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Presenter Biographies
Read A Bit About Who Is Presenting...
Biographies from Years Past
You can read the biographies of presenters from recent years in the Participants' Guide for that year. These guides are in printer-friendly PDF format.
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 the 2012 Fair. We encourage you to get
to know these people and to attend as many of their presentations as you can.
Presenter biographies are found also in the Participants' Guide, which is published in advance of the Fair each September.
Many of the presenters will offer their professional services during the Fair. To find out more, please check the
Professionals At The Fair page.
Please check back soon for the latest additions to our programs.
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: Making History from Joan of Arc to Dennis Rodman ,
illustrate Riki Anne Wilchins' Read My Lips: Sexual Subversion and the End of Gender
and are included in many other books. She has worked on five documentary films, the most recent being A&E -- Investigative Reports 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,
www.MariettePathyAllen.com.
Robert C. Anderson launched PtownTours, ptowntours.com, an art and
architecture walking-tour company of Provincetown, in 2009 but has been giving tours both domestically and internationally
since the 1990's. Rob is a trained artist and designer, an
historian of architecture, interior design, and art, and has traveled extensively for pleasure and research. In 2007, he was awarded a
Fulbright Scholarship to travel to Poland and Russia, researching art and architecture. Rob continually volunteers as a docent for Boston By
Foot, has led guided tours through the Walter Gropius House, and has taught at various colleges and universities in New England. He is
presently teaching architectural history and interior design as a full-time faculty member at Endicott College, and is also working on
his PhD work with the Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts (IDSVA).
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 "Ice Box" Winter - is the Mistress of Ceremonies at the Show.
The Reverend JamieGhee Beattie is an Ordained Minister in the United Church of Christ (1975). She has a B.A. from The American University, Washington, DC (1968),
and a Master of Divinity from The Chicago Theological Seminary (1975). She has served as a Pastor, Associate, or Interim Minister in churches in IL,
OH, MI, MD, and VA.
Sarah Carpenter was raised in a conservative Republican, Pre-Vatican II Catholic household and has known she was an M to F transsexual from age 5.
She transitioned and began living as herself in 2005. Ms. Carpenter is separated from her spouse of 33 years and has two adult daughters and has
recently retired as an engineer at the University of Vermont and is living on Cape Cod. Ms. Carpenter is a transgender advocate, a Gender Diversity
trainer and has spoken at locations across the country, working to pass legislation to improve the lives of transgender individuals.
Donna Cartwright is a co-founder of TransEpiscopal, the organization of
transgender Episcopalians and their friends, family and allies. She came to
faith through her transgender journey, and was received into the Episcopal
Church in 2001. She served on the Commission of the Oasis, the LGBT ministry
of the Diocese of Newark, NJ, from 2003 through 2006.
Donna was part of a team of eight TransEpiscopal members who attended
the General Convention of the national Episcopal Church in July 2009,
winning passage of four transgender-supportive resolutions there. She now
resides in Baltimore, MD.
Sophia Cassivi is a French Québec T-Girl in her early 50's who lives right on the border of English Ontario soil. Married to a lovely supportive
wife and with beautiful 3 adult children. Successful business person in many fields but mostly in show business, her male persona is also a Musician,
singer, writer and for the past 15 years highly respected musical and event producer in Quebec. She is publicly, socially and politically involved in a
progressive way now for close to 10 years as Sophia in the Transgender community in Canada and USA. Sophia is the co-organizer, with her friend Amanda Ryan,
of the Gal's Spring Fling, as well as an active member of Ottawa's Gender Mosaïc, Toronto's Xpressions groups and also founder of S.A.F.I.R. Canada
(a French Canadian Yahoo News Group). Her biggest priorities in life: Education, respect, love and on top of the list, happiness.
Carolyn Caywood is a retired librarian with 40 years experience working with children and their books. Curiously, she has about the same number of
years experience as an SO.
