Welcome to the SHEC Master Class Workshop Series—a national hub for ongoing professional development in comprehensive sexuality education.
Designed for SHEC Grads, sexuality educators and sexual health professionals across Canada, this series moves beyond the basics. We provide a space to explore emerging research, tackle complex topics, and exchange practical strategies for the classroom and community.
These sessions are built on the foundation of inclusivity, current evidence and best practices, and the belief that quality sex education is a lifelong journey of learning. Whether you are looking to deepen your expertise, refine your facilitation skills, or stay updated on the latest sexual health trends, the SHEC Master Class Series offers the insights and tools you need to support your growth with confidence.
SHEC Master Class 26/27 Schedule
September 23, 2026
Speaker: Chris Billingham
Topic: Beyond the Lesson: Building Sustainable Supports for Comprehensive Sexual Health Education
Description: Providing comprehensive sexual health education is about more than delivering lessons—it requires intentional systems, accessible resources, and collaborative relationships that support educators and meet the diverse needs of all students. This session will share practical strategies for developing inclusive educational resources, building partnerships, and creating sustainable supports that increase educator confidence and improve access to high-quality sexual health education for all students.
Speaker Bio: Chris Billingham (she/they) is a queer, mixed European/Cree-Metis educator, and the IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility) Coordinator for the Chilliwack School District, where they lead district-wide initiatives focused on sexual health education, SOGI-inclusive education, and anti-racism. Chris is also a BCTF facilitator/trainer, sexual health educator with UBC’s SARAVYC project, and a 1st year PhD student in Child, Youth, Family and Community Studies at UVic.
October 14, 2026
Speaker: Dr. Jess Lougheed
Topic: Sex Ed for Every Body: Queering Sexual Health Education Benefits All
Description: I will demonstrate how “queering” sexual health education—challenging cisheteronormative assumptions— can benefit learners of all identities. I’ll present research on the impacts of disparities in access to affirming and inclusive sexual health education. I will also demonstrate methods to queer lesson plans and presentations. By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to apply techniques to build queer-affirming/inclusive lesson plans and delivery styles that benefit all learners.
Speaker Bio: Dr. Jess Lougheed holds a PhD in Developmental Psychology and has academic expertise in topics related to adolescent development, emotions, family dynamics, mental health, and stress. Some of her recent research focuses on disparities in access to affirming and inclusive sexual health education. As a recent SHEC grad (Spring 2026), she is building a sexual health education practice and aims to provide low-barrier access to affirming and inclusive sexual health education.
October 28, 2026
Speaker: Landa Fox
Topic: Adapting Sexual Health Education for Students with Support Needs
Description: Students who are autistic, have intellectual or developmental disabilities, and other support needs are often not provided with sexual health education (SHE) that meets their learning needs. This workshop will show participants how to adapt SHE goals and teaching strategies for K-6 goals (e.g., body safety, body parts), puberty goals (e.g., menstrual care, erections, masturbation), and adolescent goals (e.g., consent, what you want from a relationship, who can be in a dating relationship).
Speaker Bio: Landa Fox (she/her) is a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA), Certified Sexual Health Educator, and Registered Clinical Counsellor. Landa’s work focuses on sexual health, relationship, and safety education for autistic and neurodivergent people. Her work cenHer work centers around creating and modifying sexual health and relationship education to be meaningful, accessible, and inclusive. She also works to create behaviour support plans to address contextually inappropriate sexual behaviour.
November 18, 2026
Speaker: Syd Grischow
Topic: Under The Guise: Examining the Critical Differences Between Crisis Pregnancy Centres and Sexual Health Clinics.
Description: This workshop will focus on how to locate the critical differences between crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) and abortion providing sexual health clinics. It will highlight the material harms CPCs pose to those attempting to access abortion care, and will explain how to avoid these organizations when directing individuals to reproductive services.
