ABOUT

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Kristel Penn received her Bachelor of Arts from George Washington University and holds a Marketing Certificate from Santa Monica College. She graduated from Southern California University with her MA in Psychology in 2023 and is now an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT) at SadButRadTherapy.com.

Penn is the Creative and Editorial Director at Grooby, the leading producer of trans erotica. With nearly ten years of experience, she has worked diligently as an advocate within her industry to promote visibility and empowerment through sex-positivity.

In 2018, Penn enrolled at Southern California University in their MA in Clinical Psychology program. She hopes to create more competent, sex-worker affirming mental health resources for the adult industry in the near future.

Her workshop on destigmatizing the adult industry and porn consumption, co-presented with LMFT Traci Medeiros, was presented at the Contemporary Relationships Conference, Woodhull Sexual Freedom Summit, and as part of Kink.com's educational track. 

Penn also does an educational workshop to help sex workers find competent and affirming mental health care. It has been presented two years in a row as part of YNOT Cam’s Community event and as part of Clips-4-Sale’s educational series.

As part of her responsibilities at Grooby, Penn serves as the Executive Producer of the Transgender Erotica Awards. The popular event celebrates the accomplishments of the trans adult community. Held in Los Angeles, the TEAs have been expanded to include three days of events: a pre-party, fan convention, and awards ceremony. She handles securing sponsors, marketing, brand visibility management, and runs all three events. Visit TheTEAShow.com for more information.

In 2016, along with fellow board members Buck Angel and Steven Grooby, she helped create the non-profit organization TAIF (Trans Adult Industry Foundation). TAIF provides life-affirming support services and resources to trans people, with a specific focus on the needs of performers in the adult industry.

Penn is the 2017 XBIZ Industry Exec Award for Brand Ambassador of the Year for her work at Grooby. The company also won numerous awards at both XBIZ and AVN in 2017, including Trans Studio of the Year (XBIZ) and Trans Release of the Year for Real Fucking Girls (XBIZ,  AVN, and the TEAs). The marketing campaign she spearheaded for Real Fucking Girls was also nominated at AVN this past year. In 2018, she was nominated for the XBIZ Industry Exec Award for Marketing Executive of the Year. In 2019, Penn was nominated for XBIZ Industry Exec Award for Community Figure of the Year and WIA Woman of the Year.

Penn received nominations for the 2019 XBIZ Industry Exec Awards for Community Figure of the Year and WIA Woman of the Year. Grooby also received multiple XBIZ, AVN, and TEA nominations.

In 2020, Penn received a nomination for XBIZ Industry Exec’s Community Figure of the Year Award. She also launched her passion project, Sad But Rad Club, to change the narrative of mental health.

Most recently, Penn was awarded the 2021 XBIZ Industry Exec Award for “Community Figure of the Year.”

She is a published author whose essay is included in Dan Savage's best-selling book, It Gets Better: Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying, and Creating a Life Worth Living. She is also featured in Dave Naz's book, Genderqueer and Other Gender Identities, and appears in Naz's upcoming book, Identity: In & Beyond the Binary. 

For a full listing of speaking engagements, awards, and publications, head on over to the Portfolio page.

 
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