A natural born philosopher, Chalice has contemplated existence, values and what it means to be human for as long as she can remember. When her
father came out to her when she was 15, she began to think even more about human judgment, love and even normalcy. Realizing how much of a challenge
it can be for some people to just be in this world, she was inspired to use her life to make a difference. Chalice went to Emmanuel College and obtained
her Bachelor's Degree in Psychology to continue her journey toward becoming a psychotherapist. She is currently a candidate for the Clinical Mental Health
Counselling master's degree at Lesley University and focusing her academics on Holistic Studies. Her primary interests are gender expression and the
relationship between mind, body and perceived spirit in gender identity, stress, psychological conditions and trauma recovery. Chalice is an advocate,
a helper, a runner, and a loving daughter.
As a human-potential-development coach since 1974, Dainna has performed training on a wide variety of topics to people around much of the world. She remains very active within the GLBT communities, as a speaker and trainer.
Dainna was a recipient of a 1998 Equality Colorado Pride Award. She was a Charter Director of Speaker's Project to End Discrimination, a Board member of Outreach Institute for Gender Studies, and of the TG Fund. She has served on the Board of many other 501(c)3 non-profit organizations.
Dainna has worked within the Transgender community locally, nationally, and internationally since 1980. She has worked directly with several thousand transgender people during that period, as a coach, mentor, and friend; many people have successfully transitioned gender roles because of her work.
She has presented workshops at many conferences over two decades, on gender as well as transgender issues.
Dr. Cole is a sexologist, nationally AASECT Certified as a sexuality educator and sexuality counselor, and for 40 years has been
faculty in University academic medicine. For the past 27 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. Over a period of
20 years she has conducted scores of important group discussions at Fantasia Fair, where she experiences many wonderful friendships,
amazing programs and creative events.
As founder of the unique and large University of Michigan Health System Comprehensive Gender Services Program in 1993, she successfully
served as its Director for 7 years, retiring from that position to continue her work with the transgender community and strongly advocate
for civil rights and social justice for transgendered individuals and their families. Sandra retired from her position at the University
and remains full professor at the University of Michigan Medical School. She was also a founding member of Gender Education & Advocacy,
Inc., www.gender.org., which is not active at this time.
Sandra has received many awards from the transgender organizations and community over these decades, including a Friend of
the Fair award in 2008, a Fantasia Fair Professional Outreach Award in 1991, a Lifetime Appreciation Award in 2008,
the Trinity Award from IFGE in 1990, and for five years the Esprit Significant Others and Couples Appreciation Award. She has been
recognized for her contributions to Chi Chapter Tri-Ess, Fall Harvest, Be All, Crossroads, Cal'Dreamin', Texas Tea Party, and
Southern Comfort.
Melissa is a married crossdresser in her early 50s with a supportive wife. She has become more active in the last few years and this
is her fifth consecutive year attending the fair. Melissa is a member of the Connecticut Outreach Society and has been a member of Tri-Ess,
CT View and the Tiffany Club.
Barbara is the Treasurer of Real Life Experiences; she has been active at Fantasia Fair since 1996. She is
also the coordinator of evening events all week long. Still, she is probably best known as the Producer and Emcee
of the FanFair Follies. In her time away from the Fair she is a member of the Connecticut Outreach Society and
regularly speaks publicly on transgender issues. She is active in her church at both the local and state levels.
She has been married 30 years to Susan.
Dr. Mark DiStefano is the founder of the DiStefano Hair Restoration Center, the
largest independent hair restoration practice in New England. He is a graduate of
Georgetown University Medical School, a veteran of both the ER and surgery, and is
was well-known in Massachusetts medical circles for his surgical skills. In fact, he
has provided physician training and mentoring in hair transplantation at Harvard
Medical International and is a Clinical Instructor in Plastic Surgery at the University
of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, MA. In addition, Dr. DiStefano
volunteers his surgical expertise for OPERATION RESTORE, helping critical need
patients to restore their self-image, self-esteem and their hair restoration. Dr.
DiStefano is renowned for his artistry in the reconstruction of hairlines with over
5,000 hair transplants to his credit.
Leslie Fabian is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker who's been taking time off from her psychotherapy practice to write about the
Fabians' shared transition. Supportive of her spouse's cross-dressing since they met in 1987, Leslie has encouraged David's transition to Deborah,
despite knowing that life would never be the same. Both of the Fabians have developed the ability to tolerate high levels of ambiguity, a requirement
for transitioning, they believe.
