Confirmed Speakers

WAS LECTURES

Fernando BIANCO (Venezuela)

Title of the presentation: Sexology is a Science

Fernando J Bianco. Medical Doctor. Specialist in Medical Sexology. PhD in Medical science. Specialist in Psychiatry. Founder, Director and current President of CIPPSV a Postgraduate University. Full Professor.

Former President of WAS, FLASSES, AISM and SVSM. Current President of World Association for Medical Sexology.

Editor of the Manual Diagnostico en Sexology III (MDS III). Autor of Physiological Variant Theory. Founder of Bianco School of Sexology.

WAS Gold Medal Recipient. Valencia1997

 

 

Jaqueline BRENDLER (Brazil)

Title of the presentation: Is there influence of age, number of children in the sexual arousal of women?

Gynecologist, Specialist in Sexuality (SBRASH / TESH), Area of Expertise in Sexology (AMB). President of FLASSES (Latin American Federation of Societies of Sexology and Sexual Education), Chair of the Deliberation Council of SBRASH (Brazilian Society for Studies in Human Sexuality), Executive Committee of WAS (Secretary for the Americas), Inviting Professor of Psychology Specialization at CCYM, teaching about Sexuality. Responsible in Brazil for WSHD in more than ten capitals. Member of AISM (Academia International of Medical Sexology), member of the National Specialized Commission on Sexology of FEBRASGO. Author of more than 80 scientific publications, invited as speaker in more than 300 scientific events. President of WAS’s Congress in Porto Alegre (2013) e past-president of SBRASH (Brazilian Society for Studies in Human Sexuality).

 

 

Venkatraman CHANDRA-MOULI (Switzerland)

Title of the presentation: Buiding community support and dealing with resistance to sexuality education

Dr Venkatraman Chandra-Mouli works on Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (ASRH) in the World Health Organization’s Department of Reproductive Health and Research (which includes the UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Human Reproductive Programme).

His work includes building the evidence base on ASRH and supporting countries to translate this evidence into action through well-conceived and well-managed policies and programmes. His experience in generating knowledge and taking knowledge to action is global in scope and spans over 30 years.

Dr Chandra-Mouli joined WHO in early-1993 and worked on HIV/AIDS prevention till mid-1996. Since then, his work has focussed on adolescent health. Before joining WHO, he worked in Zambia, India and Zimbabwe for 12 years – providing primary care services (with a private Zambian company), preventing childhood malnutrition (with a Zambian NGO – Kitwe Nutrition Group), preventing HIV and responding to people with HIV (with another Zambian NGO – Copperbelt Health Education Project), setting up a regional training and mentoring initiative – ‘School Without Walls’ (with the Canadian Public Health Association); and funding HIV/AIDS related work – ‘NGO AIDS Cell’ (with the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation).

 

Woet L. GIANOTTEN (The Netherlands)

Title of the presentation: Relevant aspects of MSM-sexuality for health care professionals

Woet Gianotten is a retired MD-psychotherapist and emeritus Senior Lecturer in Medical Sexology at the University Medical Centres of Utrecht and Rotterdam, the Netherlands. His medical career started with much surgery and obstetrics and a total of 5½ years working as a tropical doctor in West and East Africa. When in training to become a gynecologist, he discovered the then new and fascinating field of sexology, which made him switch career. As a medical sexologist he was attracted by those areas that tend to get little sexual attention. He was active in developing the fields of oncosexology and of physical rehabilitation sexology. He claims to have also expertise in the areas of gerontosexology and ‘reproduction sexology’. He co-edited the ‘Textbook of Sexology’ (in Dutch); ‘Sexuality in Disease and Physical Impairment’ (in Dutch) and ‘Cancer, Intimacy and Sexuality; a practical approach’ (in English). Since 2018, after stopping work with patients in physical rehabilitation, he is fully concentrating on teaching. In 1979, when attending for the first time a WAS congress (also in Mexico City), he got addicted to that atmosphere. This WAS 2019 will be his 18^th. WAS congress.

