Speakers

Pat received his Sexuality Education and Counseling training at Oakland University, as part of his MA degree in Youth and Adult Guidance and Counseling (1978). Pat received advanced Sexuality SAR (Sexual Attitude Reassessment) training from F. Paul Pearsal, PhD (Deceased), Director of the Problems of Daily Living Clinic at Sinai Hospital and Continuing Education Director-The Kinsey Institute for Sexuality Research.

Linda and Ryan founded Rainbow Crossing at the First United Methodist Church of Ann Arbor in 2005. Since spearheading this effort to welcome LGBTQA persons into full participation in the life of the church, they have spoken about the process and about how allies can aid in making progress happen.

Tom and Linda Nelson are Catholic representatives on the Board of Inclusive Justice who both have gay sons. They have won awards for their work of over twenty-five years educating the public on the lives of LGBT people and their families. They have served for many years on the Board of Fortunate Families, (a national Catholic ministry to parents of LGBT children), as co-Presidents of PFLAG Detroit, and currently, as chairs of PFLAG Manistee and the local Families with Dignity a caucus of Dignity USA .

The Rev. Joe Summers has been the pastor of the Episcopal Church of the Incarnation, in Pittsfield Township for over twenty-six years. He is on the board of Oasis Ministry, Michigan and is the organizer and leader of many Metro Detroit and Ann Arbor activities that are too numerous to list. His topics are varied.

Jim is a gay male Asian-American clinical social worker skilled in counseling, education, civil rights advocacy, community organization, organizational training and consultation. He is Co-Founder (1971) and the retired Co-Coordinator (1971-1994), Spectrum Center (University of Michigan), and also Diversity Coordinator, Office of Institutional Equity (University of Michigan). He was the Co-Founder (2000), Oasis TBLG Outreach Ministry (Episcopal Diocese of Michigan), and is the current Board Secretary. His areas of expertise include: Interactive Workshops: "Peacemaking Dialogue", A Component of Conflict Resolution; Bullying: Causes, Perpetration, Intervention. Prevention; Human Sexuality: Sex, Sexual Identity, Gender, Gender Identity, Gender Expression, Sexual Orientation, Sexual Orientation Identity; The Intersection of Oppressions: Discrimination, Harassment, Assault on the Basis of Human Diversity; Advocacy for Human and Civil Rights.