sticks!


Lady Ellen
Lady Ellen is the owner and operator of Le Femme Finishing School. She began helping friends to transform as early as her High School days. Now her passion of helping cross dressers has grown into a small part time business open to all of the CD and TG community. Lady Ellen specializes in creating very special (and safe) coming out experiences. She is an experienced educator who offers friendship, acceptance and support to all who come into her life.


Robyn Kohlar
Robyn has been active in the community for some time, having been president of the New York chapter of Tri-Ess and Marchioness in the Imperial Court of NY by helping the court raise money for AIDS based charities. Robyn is also well known about the Fair and has been attending since 2001. She participates in various aspects of the Fair including the Follies and the Fashion show. After helping produce the Fashion Show for several years, Robyn - along with her partner in crime, Liz Winter - has taken over as Mistress of Ceremonies at the Show.


Alison Laing
Alison Laing is a past Executive Director of IFGE and currently Secretary to the Board of Directors and Co-Chair of IFGE Conventions.. She has been active in IFGE since 1987.  Alison was awarded the IFGE Trinity for her service to the community. Alison has been an active participant and leader in the transgendered community since her coming out in 1986 at Fantasia Fair.  She was the Director of the 1994,1995 and 1998 Fantasia Fair as well as the chair of the Outreach Institute of Gender Studies  from 1993 through 1995. Alison is a founding member and past Managing Director, Treasurer and Outreach Co-Chairperson for the Renaissance Education Association. Alison has a B.S. and M.S. from an eastern engineering university and an M.S. in Management from an Ivy League University; served two years in the Armed Services as an Officer and has over 30 years in high technology beginning in R&D and moving on into management and marketing.


Victoria M.
Victoria M. is a 66 year old fitness aficionado who will be making her tenth trip to FF. In previous years she has held a casual fitness program (biking, walking) which will continue this year. The casual program allows an individual to explore more of P'town, other than Commercial Street. This is an excellent opportunity for First Timers to quickly find out what P'town is about. Again this year she will offer nutritional and exercise information to slow down the effects of aging.


Niela Miller
Niela Miller, BA Creative Arts, MS Ed, LMHC, Education & Communications, Gestalt therapist, personal and professional coach,  organizational  consultant and trainer, was a full-time gender counselor and workshop leader  for  twenty years of the Fair.  This year, she returns to do  these two programs Her business, PeopleSystems Potential, is located in Acton, Ma. Her latest publication is BEING ALIVE! Creative & Emotional Intelligence Tools for People Professionals. She loves to draw, write, sing, play piano , dance, perform, cook, travel,  and hang out with interesting people. NB: Niela is available for private counseling and growth sessions. Please click here for more info.


Robin Moore
Robyn Moore has lived 24/7 as a transgender person for the past 10+ years both in a gay community and a heterosexual community. As a transgender person I have encountered various situations that I feel are important to others considering the same life path.


Stephanie Pierce
Stephanie Pierce is a long time member of the FF Organizing Committee. Among her many responsibilities is the organization of Fair volunteers.


Maureen Osborne
Dr. Maureen Osborne is a clinical psychologist with over 25 years experience as a therapist, specializing in gender identity issues for the last 15 years. Her theoretical orientation and training in contextual family therapy has led to an interest in relational ethics and justice dynamics as they apply to the transgender journey. She has presented talks and workshops at many different national and international gender conferences, and was featured in the MSNBC documentary, "A Change of Gender". Dr. Osborne maintains a private practice in Malvern, PA and has been happily married for 27 years, with two wonderful children.


Real Life Experience, Inc. Board of Directors
The members of the 2006 - 2007 Board of Directors of Real Life Experience, Inc, the parent organization of Fantasia Fair, are Kathryn Bode, Barbara Curry, Jamie Dailey, Dallas Denny, Phyllis Fink, Alison Laing, and Stephanie Pierce.


Abby Saypen
Abby is the director of the Winslow Street fund, a stalwart supporter of the IFGE, and a long time Fair attendee. In addition to her other many talents, Abby is a published poet.


Sissy Maid Stephanie
Sissy Maid Stephanie, AKA, Stephanie W. went to her first TRI-ESS meeting in 1994. Since then, she has burst out of the closet and has never been the same, especially after finding the fetish community. "I am a cross dresser who has a large girl wardrobe, but also a large fetish”wardrobe. I LOVE being a sissy, which to me means a little girl or a French Maid." Stephanie is a member of TES (The Eulenspiegel Society) in NYC, and she has been out in public as a sissy for over ten years. Sissy Stephanie has made presentations at TES meeting in NYC, San Francisco, Buffalo, New York, and Louisville, KY.  She is a co-founder of the “Maid Academy”, a weekend school for those who would like to learn more about being service submissives, i.e.. Sissy Maids. To learn more, go to Sissy Stephanie's website.


Jeffrey Spiegel, M.D.
Dr. Spiegel is Chief of the Division of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the Boston Medical Center and holds academic appointments in the Departments of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery and Plastic Surgery at the Boston University School of Medicine.

Dr. Spiegel completed an internship in General Surgery, followed by a residency in Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at the University of California, San Francisco. Further advanced training was obtained with fellowship in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and Microsurgery through Harvard Medical School. He currently devotes his practice to facial plastic surgery and reconstruction specializing in Facial Feminization Surgery at Boston Medical Center in Boston’s historic and vibrant South End. For more information about Dr. Spiegel and his practice, visit his website.