By the end of this lecture participants will be able to know the difference between legitimate sexual health clinics and CPCs.
Speaker Bio: Syd Grischow is a graduate student at the University of Victoria. Her work focuses on reproductive justice and abortion access, with particular attention to barriers to contraception and the challenges surrounding reproductive care. She is particularly interested in the structural/institutional conditions that continue to make abortion and contraception difficult to access. In addition, Syd is a licensed paramedic and enjoys examining the intersections between medicine, sociology, and justice.
November 25, 2026
Speaker: deirdre mclaughlin
Topic: Supporting Adult Survivors of Sexual Assault
Description: This presentation examines how helpers can support survivors of sexual assault while navigating the intersections of trauma, justice systems, and community resources. Over 90 minutes, participants will explore survivor‑centred approaches that prioritize safety, informed choice, and nervous‑system stabilization. Emphasis is placed on reducing systemic barriers, avoiding inadvertent coercion, and strengthening survivor agency.
Speaker Bio: deirdre mclaughlin is a clinical counsellor and sexual health educator., trained through both Option for Sexual Health’s SHEC program and the Institute for the Study of Somatic Sex Education. Their work focuses on sexual health, sexual trauma, and how to support sexuality that invites inclusivity, joy, possibility, and justice.
December 2, 2026
Speaker: Dr. Leah Tidey
Topic: From Complex Theory to Playful Practice: Using Sexual Configurations Theory in Sexual Health Education
Description: Sexual Configurations Theory explores the complex web of each person’s sexualities and how they can evolve over time. For example, what intersections of power influence attraction? Using arts-based methods, we unpack the many facets of identity in an intimate and personalized way through sexuality mapping. By the end of the workshop, participants will actively reflect on diverse aspects of their sexuality using the SCT zine and will practice sharing key ideas from the theory into their practice
Speaker Bio: Dr. Leah Tidey (she/her) is a certified sexual health educator that utilizes her theatre training to create engaging workshops and online content for people of all ages. She is a queer, cisgender, white settler woman who grew up on Snuneymuxw territory that is part of the Coast Salish peoples traditional and unceded territories. Leah is a sessional instructor at the University of Victoria and created the course HLTH 352: Promoting Healthy Sexualities, which has now been running for five years.
December 9, 2026
Speaker: Rae Szereszewski
Topic: Intro to Non-Monogamy
Description: Open relationships are becoming increasingly more common in media and everyday life, but what’s the difference between an open relationship, polyamory, CNM, ENM? What do those words even mean? Students will: Identify different relationship models; Differentiate between sexual and romantic relationships; Leave with a greater understanding of how to communicate different relationship needs; Including strategies for discussing ethical non-monogamy in their personal relationships.
Speaker Bio: Rae Szereszewski, CSE, helps adults feel more pleasure and confidence when it comes to navigating sex, interpersonal relationships, and their physical bodies, with realistic sexual health education and support. Drawing on her lived experience as a former latex designer and swingers’ club event coordinator, alongside current pedagogical best practices, Rae offers real-world education on kink, consensual non-monogamy, consent, and pleasure.
January 13, 2027
Speaker: John Woods
Topic: Sexual Health Edu-tainment
Description: This immersive and interactive workshop covers:
- Small group work creating 30 second edu-tainment segments for different sexual health topics
- Advantages, pitfalls, and ethics of sex edu-tainment (eg. trade-offs between visibility and misrepresentation, trade-offs between mass appeal and specificity / nuance
- Whose stories are yours to tell?
- Balancing applause lines with provocations
Speaker Bio: John Woods is a Certified Sexual Health Educator. In 2002 he formed The Wet Spots with Cass King. This musical sex comedy cabaret duo performed at the Vancouver, Victoria, Toronto, and Adelaide Fringe Festivals, as well as Massey Hall, The Sydney Opera House, the London Hippodrome, the Public Theatre of New York City, and at the first queer comedy showcase in South African history. Options’ recognition of the duo’s educational potential led John to take SHEC, and to subsequently found Real Talk – a sexual health education initiative aimed at folks with intellectual disabilities. John‘s recent musical comedy 1-800-S3X-WYZE is set at a sexual health information hotline and features practical sexual health information. It enjoyed a sold-out run at the Vancouver 2025 Fringe Festival and will be re-mounted at the Nest Theatre in May 2027.
