John Woods has worked in the community living sector since 1992, and with Burnaby Association for Community Inclusion since 1997. He is also a Certified Sexual Health Educator. John founded Real Talk in 2017, and is the organization’s manager. John also works with Options for Sexual Health in their Education department. John holds a BA from the University of Manitoba. In his free time he enjoys running, biking, and composing music.

john@real-talk.org

Kelsey Savage began her training in sexual health education in 2014. Since then, she has become a Certified Sexual Health Educator, and worked independently in elementary schools, high schools, and international schools across the Lower Mainland. For half a decade, she managed the Options for Sexual Health Vancouver Clinic at BC Women’s Hospital, and has been part of the Real Talk team since its inception in 2018. Since 2023, Kelsey has led Real Talk’s Connecting Queer Communities project.

kelsey@real-talk.org

Dee has been a  Certified Sexual Health Educator since 2018, working for Real Talk, Saleema Noon and for her own business, Sexual Health with Dee. She is passionate about empowering folks through education that is inclusive, relatable and free of judgment. Dee also holds a BA in Psychology and has been a Youth Care Counsellor for over 10 years. 

Sharon has been a workshop facilitator with Real Talk since 2019. They have completed their Certified Sexual Health Educator curriculum, and are working towards completing their practicum hours. Sharon also works as a Community Connector for Building Caring Communities and posAbilities. In 2023, Sharon was instrumental in running the SIXpo sexual health conference – which centered the sexual health and wellness of people with disabilities.

Hi, my full name is Lara Nadeszna Gunkel. Common name Larissa. I am on Disability. I am a part time Peer Facilitator for Real Talk. I have a sweet, caring, creative personality and other freelance part time jobs. I’m creative and I’m part of dating and social events committees within the inclusion community!

Liz (she / her) is a Peer Facilitator for Real Talk. She is also a multidisciplinary artist based in the Lower Mainland. Having won an award for her artistic passions in Secondary School, she went on to become the first person with Down Syndrome to graduate from the Emily Carr University of Art and Design.

Ashley (they / them) is a Certified Sexual Health Educator and performance artist. Combining the two fields, they use humour and play to create inclusive, sex-positive, informative content and interactions.

Ashley’s Lip Service shows have been runaway smash hits on the Fringe Festival circuit, using a combination of original songs, clowning, and dance to discuss sexual health topics in an entertaining, irreverent manner.

Ry (he / they) is a sexual health educator, facilitator, program developer – and an avid proponent of creative learning, critical awareness and healthy relationships education. Ry has worked with Saleema Noon Sexual Health Educators’ iGuy program, and currently acts as lead facilitator in the YWCA’s Date Safe program. Ry has a BA in Social Justice and Peace Studies and an MA in Globalization and the Human Condition. 

Zainab (she / they) has been working as a sexual health educator with Real Talk since 2021. She has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree and has worked in acute care, primary care, and community health promotion. Zainab is also a multidisciplinary artist. She volunteers at a weekly therapeutic art group, leading opening and closing activities based in creativity and embodiment.  Zainab has a passion for planting seeds of healing, and strives to share messages of empowerment, autonomy, personal choice, consent, and boundaries.

Jenn (she / her) is a Certified Sexual Health Educator with a passion for accessible and comprehensive sexual health education. Jenn also works as a Co-ordinator for the Elizabeth Bagshaw Clinic. With her work, Jenn seeks to amplify the voices, stories, and concerns of minority groups.

As a sociologist, Sarah is fascinated by what makes individuals, families, and policymakers tick. She’s worked with federal, regional, and local governments in 6 countries to shift how policies are made and measured. She holds a Doctorate in Social Policy from Oxford University, where she was a Rhodes Scholar, and a Masters of Education from Stanford University. In 2015, Sarah became a Metcalf Foundation Innovation Fellow. Fun facts: Sarah was once a sting agent. And she’s a mediocre tap dancer.

Rheanna is a video producer, videographer, and editor. Her career began after she graduated from Simon Fraser University with a BFA in Film Production, after which she worked in documentary post-production. From there, she began creating videos for a wide range of organizations, businesses, and artists. Rheanna has worked with Real Talk since its conception, and feels strongly about Real Talk’s goal to spread information about relationships and sexual health from a variety of perspectives. She’s excited to continue to work on Real Talk videos. See her work.