 

Julia HEIMAN (USA)

Title of the presentation: A new approach to sensitive, private sexual data collection engaging citizen scientists: The Kinsey Reporter App

Professor, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences & Department of Clinical Psychiatry. Senior Research Fellow, The Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction. Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana USA. Lab Website: https://www.sexresiu.com/

Julia R. Heiman, Ph.D., ABPP, is Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences and Clinical Psychiatry at Indiana University in the USA. From 2004-2013, she served as the Director of the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender, and Reproduction at Indiana University. She previously co-founded and directed the University of Washington, School of Medicine, Reproductive and Sexual Medicine Clinic to address sexual problems in men, women and couples. Dr. Heiman’s career has focused on understanding patterns of sexuality from an integrated psychosocial-biomedical perspective. Dr. Heiman has published broadly in the area of sex research on male and female sexual function and dysfunction, with her primary interests being psychophysiological components of sexual arousal patterns, measurement of sexual response, sexual dysfunction treatment, sexuality and health, and sexual and relationship correlates of histories of childhood sexual and physical abuse. Dr. Heiman has also served as President of the International Academy of Sex Research, the American Board of Family Psychology, and Editor-in-Chief of the Annual Review of Sex Research (2000-2004). In 2011 she edited a special issue of the journal Hormones and Behavior on “Sexual Arousal” with Donald Pfaff at Rockefeller University. She has earned a number of awards including the Distinguished Scientific Achievement Award from the Society of the Scientific Study of Sex (2001), the Richard J. Cross Award (2006), the SSTAR Masters & Johnson Award (2006), the Gold Medal Award from the World Association of Sexual Health (2009) and Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) (2012).

 

Rubén HERNÁNDEZ-SERRANO (Venezuela)

Title of the presentation: Compulsive sexual behavior: New Advances from the ICD-11 WHO perspective

 

 

 

 

 

 

• MEDICO CIRUJANO, Central University of Venezuela. Caracas. l968
• Psychiatrist. Central University of Venezuela / Maudsley Hospital. London University. 1973
• MsC Criminology and Penal Sciences. Central University of Venezuela. 1975
• Founder Member of WAS. Rome 1978'
• Past President Venezuelan Society of Sexology, 1986–1990 / 2000–2004
• Past Chief of Mental Health Division. Ministry of Health. 1978–1983
• Professor Forensic Psychiatry and Legal-Medical Sexology. Universidad Central Venezuela 1974–present
• Past General Secretary and Vice President College of Physicians Miranda State. 1974–1980
• Past Doctrine Secretary, General Secretary and Vice President. Medical Federation of Venezuela.1981–1991
• Past President WORLD ASSOCIATION FOR SEXUAL HEALTH.1993–1997, Member of the Advisory Committee, since 1978–present.
• Councilman and Vice President CARACAS CITY COUNCIL, by popular election.1993–2002. El Hatillo.
• President of the IX World Congress of Sexology. Caracas 1989
• President of the World Congress on VIOLENCE. 1998
• Founder and 1st Chair Psychiatry and Human Sexuality Section. WORLD PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATiON.1997–2007
• Founder and 1st President INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY OF MEDICAL SEXOLOGY.2002–2006
• Past President of FLASSES. Latin-American American Federation of Sexual Health and Education. 2006–2010.
• Honorary Member SASH, SOCOSEX, FESS, APA, SVSM
• President of the WAS Commission on HUMAN SEXUAL RIGHTS. VALENCIA. 1997
• Creator of WAS Gold Medal WAS WCS Yokohama 1995 and Recipient in WAS WCS. La Habana. 2001
• President of 17Th International Symposia Human Sexuality. Caracas. From 1978 to 1997.
• Author, Co-author of 18 Books on Human Sexuality. Director of SHEP WPA. 56 Papers, 9 Chapters and Keynote Addresses in Medical Congresses
• Prize JOSE M VARGAS (FMV) and RICARDO CAVALCANTI (FLASSES), ORDEN FRANCISCO FAJARDO, ORDEN MERITO AL TRABAJO.
• WHO researcher on Paraphilias and Violence against Children and Adolescents.
• Producer and Medical Presenter. TV Programs CLIMAX, MOMENTUM. GLOBOVISION. Caracas. Venezuela.

 

Terry HUMPHREYS (Canada)

Title of the presentation: Sexting behaviour in relationships: Risks, benefits, satisfaction and cohabitation status

Terry Humphreys is a Full Professor in the Department of Psychology at Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. He is the Editor of the Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality (CJHS) and a Consulting Editor for the Journal of Sex Research. He is also the current Past President of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality (SSSS), a long-standing planning committee member of the Guelph Sexuality Conference (Canada’s largest and longest running annual sexuality conference), and on the Advisory Board of WAS. His academic / research interests focus broadly on sexual communication in intimate relationships. Specifically, his expertise is in the negotiation of sexual consent in multiple contexts; sexting behaviour in young adults; first sexual experiences; and unwanted/coercive sexual encounters.