Miqqi Alicia Gilbert, Ph.D. aka Michael A. Gilbert is Full Professor of Philosophy at York University, Toronto, Canada.
S/he has published two novels, a monograph entitled Coalescent Argumentation, as well a popular book on argument, How to Win
an Argument, now in a third edition. More recently s/he has been publishing scholarly articles in Gender Theory including
an essay in Hypatia in 2009. Miqqi Alicia is a life-long cross dresser and an activist in the international transgender
community. S/he is the book review editor and regular columnist for Transgender Tapestry, the magazine of the International
Foundation for Gender Education, a recipient, in 2007, of an IFGE Trinity Award, and Director of Fantasia Fair. S/he has
presented workshops at numerous trans events including Fantasia Fair, Southern Comfort, and First Event. Her website is
located at: www.yorku.ca/gilbert/tg.
Aline Marie Hebert born January 24, 1951 in Holyoke, Massachusetts is an educator and vocalist. Graduating from Ursuline Academy in Springfield,
Massachusetts, Aline continued her studies at Nazareth College in Rochester, New York and received a B.S. in Music Education.
With a varied career, Aline spent 18 years at a French Cosmetic Company, Clarins ,working her way from a Regional Education Manager to becoming the
Vice President of Education and Retail Services, residing in New York City with extensive travel to Paris, France.
Prior to her executive position, Aline was a store manager and buyer for several retail operations including: Cache, Guy La Roche and Mondi International.
Most recently, Aline is working as an Adjunct Professor at Fisher College in Boston and she specializes in Visual Merchandising and Retail Management.
In addition, Aline spends her summers in Cape Cod and works as a sales professional at a unique boutique called Klymaxx featuring; fashion jewelry,
handbags, make-up and wigs.
A passion for music has always been one of Aline’s great loves. She is an award winning vocalist and has performed on stage and television since she was
6 years old to the present.
A computer scientist and transsexual woman, Dr Karron lived at the federal teat as a man, but privately as a woman. Until she won a large grant
and was outed by her successor accountant. The inventor of Tactical Audio Displays and Digital Morse Theory, her career was shredded by the Federal
Government's endless investigation and conviction for grant misappropriation.
Mara Keisling is the founding Executive Director of the National Center for Transgender Equality. Mara is a transgender-identified woman and a parent.
As one of the nation’s leading voices for transgender equality, Mara has appeared on news outlets such as CNN and CSPAN, and is regularly quoted in the
New York Times, the Washington Post and hundreds of other national and local print and electronic media.
Since NCTE was founded in 2003, the organization was part of coalition efforts that have won significant advances in transgender equality such as the passage of
the first ever transgender-inclusive federal legislation, modification of the State Department rules for changing gender markers on passports, and the historic
first Congressional Hearing on transgender issues.
Mara is a graduate of Penn State University and did her graduate work at Harvard University in American Government. She has served on the board of Directors
of Common Roads, an LGBTQ Youth Group, and on the steering committee of the Statewide Pennsylvania Rights Coalition. Mara has almost twenty-five years of
professional experience in social marketing and opinion research.
Cosette is a Thai-Chinese immigrant girl who came to the US as a small child and grew up in the conservative expanse of the Mid-West.
She grew up thinking she was different somehow, a freak. Then, in an epiphany, she came out as a gay boy thinking that was the problem.
Being in the conservative world of IT sales, that was difficult enough until she realized what being transgender meant.
M. Dru Levasseur is the Transgender Rights Attorney for www.lambdalegal.org, the oldest and largest national legal organization committed to achieving full recognition of the
civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and people with HIV. Levasseur focuses his work on impact litigation, advocacy
and community education to advance the civil rights of transgender people nationwide. Before joining Lambda Legal, Levasseur was staff attorney
forwww.transgenderlegal.org, where he advocated for transgender
equal rights through test-case litigation, public policy efforts, community organizing and public education. In 2008, he co-founded the
www.jimcollinsfoundation.org, a nonprofit organization
that raises money to fund gender-confirming surgeries. He serves as Chair of the Legal Issues Committee of the World Professional Assocation for Transgender Health (WPATH). In 2011, he was a recipient of the National LGBT Bar
Association's Best LGBT Lawyers Under 40 Award.
