Thank you for joining us at the 2026 Institute. Stay tuned for the 2027 Institute!

Sex Ed Training Institute

The Institute is designed for educators who want to strengthen core teaching skills, build confidence, and receive supportive feedback on their facilitation.

Check out these pictures and participant experiences from the 2026 Sex Ed Training Institute

“It was just what I needed to cure my burnout. I was considering retirement from the field, but now I have a renewed sense of purpose.”

“I left feeling so much more confident in my skills and knowledge as a sex educator, which is huge for me both personally and professionally.”

“Professionally seeing the dedication and passion of others in the field gave me the energy and hope to continue with this work.”

“The facilitators did such an amazing job sharing practical wisdom and modeling skills and approaches. Everything I learned and everyone I met at the institute will stay with me for a long time.”

2026 Institute Overview

What to Teach

Sex Education Content Foundations

Key topics in comprehensive sexuality education
Age-appropriate content decisions
How to evaluate the quality of sexual health information

How to Teach It

Facilitation, Practice & Mentorship

Creating a safe and respectful learning environment
Clear communication and confident speaking
Managing group dynamics and participation
Responding to difficult questions
Turning content into engaging lesson plans and activities
Practicing delivery and receiving structured feedback

Where to Teach

Working Across Schools, Communities, and Organizations

Exploring different teaching settings (schools, community groups, colleges, faith spaces, online platforms, etc.)
Building relationships with administrators, partners, and host organizations
Engaging parents, caregivers, and community members
Advocating for programs and responding to resistance
Practicing your elevator pitch

Making It Accessible for All

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Practice

Exploring representation across a spectrum of identities
Using inclusive and affirming language
Recognizing and addressing bias
Adapting content for different cultures, communities, and lived experiences
Responding thoughtfully to differences in values and beliefs

Leadership Opportunities

Participants may apply for a leadership role within the institute. Those selected will help convene a small learning group, supporting peers as they process new ideas, prepare their teach-back presentations, and practice facilitation skills. This role offers additional opportunities to build mentoring, facilitation, and group leadership experience in a supportive environment. Participants selected for this role will receive a $50 registration discount.

Meet the 2026 Institute Staff

Tanya M. Bass

Tanya Bass, PhD, MS, MEd, CHES®, CSE (she/her/hers) is the founder of the North Carolina Sexual Health Conference (NCSEXCON). She is an award-winning sexuality educator and subject matter expert in sexuality education, reproductive health, and health equity. Tanya is an alumna of North Carolina Central University’s (NCCU) Department of Public Health Education, where she has served as an adjunct instructor for several years. She is the lead instructor for Sexuality Education. She completed her PhD in Education at Widener University in the Center for Human Sexuality Studies. She is a member of the Women of Color Sexual Health Network (WoCSHN), the Association of Black Sexologists and Clinicians (ABSC), and the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT). She is a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) and an AASECT Certified Sexuality Educator (CSE). She is a current member of the editorial board for the American Journal of Sexuality Education.

Oronde Cruger

Oronde Cruger, MPH (he/him/his) is the Executive Director of Speak about It, a consent education and sexual assault prevention non-profit. Oronde graduated with a degree in neuroscience from Bowdoin College where he studied learning and memory along with hormones and behavior. His background mixed with his deep love for facilitating difficult discussions has served him well working with young folks trying to better understand the complexities of intimacy. His experiences helped to inform his 2018 TEDx talk about redefining masculinity and the importance of vulnerability in the process.

He has found a home in Portland, Maine and is the proud co-founder of Heart of Hospitality, a coalition of violence prevention groups and service industry professionals dedicated to improving the safety of venues across the state.

Kelly Jean Gainor

Kelly Jean Gainor, MEd (she/her/hers) is the Training Manager for ETR, focusing on the development and implementation of virtual Training of Educators in a variety of evidence-based interventions. Prior to working at ETR, Kelly has worked at several non-profit organizations delivering evidence-based education directly to youth, training and providing professional development for educators and youth-serving professionals, and writing/designing lesson plans for group of all ages, orientations and identities. Kelly attended Cornell University for her undergraduate work in Communications, then enrolled at Widener University where she received her master’s degree in Human Sexuality Education in 2012. Since then, she has focused primarily on HIV prevention education throughout her professional career. Her favorite topics to teach and train about include body image and LGBTQ+ education. In 2020, Kelly had four lesson plans published in the teaching manual Orientation: Teaching about Identity, Attraction and Behavior.

Bill Taverner

Bill Taverner, MA, CSE (he/him/his) has been a leading voice in sexuality education for nearly 30 years. He is the editor-in-chief of the American Journal of Sexuality Education and the founder and president of the Sex Ed Lecture Series. Previously, he served as the executive director of The Center for Sex Education at Planned Parenthood, where he worked for 27 years. During his tenure, he built the National Sex Ed Conference into the largest gathering in the world dedicated exclusively to sex education, bringing together professionals from across the globe to advance the field.

A prolific writer and editor, Bill has authored or edited more than 85 publications, including books, curricula, journal articles, and other educational resources. His latest editorial project is Representation in Sex Education: Cultivating Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging by Dr. Tanya M. Bass.

Bill’s dedication to advancing comprehensive sexuality education extends beyond publishing—he has twice addressed U.S. congressional briefings to advocate for evidence-based sex education. His impact has been recognized with numerous national awards, including multiple honors from the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT), the social justice award from the Academy for Adolescent Health, and Planned Parenthood’s Golden Apple Award. Most recently, the American Board of Sexology awarded him the title of diplomate, recognizing his expertise and leadership in the field.