 

 

Erick JANSSEN (Belgium/USA)

Title of the presentation: The psychophysiology of sexual arousal: Old riddles and new insights

Erick Janssen, PhD, is Professor at the Institute for Family and Sexuality Studies, Department of Neurosciences, at the University of Leuven, Belgium, and Senior Research Fellow at The Kinsey Institute at Indiana University, USA. He has published extensively on the topics of sexual psychophysiology, sexual dysfunction, risky sexual behavior, sexual aggression, sexual compulsivity, and sexuality in close relationships. Together with John Bancroft, MD, he developed the Dual Control Model of Sexual Response. This model, with its focus on individual differences in the propensity for sexual excitation and inhibition, has opened up a new research agenda with wide relevance and is being used and tested by researchers around the world. He has received a number of awards, including twice the Hugo G. Beigel Award and, with his students, the SSTAR Award, the IASR Best Student Manuscript Award, and the Reiss Theory Award. He served as President of the International Academy of Sex Research (IASR), founder of international networks of sex researchers in Europe (EuroSex) and of researchers around the world in the field of sexual psychophysiology (SexLab), and currently serves as Track Leader for Basic Sciences of the Scientific Committee of the World Association for Sexual Health. He is currently vice-chair of the WAS Scientific Committee.

 

Sharful Islam KHAN (Bangladesh)

Title of the presentation: Sexual health, rights and politics: where are we going and what can be done?

Dr. Sharful Islam Khan has been working as the Head of the Program for HIV and AIDS under Infectious Diseases Division of icddr,b. He is a Scientist and also serves as the Project Director of the Global Fund project where HIV prevention services are being provided to sexual minority people of Bangladesh.

Dr. Khan received his medical graduation from Dhaka Medical College in 1992. He received Master’s Degree in Health Social Science from Mahidol University, Thailand in 1997. He received PhD in Medical Anthropology from Edith Cowan University, Western Australia in 2014. His educational background is a blending of medical and social sciences. Similarly, his professional career is also a combination of extensive research and intervention program experiences. He has been involved in social science research in the field of human sexuality, sexual health, gender, masculinity, sexual rights and HIV with both general and population at risk of HIV for more than 20 years in Bangladesh and South and South East Asia. He has published many scientific articles in international peer reviewed journals and book chapters. He worked as a Visiting Professor of the International Program of Health Social Science, the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Mahidol University, Thailand. Currently, he is an Adjunct Professor of School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Western Australia. He is also associated as a Visiting Professor of Malmo University, Sweden. He is a full member of the International Academy of Sex Research. He serves various committees with World Health Organizations (WHO), Geneva and acts as the Secretary General of Asia Pacific Network of Health Social Scientists, the Sexual Rights and Sex Education committees of the World Association Sexual Health (WAS).

 

Osmo KONTULA (Finland)

Title of the presentation: Why Women Have Difficulties to Have Orgasms: A Large Scale Qualitative Study

Osmo Kontula, Ph.D., is a Research Professor at the Population Research Institute of the Family Federation of Finland. He has authored more than 350 publications, of which more than 50 are books. Osmo Kontula is an Associate Editor of the Journal of Sex Research (JSR), Past President of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality (SSSS), and a Member of Advisory Committee and a Chair of Sexuality Education Committee in the World Association for Sexual Health (WAS).

 

 

 

 

Denise MEDICO (Canada/Switzerland)

Title of the presentation: Orientation toward eroticism: a critically based proposition for sex therapists

Denise Medico, Ph.D, is a Professor at Université du Québec à Montréal’s Department of Sexology (UQAM). She is a registered psychologist and sexologist in Canada and Switzerland, affiliated with the Meraki Health Center in Montreal. Her research activities aim to promote affirmative and reflective clinical practice to better serve LGBTIQ2+ population. Her work is informed by a phenomenological, critical, and systemic approach, and pertains to issues of gender, embodiment, eroticism and sexual therapy. For 15 years (2002–2016), she worked in Switzerland as a clinical practitioner devoted to the development trans health and sexology. She co-founded the Agnodice Fondation, an NGO dedicated to the development of health and social trans-affirmative practices in Switzerland.

She teaches sexual therapy and clinical supervision in Canada, Switzerland, Belgium and Italy. She is a member of the scientific committee of the World Association for Sexual Health (WAS), and a member of WPATH, the Institute for Feminist Research (IREF), the Research Chair on Homophobia and the Institute for Health and Society (ISS) at UQAM.