Jennifer L. Levi is one of our nation's leading experts on transgender legal issues.
Jennifer is a Professor of Law at Western New England University. She serves on the Legal Committee of the World Professional Association for
Transgender Health, and is a founding member of both the Transgender Law & Policy Institute and the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition.
Professor Levi was the Transgender Rights Project Director and Senior Staff Attorney for Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD) in Boston.
Police Sgt. Carrie Lopes has been a police office for over twenty years and a Sergeant for the past seven. She is a Civil Rights
Officer, Domestic Violence Officer, Elder Affairs-Triad Officer, and Sex Offender Management Officer for the Department.
Sgt. Lopes also oversees the town's "No Place for Hate" program and is a supporter of the Cape Cod Foundation, a public
philanthropic foundation whose mission is to improve community life. This year, The American Red Cross recognized Sgt. Lopes'
service to the community with their 2010 law enforcement "Hero" award.
Appearing, at first, to be a "walking contradiction" within the transgender community, Chrissy Sue, a Marine Corps veteran, has been bestowed
the honorary titles of "Admiral" in the Texas Navy, and "Colonel" in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. On the other hand, Chrissy is recipient of
the 2010 Miss Congeniality Award presented by Fantasia Fair, and has been the subject of numerous articles that have appeared in various publications,
including "Transgender Tapestry" and "Bitch Magazine".
Chrissy Sue is a debutante within "Miss Vera's Finishing School for Boys Who Want to be Girls", NYC, and can often be found at various GLBT gatherings,
such as Fantasia Fair, Southern Comfort Conference, and Fantasy Fest, held annually in Key West, Florida. A frequent participant at "The Night of a
Thousand Gowns", the Imperial Court of New York's coronation extravaganza,
Chrissy holds the 2010 title of "Her Majesty, Imperial Highness, Tsarina Chrissy Sue", within the court.
Hera Navassardian has been in the fashion and beauty industry for more than
thirty years. Her career began in New York City as a model for Bob Mackie and
other designers like him. She has since worked in many similar industries,
including consulting and demonstrating the finer techniques of skincare, make-up
and fashion at high-end establishments including Bergdorf Goodman, SAKS Fifth
Avenue, Bloomingdales and CHANEL. Hera's love and passion for beauty and fashion
has led her to open her own boutique and transformation studio; Klymaxx
Unlimited in downtown Provincetown. Klymaxx offers a wide variety of services
including make-up consultations, hair and wig design, and skincare for men and
women. She also carries a large selection of handbags, high-end costume jewelry,
wigs, accessories and her new line of clothing. Hera puts her heart, soul and
experience into all of her clients to help them achieve whatever they may be
looking for.
Dr. Maureen Osborne is a clinical psychologist who has been privileged to work with folks in the trans community along with their loved ones for the
last 20 years. She is in private practice in Malvern, PA, a suburb of Philadelphia and is a member of the American Psychological Association,
Division 44 of the APA (specializing in GLBT issues), the Philadelphia Society of Clinical Psychologists, and the World Professional Association
for Transgender Health. Her work is firmly grounded in Contextual Therapy, which emphasizes justice and fairness in relationships. She has presented
workshops alone and in collaboration with Dr. Richard Docter at numerous gender conferences over the last 15 years. She is on the adjunct
therapy staff of the Papillon Center in New Hope, PA, where Dr. Christine McGinn performs gender confirming surgeries, and was featured with
Dr. McGinn and others in the recent award-winning documentary "Trans". Dr. Osborne is a loyal and loving straight ally to the GLBT community,
the mother of two wonderful young adults, and performs lead and backup vocals in the band, "Red Beans and Rice".
Samantha is a “mature” member of the community and has been dressing for many years. While not out to her local area, she is quite comfortable just about
anywhere in mainstream society. Semi-retirement provides lots of opportunity to travel and experience her feminine side. She is a member of Xpressions,
based in Toronto, Ontario, and the Trans Support Network of West Central Florida (formerly Tri-Beta) in the Tampa Bay area. Known as "The Queen of Cleavage,"
Samantha has presented workshops of how to crossdressers can create a cleavage and has helped many a girl with achieving that look. Samantha loves to work with
those that are new to cross dressing by helping them get their appearance the way they want it and particularly in getting them to push their boundaries and
building confidence. She loves to take other girls shopping and has the shoe collection to prove it.
