Program Planning Committee
Committee Chair
Alex Iantaffi, PhD, MS, SEP, CST, CST-S, LMFT
(they/he/lui)
Dr. Alex Iantaffi is an award-winning author, family therapist, WPATH certified gender specialist, AASECT certified sex therapist, Somatic ExperiencingⓇ practitioner, and clinical supervisor. Alex is currently President of the Minnesota Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (MAMFT) and Past Chair of the Trans and Queer interest network of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT). They were the recipient of numerous awards, including the 2023 AASECT Humanitarian Award and the 2019 MAMFT Distinguished Service Award. Alex has researched, presented and published extensively on gender, disability, sexuality, relationships, and HIV. They are a trans masculine, nonbinary, bi queer, disabled, Italian immigrant who has been living on Dakota and Anishinaabe territories, currently known as Minnesota (US) since 2008. Alex is the author of “Gender Trauma: healing cultural, social, and historical gendered trauma”, which was awarded the Nautilus award (gold category) in 2022 and the AASECT Book Award for Sexuality Professionals in 2023. They are the co-author of the books “How to Understand Your Gender: a practical guide for exploring who you are”, “Life Isn’t Binary”, “Hell Yeah Self-Care: a Trauma-Informed Workbook”, “How To Understand Your Sexuality: a practical guide for exploring who you are” and the upcoming “How to Understand Your Relationships” with Meg-John Barker. They also host the podcast Gender Stories.
Committee Member
Dr. Dulcinea/Alex Pitagora
(they/them)
Dr. Dulcinea/Alex Pitagora is a NY-based psychotherapist and sex therapist (also licensed in DC and CO, with NJ and PA pending). They have a brick-and-mortar private practice in NYC that includes individual, couples/multi-partner relationship, and poly/leather family therapy, as well as supervision and mentorship. Dr. Pitagora is an out and proud member of the queer, trans, kink, and polyamory communities, and is equally proud to be a former sex worker, as well as an anti-racist/-oppression/-exploitation activist. Dr. Pitagora holds a Master of Arts in Psychology from the New School for Social Research; a Master of Social Work from New York University; a Master of Education and a Doctorate in Clinical Sexology from Widener University; and is an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist, CST Supervisor, and CE provider along with their colleague Dr. Jillien Kahn. Dr. Pitagora teaches sexual health at New York University; has published articles and chapters in peer-reviewed journals and books; and presented at conferences on the topics of alternative sexuality and gender diversity. Dr. Pitagora is the founder of ManhattanAlternative.com, an alternative lifestyle affirmative provider listing (now nationwide); and was a co-founder and -organizer of the AltSex NYC Conference.
Committee Member
Dr. Damon Constantinides, PhD, LCSW
(he/him)
Dr. Damon Constantinides is a Clinical Social Worker, AASECT Certified Sex Therapist, Sex Coach, and Trainer who provides individual, relationship, and sex therapy for primarily queer and trans folks. His practice centers liberation and his approach is influenced by intersectionality, transfeminism, relational, narrative, and trauma-informed therapies. Dr. Constantinides is co-author of Sex Therapy with Erotically Marginalized Clients: Nine Principles of Clinical Support and is a faculty member for the California Institute of Integral Studies Sex Therapy Certificate Program. He has taught at the undergraduate and graduate levels and presented at regional and national conferences including the SSTAR Fall Meeting, AASECT Conference, Trans-Wellness Conference, Psychotherapy Center for Gender and Sexuality Conference, Gender Conference East, and Modern Sex Therapy.
Committee Member
Phoenix Mandel
(they/them)
Phoenix Mandel is an AASECT Certified Sexuality Educator and MFT Trainee providing education, counseling, and consulting services in Oakland, California, traveling/ on location, and virtually. They specialize in LGBTQIA+, consensual nonmonogamy, sex positivity, BDSM, and other areas of diverse sexual expression and sexual rights.
Committee Member & Panelist
Coltan J. Schoenike, MS, LMFT (WI), LAMFT (MN)
(they/them)
Coltan Schoenike is a couples and sex therapist, sexuality educator, and PhD student based in unceded Očhéthi Šakówiŋ territory colonial known as Menomonie, Wisconsin. Coltan identifies as queer, transgender, nonbinary, polyamorous, and fat, all identities which heavily inform their social justice approach to their research and practice. Their current clinical and research interests include gender-affirming care and inclusive sex therapy.