Author of a book in French Repenser le genre: une clinique avec les personnes trans (Georg, 2016), she is currently co-editing two books, one on integrativity and political perspectives in clinical sexology, and the other on affirmative interventions for trans youth and their families.

 

Sara NASSERZADEH (Iran/USA)

Title of the presentation: Turning Love on its head, an antidote to love confusion!

Dr. Sara Nasserzadeh, PhD is a Social Psychologist and a thought leader in the fields of Cultural Fluency, Diversity & Inclusion and, Sexual Health & Relationships. Her commitment to the growth of our human community manifests in her multi-dimensional efforts. Dr. Nasserzadeh is a prolific and award-winning author with two books in English, several book chapters and a multitude of peer-reviewed articles and white papers to her credit. She is highly regarded by her peers and served on the board of various professional organizations. As a former member of the International Federation of Journalists, “Dr. Sara” created and hosted a program called the Whispers for the BBC World Service on sexuality and relationship issues, which received BBC’s Innovation of the Year Award in 2007 in London. This program “Whispers” which is the first of its kind in the Middle East is still ongoing and reaches millions of Farsi-speaking viewers across the globe. Beside her clinical work as a psychosexual therapist and couples counselor, Dr. Nasserzadeh has presented more than five hundred keynotes and workshops on a variety of topics across the globe. Dr. Nasserzadeh has also been a senior cultural advisor and strategic consultant for governments, international NGOs, UN agencies, Fortune 500 companies, academic institutions, professional organizations and private sector across 37 countries. In 2007, Dr. Nasserzadeh received the World Association for Sexual Health (WAS) runner-up award for Excellence and Innovation for her international work in the area of human development in Sydney. In 2011, she was a winner for the Pfizer's Innovation of the Year Award for establishing company's Customer Insights Council and for designing an integrative strategic plan to make customers a priory for the enterprise. Dr. Sara was named as one of the Best Love Doctors by Harpers Bazaar, and one of the Women in the Know by Daily Mirror. DatingAdvice.com named her as one of the 10 Best Sex and Dating Experts in 2015. In March 2018, she was honored by the British Council as a UK Alumni Award finalist in the category of Social Impact. This award is the most prestigious in the category of Education offered by The British Council annually. She currently serves at the Board of Religion and Sexual & Reproductive Health Rights Task Force of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Dr. Nasserzadeh is based in Los Angeles, California and travels widely.

 

Jim PFAUS (Mexico/Canada)

Title of the presentation: Indigenous concepts of sex and sexuality: Lessons learned about contraception, sexual pleasure, and sexual identity from the Bedouins, Incans, and North American First Nations

Jim Pfaus, PhD, IF, is a professor of neuroscience and psychology, with dual research appointments at the Centro de Investigaciones Cerebrales (Brain Research Center), Universidad Veracruzana, in Xalapa, México, and in the Département de psychoéducation et de psychologie, Université du Québec en Outaouais, in Gatineau, QC, Canada.  He got interested in the neurobiology of sex at an early age.  For over 30 years he has conducted extensive research into the behavioral, neurochemical, and molecular mechanisms of sexual arousal, desire, pleasure, and inhibition, working with both laboratory rats and humans.  This work has revealed how sexual experience alters the function of these systems, which in turn has helped to identify potential pharmacological treatments for desire, arousal, and orgasm disorders. He has authored over 200 peer-reviewed scientific papers and book chapters and has received numerous awards for his research, including the Frank A. Beach Awards in Behavioral Neuroendocrinology (SFN) and Comparative Psychology (APA), the Distinguished Scientific Achievement Award from SSSS, and the Sandra Leibulm, Herbert H. Thomas, and John Money Lectureships from ISSWSH, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, and WAS, respectively. He is the current Editor-in-Chief of the journal Current Sexual Health Reports, is a past-president of the International Academy of Sex Research, and a fellow of the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health.

 

Márcia ROCHA (Brazil)

Title of the presentation: Transgenders: Can we really exist?

Márcia Rocha, businesstranswoman, lawyer member of the Sexual Diversity Commission of Ordem dos Advogados do Brasil, post graduated on Sexual Education, member of the Sexual Rights Committee of WAS, coordinator of the Transempregos Project. The first transgender lawyer to have granted the use of a social name along with the birth name in a Brazilian federal document.

