Featured Panelist: Julia Serano

Julia Serano is an Oakland, California-based writer, performer, and activist. She is best known for her 2007 book Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity, which garnered rave reviews—The Advocate placed it on their list of “Best Non-Fiction Transgender Books,” and readers of Ms. Magazine ranked it #16 on their list of the “100 Best Non-Fiction Books of All Time.” Her second full-length book, Excluded: Making Feminist and Queer Movements More Inclusive, came out in 2013 to rave reviews. Julia’s other writings have appeared in over a dozen anthologies and in magazines and websites such as The Advocate, The Daily Beast, Bitch, AlterNet.org, Out, and Ms. Magazine blog. Julia has gained notoriety in feminist, queer and transgender circles for her unique insights into gender, and her writings have been used as teaching materials in queer and gender studies courses across North America.

Featured Panelist: Zander Keig

Zander Keig, an award winning speaker, writer and educator, is employed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, as a homeless outreach social worker and is currently volunteering his outreach, organizing and coordinating talents to the following projects & programs: NASW National Committee on LGBT Issues (2013-2016); NASW-CA Diversity Committee (2013-2015); Department of Veterans Affairs Transgender Education Workgroup; and the Transgender Advisory Group for the California LGBT Reducing Disparities Project.

Zander holds a B.A. in speech with a concentration in interpersonal communication (Metropolitan State College of Denver, 1999), a M.S. in conflict analysis and resolution with an emphasis in college student personnel administration (Nova Southeastern University, 2002), a M.T.S. in Theology with a focus on world religions (Pacific School of Religion, 2004), and a M.S.W. in social work with a focus on clinical social work (San Diego State University, 2012).

Zander resides in Berkeley, California with his beautiful wife, Margaret. They will be celebrating their 12th anniversary in 2014!