
2025 AASECT Awards
The nomination period has closed. Thank you to everyone who submitted! Stay tuned for more details about the awards ceremony.
Need Assistance?
For questions or support during the nomination process, reach out to AC Co-Chairs Xuan Ho and Claudia Johnson at: awards@aasect.org.
We look forward to celebrating the remarkable contributions of our community. Stay tuned for more updates!
AASECT Annual Awards: Amplifying Voices of Excellence in Sexual Health Education, Counseling, and Therapy
Digital Media Awards
AASECT Social Media / Web Series Award (YouTube, Instagram, etc.)
Eligibility:
- Published in 2024.
- For a general or professional target audience.
- This award is open to all professionals and AASECT Membership is not required.
Nomination checklist:
- Minimum of three (3) media links representing the nominated work may be uploaded to the nomination form. Please ensure that the materials provided will be viewable to our committee members, check your share settings as needed.
- Contact information for the producer and/or creators.
- Please make sure that share settings enable viewing by the review committee.
AASECT Podcast Award
This award is for the creators of a Podcast that makes a significant contribution to AASECTs vision of sexual wellbeing, education, and which elevates the standards of the field. The nominated Podcast can be developed for a professional or general audience, and must have been produced in 2024. To nominate a Podcast send three linked episodes for review to the committee members along with contact information for the producer and / or creators. Include a brief letter of support at no more than 250 words. Please make sure that the committee can access and view the episodes suggested, or the nomination will not be considered. This award is open to all. Nominations due January 24, 2025
Eligibility:
- Published in 2024.
- For a general or professional target audience.
- This award is open to all professionals and AASECT Membership is not required.
Nomination checklist:
- Contact information for the producer and/or creators.
- Minimum of three (3) episodes for consideration. Please ensure that the materials provided will be viewable to our committee members, check your share settings as needed.
- Please make sure that share settings enable viewing by the review committee.
AASECT Film Award
Eligibility:
- Produced in 2023-2024.
- For a general or professional target audience.
- This award is open to all professionals and AASECT Membership is not required.
Nomination checklist:
AASECT Awards
AASECT Award for Emergent Professional
Eligibility:
- Current AASECT Member (within first 3 years of membership.)
- Have 3 years or less of sexuality professional experience
Nomination Checklist:
AASECT Sexuality Educator Award
Nominations due January 24, 2025.
Eligibility:
- Sexuality educator
- Current AASECT Member
Nomination Checklist:
- 1 letter of support (minimum) of up to 500 words from folks who are familiar with their work.
- 1-3 items (documents or media) representing the nominee’s work may be uploaded to the nomination form. Please ensure that the materials provided will be viewable to our committee members, check your share settings as needed.
AASECT Award for Integrative Approaches to Sex Therapy
This award recognizes exceptional creativity in applying integrative and interactive approaches to addressing sexual issues in clinical work with individuals, couples, groups, and/or supervisees across diverse ages, genders, and other identities. Eligible works may include (but are not limited to) practical or theoretical contributions such as trainings, retreats, online courses, videos, or published papers/books that demonstrate a holistic understanding of sexuality. Submissions should reflect a thoughtful integration of physical, emotional, cognitive, and/or spiritual dimensions of sexual experience, as well as relational and/or social contexts. The nominee should have one letter of support, at no more than 500 words, in addition to relevant documentation which may include links to websites, event pages, photo, and/or video documentation. The committee will view a maximum of 5 minutes of video documentation, so please cut your media accordingly, or include a time signature to reference for longer submissions. This award is open to AASECT Certified Sex Counselors and Therapists. Nominations due January 24, 2025
Eligibility:
- AASECT Certified Membership
- For a general or professional target audience.
Nomination Checklist:
- 1 letter of support of up to 500 words
- Relevant documentation may include links to websites, event pages, photos, and/or video documentation.
- The committee will view a maximum of 5 minutes of video documentation, so please cut your media accordingly, or include a time signature to reference for longer submissions.
AASECT Award for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
This award recognizes a sexuality professional whose work is building towards a more sexually liberated world. Nominate your colleagues and friends who are disrupting systems of oppression by raising awareness about and transforming harm, injustice, or inequity in our professions and our world. The AASECT DEI Award celebrates the accomplishments of historically marginalized sexuality professionals enacting real change in our communities. Areas of impact may include, but are not limited to, art, activism, organizing, leadership, education, public advocacy, or media. The nominee should have one letter of support, no more than 500 words, from individuals familiar with their work. Tell us about sexuality professionals centering disability, racial, gender, and reproductive justice. Nominations are due January 24, 2025.
Eligibility:
- This award is open to all professionals and AASECT membership is not required.
Nomination Checklist:
AASECT Professional Standard of Excellence Award
The recipient of this award is a highly regarded expert in their field, recognized by their peers as an accomplished and visionary colleague, and a role model for professional and personal ethics, as well as excellence in achievement. This award honors work that includes, but is not limited to, the development and implementation of sexuality education curriculum, clinical programs or other original clinical contributions, scientific research, and media contributions through art, print, radio, television, or the internet. The nominee should submit one letter of support, no more than 500 words, from someone familiar with their work. This award is open to all. Nominations due by January 24, 2025.
Eligibility:
- This award is open to all professionals and AASECT membership is not required.
Nomination Checklist:
- 1 letter of support of up to 500 words from folks who are familiar with their work.
