Contemporary Sexuality - June 2008 - (Page 3)

President’s Letter Mission accomplished! Making a difference By Patti Britton, PhD I t’s hard to believe that it has been two years since I took office as your president! As of July 1, I turn the mantle over to my successor, Helen “Ginger” Bush. I know that Ginger shares many of my views about our vision and mission, and she is armed with the experience, drive, talent and energy to bring AASECT to even greater levels of service. In 1995, Ginger and I had the privilege of cochairing one of our finest annual conferences in the beauty of the Southwest in Albuquerque. That meeting was a hallmark of the greatness that AASECT is all about. We were bathed in the uplifting spirit of sharing, of enjoyment, of camaraderie and high-level educational enrichment that filled those meetings rooms and plenary halls. It was a banner year. Since that time we’ve come a long way in our growth — the expansion of our membership, our depth of credentials that we offer through certifications, our mounting online presence, our stellar training and educational events, and our devotion to advocacy as an organization standing at the forefront for sexual health and freedom. In this, our 40th anniversary conference, we feature the wisdom of a star-studded roster of noteworthy thinkers and top echelon presenters, we get to share the history of not only this, our own beloved AASECT, but the field of sexology itself. We host a birthday bash and fundraising event on Friday night and a special event Saturday evening from yours truly, an on-screen salute to Candida Royalle, famed creator of erotica from a woman’s perspective, along with a new film festival. Of course, you won’t want to miss this year’s Awards Luncheon, one of the highlights of our fellowship and one of the special ways we honor our “AASECT family” and those who have truly made a difference. I hope that I can say “thank you” to each and every one of you as I depart as AASECT president during this my last conference in that role. As I think about the past two years, it gives me great pride to assess our accomplishments. I say “our” because the leadership of AASECT is never done in a vacuum. It is a group effort. With a leaner size and pro-active board of directors, these past two years have been very intense, active and demanding. Here are the highlights of accomplishments within the critical areas for my vision as presi- dent, cited in my very first column in July 2006: 1) International Outreach: We formed the International Task Force (ITF) with members from more than 10 countries at the World Congress of Sexual Health meeting in 2007. ITF raised the critical questions necessary for our truly being able to expand around the globe, along with adapting criteria for equitable fees. We continue to take an active role as a leader within the North American Federation of Sexuality Organizations, and expand daily in our service and outreach to members in other countries, especially on our listserv, with future plans for online educational opportunities. Special thanks to David Ribner of Israel and Matthew Yau of Hong Kong for acting as co-chairs of ITF, and to our volunteers who assisted in translating the membership brochure into Spanish. Que bueno! 2) Public Relations, Media and Advocacy: As a new venture, we have made a bold attempt to situate AASECT as the “go to” organization for media expertise on sexuality. Hundreds of media inquiries continue to be funneled to well-prepared spokespersons among our board and membership. Advocacy statements have recently been developed, along with media training for the board of directors on how to address key issues in the media and maintain a powerful advocacy stance. Special thanks go to Joy Davidson, Amy Levine, Linda Savage, Robert Dunlap and Lisa Beavers. 3) Membership Growth: We are growing at a rapid rate of expansion, especially with newer, younger members of the field who are finding us online. Given new categories for membership established by the bylaws change of 2006, we now have 1,800+ AASECT members. Thanks to Hani Miletski and our four regional reps for delivery of high-quality membership services, Special Interest Groups and an emphasis on offering CE-generating events around the country. 4) Distance Learning/Online Presence: My dream for “AASECT University” will surely take more than two years! I hope to see this area expand, not only with the robust AASECT listserv of over 500 active members, but with ongoing shifts to “green” services. Members can access CEs online and watch this year’s plenary sessions from our New Orleans meeting on the AASECT website. Karen Hicks, our Communications Steering Committee chair deserves special thanks. continued on page 9 As I think about the past two years, it gives me great pride to assess our accomplishments. I say “our” because the leadership of AASECT is never done in a vacuum. It is a group effort. June 2008 Vol. 42, No. 6 | www.aasect.org Contemporary Sexuality 3 http://www.aasect.org

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Contemporary Sexuality - June 2008 Contents President’s Letter Member Spotlight Quick Hits: Sex in the News News of Members

Contemporary Sexuality - June 2008

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