Presenters for the Previous Event – Spring Break 2025
Aftercare Queen
For a decade, the Aftercare Queen has actively engaged with the kink community in Minnesota and New Mexico. Her roles have included being a moderator, kink educator, mentor, and co-founder of a BIPOC kink community group. She has taken the stage as a presenter at DomCon 2024, Albukinky 2024, and New Mexico Leather Fiesta 2024. Her aim is to enhance aftercare practices for individuals, kink events, and conventions. Additionally, she is dedicated to guiding others through their journeys of kink and mental wellness by sharing her personal experiences and insights from her own path in these areas.
Alex and Madeline
Alex and Madeline are both trained scientists who love to use their analytical minds and love of learning both in the bedroom and the dungeon. They have been very active for over 20 years in the Chicago, Minneapolis/St. Paul, and New York communities, helping to run BDSM organizations, assisting with large-scale events, and teaching classes on various edge play techniques. They have a reputation for enjoying some of the odder branches of BDSM play and for being lucky to have found each other’s sick minds. Alex can be found on Fetlife at ninjajuicer and Madeline can be found at saltygoodness
Ash Arden
Ash is a non-binary switch with a passion for the fun, connective, and exploratory aspects of kink. They’ve been a part of the midwest’s kink scene for nearly a decade, and have been crafting kink-related games for the last seven years. In pursuit of the joy that comes with exploration, Ash has taken an experimentalist’s approach to the various types of gear, outfits, and toys a kinkster might build into their play-kit. Their discoveries (and mistakes) have been baked (lovingly) into their classes, which are designed to be as hands-on and interactive as possible.
Dan and Dawn
For over two decades, Dan and dawn have inspired audiences across North America with their engaging presentations and workshops on power exchange, polyamory, and sacred sexuality. Their dynamic energy and real-world experience have made them sought-after educators at hundreds of events. As authors of Living M/s, The Polyamory Toolkit, and Hearts and Collars, they provide practical insights into relationships and alternative lifestyles. They also co-host the Erotic Awakening Podcast, the longest-running kink podcast, exploring “all things erotic” since 2009. Innovators in education, they created the Kink Starter Cards to promote playful and clear communication around consent and negotiation. Known for their unique balance of fact-based education and personal storytelling, Dan and dawn energize and inspire their audiences. Their passion for connection, growth, and celebrating love and intimacy continues to leave a lasting impact on the communities they serve.
Duke of Pudding
The Duke of Pudding (He/Him) has a penchant for silliness while maintaining respect for his personal history, Leather heart, and the kink community. Duke is an advocate of creative play who often enjoys finding uniquely deviant ways to apply his sadism. He further enjoys facilitating workshops and teaching people how to play safely with their chosen toys, with a particular emphasis on piercing, electricity, and Fire. Duke is a proud member of the House of AndOr, and one of the Co-founders of Ritual Steel. When not elbow-deep in the ass of a community event, he can be found driving hovercraft in the Arctic, or with Gogo and Kit enjoying their clothing optional swimming pool near downtown Las Vegas.
Elly Higginbottom
Elly Higginbottom is a registered yoga teacher (RYT® 200) and masochistic bottom with damn fine legs. Her yoga and kink practices developed in complementary tandem, each bringing depth and insight to the other. She strives to create a space of acceptance and awareness, where everyone can find an opportunity for growth.
Ember Solaris
Ember Solaris (FetLife: @xSolaris) is a professional and lifestyle Dominant, Sadist, and social scientist who infuses her passion for research into every class she presents. Drawing from extensive training in emotions, trauma, addictive behaviors, and relationship dynamics, Ember bridges evidence-based practice with her primal identity—fueled by an arcane fascination with blood, ritual, and transformative intensity. Whether demonstrating intricate sharps techniques, discussing neurobiology, or exploring the role of primal headspaces and erotic justice, Ember’s sessions combine depth, passion, ferocity, and ethical complexity. She collaborates with attendees to foster inclusive, intersectional learning environments, weaving curiosity and empathy into hands-on, immersive experiences. Ember carves spaces where participants can unearth their most authentic selves. A companion for those seeking both intellectual rigor and carnal exploration, Ember thrives in exploring new frontiers in kink and beyond. A queer, genderqueer nerd, Ember lives in the gray spaces and hopes to meet you there.