- Send up to 3 links to resources like the nominee’s website, bio, social media, or projects.
Humanitarian Award
This award is presented to a group or individual who have contributed to the field of human sexuality through private endeavor, charitable event(s), public awareness campaign, organizing effort, sex-positive educational offering, and / or political platform. Please submit a brief justification for your nomination at no more than 500 words, in addition to relevant documentation which may include links to websites, event pages, photo, and/or video documentation. The committee will view a maximum of 5 minutes of video documentation, so please cut your media accordingly, or include a time signature to reference for longer submissions. This award is open to all. Nominations due January 24, 2025.
Eligibility:
- Any professional or organization. AASECT Membership is not required.
Nomination Checklist:
- 1 letter of support of up to 500 words
- Relevant documentation may include links to websites, event pages, photos, and/or video documentation.
- The committee will view a maximum of 5 minutes of video documentation, so please cut your media accordingly, or include a time signature to reference for longer submissions.
Distinguished Service to AASECT Award
Eligibility:
- Current AASECT Member
Nomination Checklist:
Book Awards
AASECT Book Award for Children under 18 years old (audience focus)
Please note that submitting materials may accrue a cost (i.e. hard copies and shipping). Nominees will be provided with the list of members including mailing address for those who wish to mail a hard copy in the confirmation email.
Eligibility:
- Published in 2021-2024.
- For an audience under the age of 18
- This award is open to all professionals and AASECT Membership is not required.
AASECT Book Award for Sexuality Professionals (professional focus)
This award recognizes the author(s) of a book that makes an outstanding contribution to the fields of clinical sexology, sexual health, or sexuality education. To be eligible, the book must be authored by sexuality professionals and specifically written for an audience of other professionals in the field, with the goal of advancing and elevating professional standards. Please include a brief description of why the book is being nominated for the award (no more than 250 words). Each subcommittee member must receive a copy (either hard copy or digital copy) of the book to read/review no later than Friday, February 7, 2025.
Please note that submitting materials may accrue a cost (i.e. hard copies and shipping). Nominees will be provided with the list of members including mailing address for those who wish to mail a hard copy in the confirmation email.
Eligibility:
- Published in 2021-2024.
- For sexuality professionals.
- This award is open to all professionals and AASECT Membership is not required.
Each subcommittee member must receive a copy of the book to read/review no later than Friday, February 7, 2025. While we suggest contacting the author(s) and/or publisher to have the book sent directly to the subcommittee members, nominators are ultimately responsible for ensuring all copies are received by January 5, 2025, in order for a book to be considered. Please note that submitting the materials may accrue a cost (i.e. hard copies and shipping). Some committee members require a hard copy, while others on the committee are willing to accept a PDF/digital version. Nominees will be provided with the list of members including the mailing address of the members that require a hard copy in the confirmation email.
AASECT’s Sexuality Professionals Book Award for General Audience (audience focus)
Please note that submitting materials may accrue a cost (i.e. hard copies and shipping). Nominees will be provided with the list of members including mailing address for those who wish to mail a hard copy in the confirmation email.
Eligibility:
- Published in 2020-2024.
- For the general public.
- This award is open to all professionals and AASECT Membership is not required.
Awards Committee
Co-chairs: Xuan Ho, LMFT, CST Claudia Johnson, LMFT, CST
Members:
Alice Ripberger
Jonathan Grammatico, LCSW
Dorian Head LPC, ACS
Terri Barrios, PhD, LMFT, CST
Kimberly Holloway, Psy.D., CST
Kristen Schaer, LMHC
Heather Huckett, PhD, LMFT, CST
Kelly Scherger, PhD, CST
Heather Alberda BA CSE CSES S.
Marissa Stein, MS, LMHC, CST, NCC
Kavita Ajmere, Ph.D. Psychologist, ISTI trained
Kelvin Pace, LPC-S, CST-S
Shanna Katz Kattari, PhD, MEd, CSE
Past Award Recipients
2023
AASECT Sexuality Book Award
Refusing Compulsory Sexuality: A Black Asexual Lens on our Sex-Obsessed Culture!
by Sherronda J. Brown
AASECT Book Award for Children under 18 years old (audience focus)
Vaginas and Periods 101: A Pop-Up Book by Kristen Lilla and Christian Hoeger
You Know, Sex by Cory Silverberg and Fiona Smyth
AASECT Book Award for Sexuality Professionals (professional focus)
Gender Trauma by Alex Iantaffi
AASECT Book Award for General Audience (audience focus)
Whole Body Sex by Melissa Walker
AASECT Audiovisual Award
A Sexplanation
Alex Liu, director/co-writer
Leonardo Neri, co-writer, co-producer
Steven Flynn, producer
AASECT Live Web Series Award (YouTube, Instagram, etc.)
Akinyi Emily Ochieng
AASECT Podcast Award
Safeword Podcast
Kamil Lewis, co-host
Casey Tanner, co-host
E.T. Townsend, producer
AASECT Award for Integrative Approaches to Sex Therapy
Dr. Estefania Simich Munoz
AASECT Award for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Juan Camarena
AASECT Award for Emergent Professional (“Rising Star Award”)
Casey Tanner
Service to AASECT Award
Neil “Nelly” Cannon
Humanitarian Award
Dr. Alex Iantaffi
AASECT Sexuality Educator Award
Marla Renee Stewart