LOS ANGELES, CA - Grooby’s Marketing and Editorial Director Kristel Penn snagged two coveted XBIZ Industry Exec Award nominations this week.
“It’s an honor not only be nominated for an XBIZ Industry Exec Award, but to be nominated in two categories that hold such personal significance to me,” said Kristel Penn. “In both categories, my name is listed amongst people who are doing such important work in our industry and who I’ve long admired since I started my career over ten years ago. Win or lose, I am incredibly grateful to be recognized for my work and to share this nomination with so many titans of our industry.”
Penn is currently nominated for Community Figure of the Year and WIA Woman of the Year. Winners will be announced at the upcoming 2019 XBIZ LA Show at the Andaz Hotel.
In 2018, Penn served as the Managing Editor of Transformation Magazine, America’s longest running transgender lifestyle magazine. As Grooby’s Marketing and Editorial Director, she is also the Event Producer of the annual Transgender Erotica Awards in Los Angeles, CA. Earlier this year Grooby created a free bi-monthly digital magazine, Grooby Girls, to provide business resources, community news, and more to the trans adult industry.
In addition to Penn’s work with Grooby, earlier this year she co-presented an educational workshop at Catalyst Con to discuss how to destigmatize porn and its consumption, with a focus on detangling shame and sexuality through self-reflection and open dialogue. Most recently, she enrolled in an MA in Counseling program with the long-term goal of helping create safe and competent mental health services to those in the adult industry.
“Mental health awareness is a topic that has long been part of my advocacy work on a personal and professional level,” Penn added. “I want to use my life experiences, which includes both my privilege and marginalization, to help destigmatize the adult industry and help provide competent mental health resources for our community. I understand the great responsibility of having a goal like this, which is why I chose to enroll in a counseling program this year. I wanted to ensure that anything I’d potentially implement would be competent, safe, and sustainable.”
In 2017, Penn won the XBIZ Industry Exec Award for Brand Ambassador of the Year. In 2018, she was nominated for Marketing Executive of the Year. To learn more about her, visit IkigaiMarketing.com and Grooby.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Kristel_Penn.