 

 

 

 

Tomoko SAOTOME (Japan)

Title of the presentation: How Clitoral Disorders are researched historically

Researcher of Louis Pasteur Center for Medical Research, in Kyoto from 2018
Graduated National University of Tsukuba, medical department in 1986
Graduated National University Postgraduate school of Kyoto, Gynecological Nursing in 2017

OB/Gyn medical doctor and Sex therapist authorized by Japanese Society of Sexual Science (JSSS). My specialties are biological demography and sexology especially concerned with reproductive health. Sexuality during pregnancy and postpartum are one of the turning points for the couple’s relationship because of lack of knowledge and skills, but they will improve more enjoyable and personalize experiences for women and their partners using sexual knowledge by counselling. Biological demography is strongly related national population or world population, but micro demography is personal or couples‘ family planning issue.

Our country is economically rich, but the women’s choices for their happiness is not enough. I had act for introducing oral contraceptive pills from 1997, and promoted contraceptive choices and abortion rights as freedom of women. In these years, we have argument of emergency pill for over the counter, and medical abortion pill is just starting clinical trial.

Sexlessness is very common in couples in our country, it is a one of the reasons of lowest low fertility. And sexism is seriously spread all situation in media and social system. We have to promote everybody’s sexual rights of women and SOGIE. Sexuality is interdisciplinary scholarship, and everybody need sexual freedom and rights. I will continue to act for promoting sexology education for all people.

 

Kevan WYLIE (UK)

Title of the presentation: Sexual Well Being & Sexual Rights for an ageing population

Kevan qualified in medicine MB ChB in Liverpool in 1985, obtained his Masters in Leeds (1991) and the Diploma in Therapy with Couples (1993) and Diploma in Sexual Medicine (1994) at the University of London. He completed his highest university degree at Doctorate MD level researching couples and sex therapy for erectile dysfunction in 1999 and has worked full time clinically in sexual and gender medicine for the UK National Health Service from June 1999 across two hospital trusts in Sheffield. He is the immediate Past-President of WAS and President of the European Federation of Sexuality.

 

 

 

Kenneth J. ZUCKER (Canada)

Title of the presentation: Gender Dysphoria in Children and Adolescents: Contemporary Clinical Issues

Kenneth J. Zucker, Ph.D., Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Between 1976–2015, Dr. Zucker was affiliated with the Gender Identity Clinic for children and adolescents at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, Canada. Currently he is Professor (Status Only), Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, and in private practice. His clinical research pertains to gender identity development in children and adolescents, gender dysphoria, and disorders of sex development. He was the Chair of the DSM-5 (2013) Work Group on Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders. Since 2002, he has been the Editor of Archives of Sexual Behavior. He is a Past-President of the International Academy of Sex Research. He has authored over 200 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters.

 

 

 

OTHER SPEAKERS

Elsa ALMÅS (Norway)

Specialist in clinical psychology, specialist in clinical sexology NACS, professor in sexology at the University of Agder. Has been working as a clinical psychologist since 1980. Started an education program in sexological counselling at the University of Agder in 2001 together with Esben Esther Pirelli Benestad. Full professor since 2012.

First congress in sexology was in Rome in 1978. Has participated in the sexological field since then. Has been president in the Norwegian Society for Clinical Sexology for three separate periods over 35 years, has been president of the Nordic Association for Clinical sexology for two periods, Member of the EFS Advisory Board from 2010–2018, member of WAS Executive Committee since 2017.

 

 

Eli COLEMAN (USA)

Eli Coleman, PhD is professor and director of the Program in Human Sexuality, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis. He holds the first and only endowed academic chair in sexual health.

He is the author of numerous articles and books on compulsive sexual behavior, sexual offenders, sexual orientation, gender dysphoria, chemical dependency and family intimacy and on the psychological and pharmacological treatment of a variety of sexual dysfunctions and disorders. Professor Coleman is one of the founding editors of the International Journal of Transgenderism and is the founding and current editor of the International Journal of Sexual Health. He is one of the past-presidents of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) (formerly the Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association), the World Association for Sexual Health, the International Academy for Sex Research and the Society for Sex Therapy and Research. He is currently the Chair of the WPATH Standards of Care Revision Committee. He has been a frequent technical consultant on sexual health issues to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Pan American Health Organization (the regional office of WHO), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He has been the recipient of numerous awards including the US Surgeon General's Exemplary Service Award for his role as senior scientist on Surgeon General's Call to Action to Promote Sexual Health and Responsible Sexual Behavior, released in 2001. He was given the Distinguished Scientific Achievement Award from the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality and the Alfred E. Kinsey Award by the Midcontinent Region of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality in 2001. In April, 2007, he was awarded the Gold Medal for his lifetime contributions to the field of sexual health by the World Association for Sexual Health. In May of 2007, he was appointed the first endowed Chair in Sexual Health at the University of Minnesota Medical School. In May of 2009, he was awarded the Masters and Johnson Award by the Society for Sex Therapy and Research. In May of 2011, he received the John Money Award from the Eastern Region of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality.