Freydís Mora
Freydís is a passionate educator and community advocate based in Menomonie, WI, and is a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community. As a disabled and neurodivergent individual, they bring unique perspectives and lived experiences to their work – fostering empathy, inclusivity, and understanding. As a presenter, they specialize in crafting immersive experiences that balance humor, insight, and actionable knowledge. Dedicated to fostering connection and personal growth, Freydís combines storytelling, hands-on demonstrations, and a commitment to creating brave, empowering spaces.
Master Brian and Radiant Saphira
Master__Brian (he/him) and his treasure RadiantSaphira (she/her) are proudly and lovingly in a 24/7 Master/kajira Gorean adapted M/s dynamic. Together they have over 15 years of experience within the BDSM/kink/gor/leather communities. They are the Head of House and First Girl of House Azura, an interdisciplinary progressive Gor/BDSM/Leather Household. They enjoy serving the community through their various leadership roles, events, and service projects. RadiantSaphira is a patched-member of Twin Cities Spectrum and HardPink Sisterhood, both of which she is honored to be on the board and is the founder of the St Louis Service Symposium. Master Brian is a founder of the Midwest Gorean Collective and one of the co-directors of MAsT: Arch City. Most importantly, they are the forever humans of their little house panther, Ember.
Mazoku-Sensei
Mazoku-Sensei joined his local BDSM community in 2018, learning at The Woodshed Orlando, and combined his love for martial arts with the world of kink. By 2019, he was voted the most terrifying sadist in the community. In 2020, he began hosting POC events and became the leader of Kinky POC in Orlando, FL. During the pandemic, he started attending various educational events for organizations like Chicago POC, Cleveland POC, and House of Kush on Zoom, where he taught fire cupping, impact, and more.
Miss Chris
Miss Chris is a switchy-pan-poly edge player, Professional Disciplinarian, certified life coach, webmaster, toymaker, and international BDSM educator. She founded the Sun Valley Spankos, now Spank University, back in Feb 2009, which melds the education from the BDSM world, with the party culture of the spanking community. She is proud to have presented in many countries like Italy, Canada, Ireland and Spain. MC has delivered fetish based workshops at vanilla conferences, too, including Darkcon, the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Councilors and Therapists (AASECT), and Mensa, and she has recently appeared on The Doctors TV show. She is appreciative of her opportunities to contribute to the Science of BDSM, to speak with mainstream media about spank therapy and to help raise consciousness of the BDSM lifestyle. Miss Chris has been awarded twice, the DomCon Special Guest of Honor for her contributions to the professional lifestyle. On a personal level, she’s a Butchmann’s Academy graduate and recurring presenter at her home club, the Arizona Power Exchange in Phoenix, AZ.
Nirathekitten & -EM-
Hailing from Memphis, Tennessee, -EM- (he/him) is a rope artist and whip enthusiast who is passionate about pushing the limits of what bottoms can experience. Since joining the scene in 2010, he has learned from various instructors and has been able to share his passion for rope, teaching across North America and Europe. Nirathekitten (she/her) is a rope loving, latex wearing, often bloody, switch and self-player who joined the larger kink community in 2018. Now located in Western NC, she dedicates a large portion of her time sharing her passion for education and co-leading Asheville Rope Academy. Together they bring a unique blend of experience and humor to their presentations. With EM’s deep expertise and passion, paired with Nira’s detail-oriented approach and strong focus on bottom education, they deliver engaging, informative, and organized sessions that keep audiences captivated.
Rae Goldman
Rae Goldman enjoys exploring the edges and margins of the world. As a Leather switch, slut, and adventurer, Rae has presented at a variety of local and national Leather events. A teacher by trade, he provides participatory, experiential learning. He believes that bottoming involves just as much skill as topping and provides classes that teach about kink from all sides of the experience. Rae enjoys playing with gender and with people of all genders, and he writes about his experience living as a bearded woman and mixed-gender person at www.beardstories.com. Rae was the president of Folsom Street Events and has curated exhibits on leather history.
ruby
ruby is an “intensity-slut”, an experienced bottom and masochist, and a service-oriented slave with a heart for community and a proclivity for intelligent discussion. She believes that kink is best enacted in community, that people on the right side of the slash should talk to and support each other, and her workshops are an opportunity for bottoms, submissives and slaves to do just that!