The Rev. Dr. Cameron Partridge is the Episcopal Chaplain at Boston University and a lecturer at Harvard Divinity School. Since being ordained to the
priesthood in 2005, his ministry has unfolded in urban parish, college chaplaincy, and advocacy contexts, and has specialized in working with young adults,
and on issues of poverty, sexuality and gender. An openly transgender man, Cameron is a founding member of TransEpiscopal and the Interfaith Committee for
Trans Equality. He has participated in Episcopal Church and Anglican Communion conversations on sexuality and gender since 2007, seeking to bring trans
perspectives and concerns into the mix. His teaching and scholarship centers on constructions of sex, gender and sexuality in Christian thought, as well
as on the intersection of feminist, queer and transgender studies with the study of Religion. www.episcopalbu.com; blog.transepiscopal.com
A week after Barbara graduated from Union Theological Seminary in Virginia; she was ordained at Old First United Church of Christ in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania. A few days later she began serving her first church in Nucla, Colorado. Subsequently she has served congregations in Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
She took time off from ministry to raise a family, to work, to love and to be loved. In 2010 she began her transition to become the lovely woman she is
today.
By sharing her own experience of being a transwoman, as well as a person of faith, Barbara is helping to spread the word that trans people exist and are
faithful people who are surrounded and embraced by the peace, grace, and wholeness of God who absolutely loves us and who will never ever let us let us go.
Officer Rachel Peters is a 30 year Veteran of the Provincetown Police Department. She is the Elder Affairs-Triad Officer for the
Town of Provincetown. Officer Peters was born and raised in Provincetown and has very close ties in the community. She
has been a full time police officer since 2001 and previously had served as Provincetown Records Clerk, Chief Secretary and
Animal Control Officer. She is also a volunteer Firefighter for the town as well as a Constable, Notary and a Justice of the
Peace for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Officer Peter is proud to be a part of the Fantasia Fair family!
Jack Pickering is a Professor at The College of Saint Rose and speech-language pathologist for Capital Region ENT. Since 2007, he has directed the
college's Voice and Communication Modification Program for People in the Transgender Community. Jack has been a certified speech-language pathologist
since 1984, focusing on the assessment and treatment of voice. He studied at the University of Maine and Ohio University, where he received his
doctoral degree in 1990. His teaching and research interests include voice disorders and transgender voice and communication. He was presented with
the 2010 Distinguished Clinician Award from the New York State Speech-Language-Hearing Association, and was the 2011 American Speech-Language-Hearing
Foundation's Clinical Achievement Award winner for the state of New York.
Mr. Poling is a seasoned customer service and travel professional with over 20 years of experience in the global travel industry. He has undergone extensive
training, specializing in the art and science of customer relationship management. Mr. Poling also leads World Medical's Global Transgender Program.
In this role, Mr. Poling is responsible for the developing, coordinating and ensuring the highest quality of patient service for the program. Mr. Poling is
highly involved in the LGBT community and has sponsored Transgender Day of Remembrance in San Diego. He is a frequent speaker at transgender conferences
throughout the country. Mr. Poling obtained his degree in Travel & Hospitality from Hammel College in Akron, Ohio and is a member of the International
Association of Travel Agents.
Phyliss is 67 years old and a 20 year military veteran of the U.S. Navy having retired in Dec 1982. She is widowed and presently living in Rochester New Hampshire.
Phyliss is a life-long CD although put her crossdressing on hold while serving in the Navy. She began "dressing" in earnest, around
1989 and came out around 1996 with her first “out of house excursion” happening in May of 2003. Phyliss is the owner of her own business since
the spring of 1992. She operates her own web site dealing with "Men Wearing Bras" and is a room moderator for a global transgender support site.
Lives 90% fulltime, and recently had her name legally changed. She has flown on commercial airlines a number of times, fully dressed as the lady she is.