Laura Stone
Laura began her career as an art critic in March of 2005. She obtained a professional education in fine arts before pursuing a career that could enable her to feed her family. Building on a lifelong interest in art and her own TG nature, she decided to share her own critical perspective with anyone who would listen. So far, the response has been enthusiastic.


Moonhawk River Stone, M.S.
Moonhawk River Stone, M.S., LMHC is a psychotherapist, consultant, educator and writer in private practice in the Albany, NY area; and is, himself, an out, open and proud transsexual man. Stone is a political activist for transgender civil rights and for transgender healthcare. Stone is a former Board Chair of the International Foundation for Gender Education, Inc. (IFGE) and former Board Co-chair of the New York Association for Gender Rights Advocacy, Inc. (NYAGRA). Currently he is on the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Foundation, Inc. Board of Directors, The LGBT Justice Project board. He has worked on the both GLMA's Trans Health Care Committee and Intersex Research Committee. Stone holds a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology.


Trankila, M.D., Ph.D.
Trankila is a Board Certified Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist presently in private practice. "At the age of 27, I went into my internal psychological closet, and found a cute 2 two year old girl, like a telephone blinking on hold. I invited her out, she came willingly, and for the next thirty years, I worked on becoming more emotionally healthy. Five years ago, aware of my fascination with beautiful women, I said to myself, “why not become that which you most admire.” I began dressing in public, going first to a local monthly fetish night. Then I discovered IFGE and Southern Comfort and Fan Fair."


Veronica Vera
In 1992, Veronica Vera founded Miss Vera's Finishing School for Boys Who Want to Be Girls in New York City. It is the world's first crossdressing academy. Over 800 students have enrolled for classes with Miss V and her deans. The title of her first book is the same as her school. Her second book is Miss Vera's Crossdress For Success. She is a former porn star and sex journalist who has authored hundreds of articles on various topics. Miss Vera is member of P.O.N.Y., the sex workers' rights organization, and she is a member of the executive board of Feminists for Free Expression. Her TV appearances have included Conan O'Brien and The View.


Heather Verdui
Heather Verdui is a professional voice actor, producer and performance coach based in the NYC metro area. She holds both a Bachelors and Masters Degree in Music (Opera), is a member of the Voice and Speech Teachers of America (VASTA), and is adjunct teacher for VoiceCoaches.com.


Brenda Viola, C.S.W.
Brenda is a psychiatric social worker, founder of (LITRC) Long Island Transgender Resource Center, and  long time Fairgoer and presenter. She  is a NY State Licensed Clinical Social Worker and psychotherapist, fully  experienced in Trans issues. She is currently working as a therapist for The  interfaith Counsel of Long Island, NY. Brenda has made numerous presentations at Fantasia Fair and IFGE Conferences, She has given over 50 Transgender education workshops throughout Long Island an the metro NY area, fulfilling a community  need for public education concerning LGBT experiences, Brenda holds Fantasia Fair awards for Ms. Helpful, Ms. Congeniality, and Ms. Fantasia Fair.


Marilyn Volker
Marilyn K. Volker, Ed.D., has been a sexologist for the past 28 years, certified by the American Board of Sexology and the American Academy of Clinical Sexologists. She is on the faculty of five universities in South Florida--University of Miami, Barry University, Florida International University, St. Thomas University, and Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida. She teaches doctors, nurses, teachers, counselors, and the United States Navy and United States Air Force about sexuality issues and HIV/AIDS issues. Dr. Volker develops HIV/AIDS curricula for the Miami-Dade Public School system and trains teachers nationwide. Dr. Volker helps to teach counselors to become sex therapists for the Florida Post-Graduate Sex Therapist Training Institute and the American Board of Sexology.


Lezli A. Whitehouse, M.S.
MS CCC/SLP After directing Niela Miller (and 17 other gals) in the Vagina Monologues (in a church sanctuary), where else could a girl go but… Fantasia Fair! Lezli has been working and training as a professional actor, director, singer, mime and costumer for over twenty years. She currently holds a Master’s degree in Speech Pathology and wants to coordinate her scientific and theatrical training into work that helps explore one's own voice and the ability to express it fully and naturally. Lezli’s training includes mime, gender in movement, speech articulation and accents, voice work for stage and television, as well as singing. Some of her training comes from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London, the University of Iowa, Kristin Linklater, Carol Gilligan, and Lindsay Crouse. Personally, she has learned much from her many transgender friends while studying and exploring gender roles and social challenges. She feels at home in the world of gender shift, and looks forward to meeting you!


Stephen Whittle, Ph.D.
Dr Stephen Whittle OBE, Ph.D is an active member of the United Kingdom TransActivist organization Press for Change. He is Professor of Equalities Law in the School of Law at Manchester Metropolitan University, co-ordinator of the United Kingdom's FTM Network, and vice-president of Press for Change.

Stephen has actively worked towards changing the laws and social attitudes surrounding transgender and transsexual lives. His activism led to the important XYZ case before the European Court of Human Rights in 1996. In 2002 he was awarded the Human Rights Award by the Civil Rights group Liberty, for his commitment and dedication to ensuring the advancement of rights for transsexual people through judicial means in the UK, Europe, and around the world and Stephen was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to gender issues. Mr. Whittle has written extensively on the law surrounding transsexual and transgender people, as well as several academic articles on the history and theory of transgender. His writings have included, among other things, an article on the ground-breaking transsexual employment discrimination case decided on by the European Court of Justice.


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