January 20, 2027
Speaker: Tess Vanderhaeghe
Topic: Beyond “The Talk”: Supporting Trusted Adults to Open Conversations from the Start
Description: Answering kids’ questions well is one skill but starting the conversation is another, and that’s where trusted adults often lack support. We’ll cover what they want to know, what worries them, and the tools they need to open these conversations with confidence. By the end, participants will be able to support trusted adults to start conversations with their kids, answer their questions, and bring a sex-positive lens home.
Speaker Bio: Tess Vanderhaeghe (she/her) is a certified sexuality educator in Squamish, BC, with a Master’s in Gender Studies. She delivers 150+ workshops a year in French and English to students and families across BC, and trains professionals including teachers, early childhood educators and youth workers. She is the author of 100 petites conversations à avoir avec son enfant (Marabout, 2025), a guide helping parents and trusted adults open conversations about bodies and consent from the earliest years.
February 24, 2027
Speaker: Alysha Somerton
Topic: Event Producing & Community Building for Sex Educators
Description: From your unique idea to reality! In this session, I’ll share what I’ve learned from producing recurring sex education events, including trivia nights, workshops, and collaborative community events. We’ll explore how to design experiences people genuinely want to attend, market events authentically, create welcoming and inclusive spaces, and build communities that continue showing up long after the first event.
Speaker Bio: Hi, I’m Alysha Somerton! I’m a Queer Sexual Health Educator and Sex and Intimacy Coach based in Vancouver, BC. I create inclusive, pleasure-based spaces for learning about sex, relationships, and intimacy, whether that’s in a classroom, a coaching session, or at one of my flirty, fun Sex Ed Trivia Nights. From teaching youth workshops to coaching adults and hosting sex-positive events, my work is all about breaking down shame and helping people reconnect with their bodies and each other.
March 24, 2027
Speaker: Karanpreet Johar
Topic: Endometriosis, Intimacy, and Sexual Wellbeing: A Lived Experience Perspective
Description: This interactive workshop is offered from a lived experience perspective. It invites sexuality educators to consider how endometriosis can shape pain, intimacy, pleasure, relationships, body image, and access to care. Through storytelling and guided reflection, participants will explore how they can make space for varied experiences of bodies, pain, and wellbeing in their own sexual health education practice.
Speaker Bio: Karan Johar is a health equity educator, sexual health and endometriosis advocate for youth, BIPOC communities. She co founded Glow Within Foundation following a 12 year journey to diagnosis and has educated 4,000+ young people on endometriosis, menstrual and sexual health, chronic pain, body image, and bodily autonomy. She teaches equity centered design at SFU and advocates for lived experience in health education, research, and policy.
Stay tuned for future dates coming soon!
Call for Presenters: Share Your Expertise
Do you have a unique perspective, a successful framework, or a specialized topic that could help move the field of sexuality education forward? We want to hear from you.
We are currently accepting proposals from educators and subject-matter experts across Canada to join our Master Class presenters. We are looking for sessions that offer:
- Actionable activities, lesson plans, or facilitation techniques.
- Content grounded in current research and best practices.
- Topics that address the evolving needs of youth, adults and diverse populations.
Why present with us?
- Share your work with a dedicated community of professionals from across the country.
- Build your profile as a thought leader in the field of sexual health education.
- Contribute to the collective growth of educators who are making a real difference in their communities.
Please fill out the Proposal Form below.
Please send any other inquires to Saira in our Education Department at shansen@optbc.org.