She works part time in a lingerie store in Portsmouth N.H. She is also a member of the Sanford Me. Unitarian Universalist Church.
Tami has been a member of the Speakers bureaus at two state universities in Michigan and has given presentations on public speaking and on
industrial safety prior to her decision to transition. Since then, her focus has been on growing her relationship with her spouse and reconnecting
with family and friends. She is currently working as a construction engineer, with occasional forays into musical performance and theater.
In the past three years, I have taken a lead role in promoting the Trans Community to the Canadian Public and Politicians.
Flag Raising Ceremonies at Ottawa Police Headquarters led to other Flag Raising Ceremonies at Ottawa and Gatineau City Halls along with excellent
media attention. I led a March to Parliament Hill to support the Gender Identity Bill which passed Parliament but died in the Senate when an election
was called. That specific bill has been reintroduced in the current Parliament as well as a similar Bill in the Ontario Legislature. Exciting things
are happening in the Trans Community and I have been proud to be in the middle of it so this talk is really about transactivism.
Dr. Samons is a graduate of the University of Michigan School of Social Work (MSW-1976) and the Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality
in San Francisco (PhD-2001). Until 1989, she worked in several clinical settings, developing experience as a therapist with adolescents, adults,
couples, and families. She has been in private practice since 1989, specializing in gender identity issues since 1992. She is a licensed Clinical
Social Worker, a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, a Certified Sex Therapist, and was previously a certified addictions therapist. She is also
a member of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, (WPATH) and has authored a book and several articles about transgender. Sandra
lives and works just outside of Ann Arbor, Michigan. You can learn more about her on her website at sandrasamons.com.
Natasha Savoy is the creative force behind My Changing Room which has offered a
cross dressing venue in Boston for 15 years. While her background is in Cultural Anthropology and social work, she takes more pleasure
in the magic of transformations. Natasha has studied makeup with some of today’s top artists; an education which she continues annually
to remain current and informed. This has allowed her to launch many bright new faces with glowing pride. Natasha is also a visual artist and
photographer. She lives in Boston with an understanding husband and two large dogs.
Having attended just about every Fair since the late 1980s, Emily Sheldon is well-known within the Fantasia Fair family. Not only has Emily been an
active participant, she has given back to Fair in many ways in both official and unofficial capacities. Emily has helped backstage at the Follies,
organize the volunteers during the Fair, took tickets at Fair events, been the Fair's number 1 cheerleader, and so much more. Emily contributions
have been recognized a number of times, including awards for Ms. Most-Helpful (1989), Ms. Congeniality (1998), and Ms. Fantasia Fair (2004).
Michael has been a member of TLDEF's Executive Director since it was founded seven years ago. He has worked as an attorney in the LGBT civil rights
movement since 1994. In addition to his work at TLDEF, Michael is Adjunct Professor of Law at Earle Mack School of Law at Drexel University and at
Fordham Law School, where he teaches courses on gender, sexuality and the law. As a cooperating attorney with Lambda Legal, Michael worked on a
number of groundbreaking cases, including Baehr v. Miike, one of the earliest challenges to restrictions on the freedom to marry, and Boy Scouts of
America v. Dale. In that case, Michael represented a coalition of religious organizations opposed to the Scouts' exclusionary policy, and his brief
submitted to the United States Supreme Court on their behalf was cited in the opinion of the dissenting justices. While on a Georgetown University Law
Center Women's Law and Public Policy Fellowship, Michael taught in the law school's domestic violence clinic and worked in the legal department at NARAL
Pro-Choice America.
Dr. Jeffrey Spiegel is Chief of the Division of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the Boston Medical Center and holds academic
appointments in the Department of Otalaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery and Plastic Surgery at the Boston University School of Medicine.
His practice specializes in Facial Feminization Surgery. He sees head and neck surgery patients at Boston Medical Center in Boston's historic
and vibrant South End. Since 2004, Dr. Spiegel has performed well over 500 FFS procedures.For more information about Dr. Spiegel and his practice,
visit his website.