 

Esther CORONA-VARGAS (Mexico)

Mexican. Trained as clinical psychologist. Has worked in sexuality education, sexual and reproductive health and gender for over 50 years. Founder (1972) and President of the Mexican Association for Sexuality Education (AMES), first NGO in the field in Mexico and pioneer institution in Latin America.

Ex-President of the Latin American and Caribbean Committee for Sexuality Education. First Vice President of the Mexican Federation of Sexology and Sex Education (FEMESS). President of the Latin American Federation of Sexology and Sex Education Associations (FLASSES) during 1998–2002. Has been associated with WAS since its founding and has been a member of its Executive and Advisory Committees in several administrations. She is currently Co-Chair of the International Liaison Committee. International Consultant for United Nations Agencies as well as international and national NGOs.

 

Verónica DELGADO PARRA (Mexico)

Psychiatrist, Sex Therapist and Clinical Sexologist.

Specialized studies in Human Sexuality research methodology, National Autonomous University of Mexico

Professor of human sexuality and mental health in the medical school of the National Autonomous University of Mexico and the La Salle University

Coordinator and professor of the Human Sexuality Máster in the Mexican Association for Sexual Health A.C.

Coordinator of the Scientific Committee of the Mexican Federation of Sexual Education and Sexology.

Rewiever of Jornal of Sexual Medicine.

 

Faysal EL KAK (Lebanon)

Clinical Associate of Obstetrics Gynecology and Sexual Health, American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC)- Senior Lecturer of Health Behavior and Sexuality, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut

Dr. El Kak is involved in clinical, teaching, and educational services of obstetrics gynecology and sexual health. He is the coordinator of the Women Integrated Sexual Health (WISH) Program at AUBMC. He is also a Co-PI of the research project “Youth sexual and reproductive health” at FHS, AUB, and coordinator of the Network of Arab Scholars on Sexuality Sexual health (NASSS). Dr El Kak has many publications, book chapters, and couple of books related to sexual, reproductive, and maternal health. Dr El Kak continues to work on research, services, consultancies and advocacy to promote sexual and reproductive health to women and youth.

 

Stefano ELEUTERI (Italy)

Psychologist, Psychoterapist, Sexual Counsellor, PhD in Social, Developmental Psychology and Educational Research. He is Member of the Advisory Council and Co-Chair of the Youth Initiative Committee of the World Association for Sexual Health. Since 2010, he works as a psychologist, psychotherapist and sexual counselor and as a private consultant in the field of sexual education, also organizing events about sexual health. Research Fellow at Sapienza University of Rome and Honorary Judge of the Court of Appeals of Rome Juvenile Court he carries out his research activity in collaboration with the Institute of Clinical Sexology of Rome and with university chairs. Since 2012 he teaches different aspects of sexuality (Sex & Aging, Sex & Disability) in different higher education courses for nurses and medical doctors at Sapienza University of Rome and since 2015 in the School for Sexologists and Sexual Counsellors of the Institute of Clinical Sexology of Rome (Sex & Internet, Hypersexuality, Sexual Rights, Homophobia, Homoparenting).

He has been a speaker in the most important local and international congresses in the sexological sciences field, presenting works in the clinical sexology and sexual health. He is author of scientific and educational contributions in the sexology area, also in indexed journals.

 

Ítor FINOTELLI Jr. (Brazil)

Psychologist, Gender and Sexuality Specialist by the Rio de Janeiro State University, Master and Doctor in Psychology by the Sao Francisco University. Works as a Clinical Psychologist in complains in the Sexuality area. In the researching area, develops techniques, procedures and measurement instruments for the assessment of Human Sexuality. Works also in projects and policies management for the promotion of Sexual Health and Sexual Rights. Former President of the Brazilian Society for Studies of Human Sexuality (SBRASH). Current Secretary/Treasurer of the World Association for Sexual Health (WAS).