Seq
Seq (they/she) has been involved in BDSM/Leather communities since the mid-90s, but for the last 5+ years, their primary focus has shifted to building consent culture and fighting for the rights of those who practice consensual alt-sex activities. Seq is a neurodivergent, nonbinary, pansexual/bisexual, nurturing but intense edgeplaying-dominant and Leather titleholder living with chronic illness. You can find them developing curriculum, facilitating, and educating at: Navigating-Consent, Consent-Alive, and the Consent Academy, as well as volunteering time at local shelters and food drives. You may have seen Seq running audiovisuals at Leather and kink events, serving on or leading Consent Teams or Community Support Teams in various alt-sex communities, serving on judges panels at Leather contests around the Midwest, or perhaps holding space for those who have experienced harm, discrimination, or exclusion. You may also have encountered them in the work they do as a board member and as committee chair at the National Coalition For Sexual Freedom. Treating others with dignity and serving communities are of highest value.
Spike
A BDSM player for 25+ years, Spike doesn’t play with one aspect of BDSM, he enjoys playing with all of them. A rope artist, a whip aficionado, a sub, and a pony; he enjoys being all of them. Spike’s wry sense of humor and timing ensures a lively conversation at any event. He resides in Madison, Wisconsin with his Mistress: Mistress__Mayhem. Spike has presented at Shibaricon, Beyond Leather, Ropecraft and Madtown Kinkfest,. When he’s not playing with rope, Spike enjoys cracking whips, being a DJ and spinning fire.
Swinky Life
Phoenix Phyre, Myrina, Crimson Dragonfly, and Tristan are an open, polyamorous, swinging, kinky foursome who created Swinky Life with one main goal in mind: to bridge the gap between the kink and swinging communities through education and information to learn about one another’s interests. For kinksters, Swinky Life creates an open dialog to help break the myths and misconceptions of non-monogamy and foster a safe environment to discuss the “how-tos” and “what ifs” of open, non-monogamous, and polyamorous relationships. For those on the non-monogamy side of the coin, we inform and teach about the joys of kink with workshops that provide ideas, tools, and techniques designed to give practical, concrete skills. From basic “kink 101” to more advanced impact play and rope work, we offer a safe space to learn and experiment with the kinky side of things.
TouchDeep and HeartBound
TouchDeep and HeartBound have brought their highly-engaging, authentic style of presenting to dozens of events across the country. Their classes are about creating deep human connection, sensual touch, and exploring the sacred sexual completeness of the body/mind/spirit relationship (but without all of that “woo” talk!), in the context of kink and BDSM. They lead practical, energetic, “try-it-now” classes, that are often full-immersion, dynamic, hands-on experiences! All are hot, fun, and intense.
You’ll be delighted by their pretense-free, down-to-earth, classes that are superbly organized and fully researched. They love what they do (and each other: they’re lifetime-committed polyamorous partners), and it shows in every way. Participants love their unique approach to presenting
Whomping Willow
Willow & Marti are a pair of queer, sadomasochistic switches with a penchant for gleeful scenes which will make your toes curl! With well over two decades of combined expertise, they make a formidable team specializing in rope, sharps, and gross play. Marti has been an organizer, volunteer, and presenter all her kink life. Masochism is her love language and she is her own biggest sadist. “No Thank You” usually means you are on the right path! Willow has garnered an international following with his approachable, engaging, and always entertaining teaching style and as a jack-of-all trades for the SuspenDC hook suspension team. Outside of kink, he is a devoted gecko dad, artist, circus enthusiast, and hobby collector, always looking for new ways to be off the ground or upside down. As a medical professional and professional pervert, they can certainly say: one person’s torture, is another person’s Tuesday!