Dr. James Thomas is a laryngologist, an ENT surgeon who limits his practice to voice disorders. He trained in Pennsylvania and Illinois followed
by a fellowship at Loyola University in Chicago. His laryngology practice is in Portland, Oregon. His current involvement with Vocal pitch change
is as a surgical specialist of the voice. He has been developing the above procedure, FemLar, over the past 6 years.
Scarlett Thompson has been doing make-up professionally in the TG community since 2009. Her skills involve highlighting and/or creating the feminine
parts of the male face and minimizing the male features to create the most female look possible for her clients. She prides herself in helping each
individual express their full feminine personality and style with the help of her make-up skills. You can see examples of Scarlett’s work and find the
events she is attending on her website at www.scarlettsmakeovers.com.
This is her second time at Fantasia Fair, and throughout the year Scarlett attends other T events including First Event, Southern Comfort, Be-All,
Keystone Conference, the Lake Erie Gala, and Gals’ Spring Fling. Her favorite part of every event is meeting new friends and she encourages people
to stop by and say "Hi!"
Polly Vitagliano is the owner and operator of Whenever Wigs. She is not just a salon owner who stays current on the latest fashions in hairstyles
and colors but also someone who has worn wigs for over 20 years. Polly truly understands firsthand the emotional roller coaster that her clients
experience when losing their natural hair. In 1974, Polly began to experience small bald patches on her scalp and was eventually diagnosed with
Alopecia Universalis, which, in layman terms means, total hair loss. Polly is also a cancer survivor.
Dayna Walker has over 20 years experience in human resources and is the CEO of Systems 81 Consulting, LLC and Pivotal Transformations, whose focus is solely transgendered clients. Dayna speaks and presents
nationally on behalf of transgender in the workplace and works diligently to ensure those that wish to transition
on the job can do so in a seamless manner. Dayna holds an MBA from Liberty University and a Masters in Science in Counseling Psychology from Troy University.
John Warrener created the Glamour Boutique in 1996. He has developed many specialized products for transgendered gals. The company grew to eventually
include 3 stores and a large website. Starting in September, he has launched a new web site with a new line of clothing and products for the community.
The site is called TGFashions.com.
Combining scientific and theatrical work is a passion for Lezli. She currently holds a Master's degree in Speech Language
Pathology, and works full time in that field. Prior to this manifestation of life Lezli worked and trained in professional
theatre with a focus on voice work, for over twenty years. Her teaching explores one's own voice and the ability to express
it fully and naturally. Lezli's training includes mime, gender in movement, speech articulation, accents, voice work for
stage and television, as well as many genres of singing. Some of her training comes from the RADA in London, the University
of Iowa, IHP Mass General, Boston, Kristin Linklater, Andrea James, and Kitie Verdinlini. She feels at home in the world of
gender shift, and looks forward to returning to Fan Fair! You can contact Lezli via lezlivoice@gmail.com.
Liz Winter, a.k.a Elizabeth "Ice Box" Winters, started her show business career at the age of eleven at
Miss Penelope's
School of Stillness in Reykjavik, Iceland. In 1950, at sixteen, she became the youngest person to qualify
to teach modern dance throughout the island nation.
In 1962, Liz became a resident female impersonator in Gaborone, the capital and largest city of Botswana, performing live
twice a week to a regular crowd. She soon started touring the country under the name of "Miss De Bus", introducing a mixture
of mime, live vocals, stand up comedy, amazing gowns and a uniquely choreographed number that included three chickens
and plunger. By the end of the decade, Ms. Winters found herself in Bangkok, suffering from a combination of alcoholism,
bulimia, and perpetual foot fungus. For years, she languished in forgotten obscurity until talent scouted by Robert Kent
in 1996 when she was recruited to play the parts of Princess Leia and Jabba the Hutt in a three-man drag version of Star Wars.
Although critically acclaimed, the play shut down after two nights in Cabot Cove, Maine, due to copyright violations.
Since then, Ms. Winter performing as "The Ice Box", has relived her floorshow and has been touring in Eastern Turkey,
billed "the ultimate in entertainment adventure for a girl and a girdle." When not performing live, Ms. Winters appears on
many TV and radio broadcasts and acts as the spokesperson for the Franklin Research Center for Foot Fungus Awareness.
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