 

 

 

 

Alain GIAMI (France)

Alain Giami (Ph.D.) is currently Emeritus Research Professor at the Inserm (National Institute of Health and Medical Research) in Paris, where he coordinates a research unit on Gender, Sexuality, and Health. He has been a full member of the International Academy of Sex Research since 1994 and a member of the Advisory Committee of WAS since 2009. He served as President of the WAS Scientific Committee between 2009 and 2012. He is also a member of the International Association for the Scientific Study of Culture & Sexuality (IASSCS). He was a member of the Advisory Committee of the French AIUS (Association Inter-Hospitalière de Sexologie) (2008–2012) and a member of the board of the French Federation of Sexology and Sexual Health (2010–2016). He founded and coordinated the Network: «Research in social sciences in sexuality» at the French Association of Sociology (2003–2013). He has served also as an expert in various task force at the World Health Organization, UNESCO, and the French Supreme court (Conseil d'Etat) and the French Ministry of Health. He created and developed a University Diploma on “Sexual health and Public Health” at Paris University (Paris 5 and Paris 7) (2007–2014). He is Associate Editor of Sexologies: European Journal of Sexology and Sexual Health (Elsevier) and a member of the editorial committee of the Archives of Sexual Behavior and of the International Journal of Sexual Health. He served as Scientific Director at the UNESCO Chair in Sexual health and Human rights (2010–2014). He is currently Chair of the WAS Scientific Committee. In research, he has founded and organized the Euro-Sexo group which carried sociological research about the Sexologist profession in 8 European countries and 7 seven Latin-American countries.

He has published several books including: “Infirmières & Sexualité: entre soins et relations” (Nurses & sexuality: between care & relations, 2015 with Emilie Moreau & Pierre Moulin; “Sexual revolutions” (in collaboration with Gert Hekma), Palgrave 2014; “Des sexualités et des handicaps: questions d'intimité” (Sexualities and disabilities: issues of intimacy) in collaboration with Bruno Py and Anne Marie Toniolo (Presses Universitaires de Lorraine, 2013); “L'expérience de la sexualité chez de jeunes adultes” (The experience of sexuality among young adults) (Inserm, 2004). He has also published about 100 papers in peer reviewed journals in English, French and Portuguese and more than 50 book chapters.

He is currently coordinating an international network on “Citizenship and Health among trans persons” (France, Brazil, Italy, Norway) and working on a book about the history and perspectives of “sciences of sexuality”.

 

Felipe HURTADO-MURILLO (Spain)

Felipe Hurtado-Murillo, PhD, is a Specialist Psychologist in Clinical Psychology and Sexologist for the Government of the Autonomous Community of Valencia. He works as a Specialist in the Sexual and Reproductive Health Unit of public health, which is also a Gender Identity Reference Unit for the health care of trans people. He is also a member of the Reference Unit of the Valencian Government for the reconstruction surgery of genitalia in women who have undergone genital mutilation.

He is a professor at the university for Psychology at the Faculty of Valencia, professor of Master in Sexual Health and Clinical Sexology of the National University of Distance Education in Spain, professor of International Master of Migrations of the Faculty of Psychology of the University of Valencia and professor of training of Specialists in Clinical Psychology and training of Midwives of the Valencia Community. He collaborates as an international professor in the postgraduate course in Human Sexuality at the Faculty of Psychology of the Catholic University of Colombia.

He participates in various scientific societies; he is currently a member of the Advisory Committee of the World Association for Sexual Health (WAS), General Secretary of the Latin American Federation of Sexology and Sexual Education (FLASSES), Member of the Board of Directors of the Spanish Federation of Societies of Sexology (FESS), Permanent Academician of the Spanish Academy of Sexology and Sexual Medicine and President of the Spanish Association of Specialists in Sexology (AES).

He directs the scientific journal Desexologia.com, has published more than 60 scientific articles in national and international journals, 15 books and has participated in more than 100 papers in different national and international conferences. He has been awarded with several awards, such as the Dr. León Roberto Gindin award to the most outstanding professional in the field of sexology during the last two years, awarded at the XIX Congress in Buenos Aires, on September 26, 2018.

 

Mijal LURIA (Israel)

Dr. Mijal Luria is the President of the Israeli Society for Sexual Medicine (ILSSM), the Director of the Center for Sexual Health at the Hadassah Mt. Scopus Medical Center and co-director of the Rotem Center for Multidisciplinary Sex Therapy, in Jerusalem, Israel. She is an attending obstetrician-gynecologist and sex therapist. She studied medicine at the La Salle University in Mexico City and completed the residency program in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Shaare Tzedek Medical Center in Jerusalem, followed by a fellowship in Sex Therapy at the Meir Medical Center in Israel and at the University of British Columbia Sexual Medicine Program in Vancouver, Canada. Her clinical work encompasses the treatment of couples and individuals with sexual problems, with a special focus on women sexual wellbeing.

Dr. Luria co-directs the Jerusalem's Hebrew University Medical School course “Introduction to Human Sexuality”, created the program “Growing Together” for sexual education of early adolescents and their parents and created the “Healthy Relationships Program” for sexual education of high school students.

Dr. Luria has ongoing collaborations on several research projects. She is a member of its executive committee of the European Federation of Sexology's (EFS) and is the co-chair of the EFS scientific committee. She is also a member of the European Federation for Sexual Medicine (ESSM) scientific committee. Dr. Luria serves the board of directors of the Israeli Association for Sex Therapists (ITAM).

 

Osmar Juan MATSUI SANTANA (Mexico)

Surgeon and Midwifery, University of Guadalajara.

Master in Public Health, University of Guadalajara.

Doctoral Studies in Public Health, University of California, Berkeley.

Doctorate in Health Sciences, Sociomedical Sciences, University of Guadalajara.

Master in Sexuality Education, Center for Education and Health Care and Sexuality (CEASS) with REVOE de la Sría. of Jalisco Education.

Master's Studies in Sexual and Couple Therapy by CEASS and the Kaplan Institute of Spain.

Sexual Medicine by the European Society for Sexual Medicine at the University of Oxford. Fellow of the Multidisciplinary Joint Committee of Sexual Medicine. European Union of Medical Specialists.

He is a Research Professor at the University of Guadalajara where he has been Coordinator of Biological Medical Research, Director of the Regional Institute of Public Health Research, Head of the Department of Public Health and Head of the Department of Social Sciences at the University Center of Health Sciences. Professor Master's Degree in Human Sexuality Education with REVOE of the Jalisco Education Department since 1998 at the Center for Education and Health Care and Sexuality, AC.

In the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality: Officer for International Affairs of the Board of Directors. 2007–2010. President of the annual Congress of said scientific society held in Mexico in 2009.

European Certification as a Fellow of Sexual Medicine by approval of the "SEXUAL MEDICINE FIRST QUALIFICATION EXAMINATION" by the European Union of Medical Specialties and the Multidisciplinary Joint Committee on Sexual Medicine (MJCSM), European Society for Sexual Medicine. Author of papers, articles and scientific books.

 

David PATERNOTTE (Belgium)

David Paternotte is Associate Professor in Sociology and Gender Studies at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), where he is the head of the Atelier Genre (s) et Sexualité (s) and STRIGES. His publications include the monograph Revendiquer le “mariage gay”: Belgique, France, Espagne (2011), numerous articles, chapters and edited volumes, including Anti-Gender Campaigns in Europe: Mobilizing against Equality (2017). He is a co-editor of the series “Global Queer Politics” (Palgrave).

 

 

 

 

Luis PERELMAN (Mexico)

Sexuality Educator and activist in sexual rights, sexual diversity, family acceptance of LGBT children and non-discrimination in Mexico, Latin America and Jewish communities. Co-director of El Armario Abierto, bookstore specialized in sexuality that received the WAS honorary prize for sexuality education. Former president of Federación Mexicana de Educación Sexual y Sexología FEMESS. Member of the Advisory Committee of WAS since 2009

 

 

 

Eusebio RUBIO–AURIOLES (Mexico)

Obtained his M.D. at Universidad La Salle in Mexico City (1978) México D.F., and his Ph.D. in the Program of Human Sexuality at New York University. (1988). He completed the post-doctoral training course in sex therapy at the Department of Psychiatry of the Mount Sinai Hospital of New York City (1983). Since 1984 he is professor at the Departamento de Psiquiatría y Salud Mental de la Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Since 2008 he also teaches at Hospital Fray Bernardino Alvarez to psychiatric residents, and since 2014 he is also professor at the Medical Scholl of Universidad La Salle. In 1987 he founded the Asociación Mexicana para la Salud Sexual, A.C. where he is the director and professor of a training process in psychosexual therapy and clinical sexology.