TES Members who have put in to run for Arbiter:
Spike
TES Members who have put in to run for Parliamentarian:
TES Members who have put in to run for the Board of Directors:
Ann Just Ann
Odile
Astro
Vir Cotto
Ramon
CANDIDATE STATEMENTS
For Arbiter:
My name is Richard, my scene name and FetLife id. is Spike. I am running for my fourth term as TES Arbiter. I have found the past three terms as Arbiter to be very rewarding and believe that I am well qualified for the position. Professionally, I am an attorney with my own practice concentrating in commercial disputes and insurance law. I also have experience in the areas of civil rights and intellectual property law.
In the kink community, I am an emeritus board member of Long Island Leather ‘n Roses (LILNR), where I am involved in programming guest presenters for club meetings. I am also a facilitator of Long Island Rope Revival (LIRR). I have presented classes for TES, Dom/sub Friends, LILNR and LIRR, Bound in Boston 2017, and TES Fest 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017.
Outside of the kink world, I served as president of a local 300+ member ski club for three years and had been on the board of that organization for more than ten years. I was also the treasurer of a 25-club ski council for three years.
In addition to my professional experience and the positions I have held in the organization and operations of not for profit corporations, I possess skills in investigating disputes and crafting ways to solve them. Perhaps even more significant, is that I am willing and capable of making the sometimes-difficult decisions that have to be made.
I view the Arbiter’s position as one who seeks to preserve the integrity of TES as an organization. I look forward to again serving as the TES Arbiter and assisting in the continued growth and success of this great organization.
Spike
For Board of Directors:
Hi I’m Ann and I’d like to represent your interests on the TES Board of Directors!
I have been serving as an Interim Board member since April of this year ( and absolutely loving it) and I have been volunteering for TES for almost two years now, mostly with the Operations and Socials Committees.
I was also staff for this past year’s TES Fest.
I have additional experience in dealing with formal Board proceedings having served on the Board of Directors of my Temple’s Sisterhood as a Vice President and as President. In addition I have held leadership positions in my Bowling League as it’s Secretary/Treasurer and on my daughter’s PTA. As I have been a member of TES for two years, I meet the membership qualifications necessary to apply for this position.
If anyone has any further questions for me please reach out to me at ann@tes.org.
Thanks!
Anne / mamaaine
For Board of Directors:
Hello TES!
Since stepping up to fill a board vacancy in March, I’ve accomplished everything I set out to do: the same things I was doing before, but with greater speed, efficiency, and just more of them.
My passion is outreach to marginalized communities, both generally and within the kink community. As a fetish worker, I noticed a deep divide between the professional and lifestyle communities and, together with Meatcandy, sought to foster a fetish professional presence in TES. That group has been running strong for a year, and we are working on collaborations with SOAR, SWOP, GLITS, & NYTAG, and I highly recommend everyone look them up. Outside of the Fetish Workers Group, I have also collaborated in forming or strengthening relationships with NYC-PAH, The Eagle, LSM, and CV.
I also took on the leadership of Promotions. Our reach has since extended to many new and exciting platforms, bringing in members who previously only attended parties, as well as those who only solicited professional services without participating in the lifestyle community. As a result, we’re having open conversations about purchasing fetish services, exploring reasons why people hesitate to come to classes, and reaching people who don’t think they can be part of a community that embraces this aspect of our lives.
There’s still more to do, and every single day I find new ideas to add to the list of groups to reach out to and ways we can make ourselves more accessible. Being on the board is not the thing that makes me want to do these things, but it streamlines and expedites the process. If you like what I’m doing and/or want to give me more to work on, I ask that you put me back on the board so I can keep charging ahead.
Thank you all for helping to create this amazing community!
~Odile
For Board of Directors:
For four years, I’ve volunteered for TES at classes, parties, socials, and TesFest and have been happy because I didnt have a goal or a reason to run for the board.I didn’t have anything new to contribute as a board member verses just volunteering. When we lost our last venue due to outside forces-I found some thing unique I’d like to accomplish for TES.
I would like to help TES find, support and maintain its own “Home Base”. I have been brain storming how to make that happen. I already have creative team in mind and/or in place to help me accomplish this. I am working with the existing board to understand what we can sustain that also fulfill our operating needs. A venue in NYC is complex and we need someone focusing on making this a success. I would like to make this happen to simplify all the aches that operations is facing with planning classes and parties.
Astro
For Board of Directors:
My name is Vir. I’m running for the TES Board of Directors.
I joined the BDSM community in 2015, with TES being my first exposure to that community. The experience has been life changing, and life affirming in a way that nothing else has been. In TES, I’ve found wisdom, kindness, experience, acceptance, and love. Because of TES, I’ve had experiences that I could only have dreamed about and experienced things that I could never have imagined possible. Because of TES, I’m a happier, healthier person and I don’t exaggerate at all when I say that I love TES and am proud to be a part of it.
In my time as part of the organization, I’ve volunteered in a number of ways. I’ve been part of the TES IT committee, I’ve been a DM at two TES Fests, as well as at a number of TES parties. I’ve represented TES at events, notably Fulsom Street East and recently at SizeCon. I’ve also had the opportunity to present here at TES, which I found to be very rewarding. In December, I was awarded Volunteer of the Month, and I am very proud of it.
In my time at TES, I have seen the organization weather some pretty intense storms and come out the other side. I’ve seen how the TES community comes together in times of crisis and stands strong. I am so proud to be a member of this community and would love to help shape its future, including and especially in the areas of improving our membership and volunteer experiences.
Improving our member experience.
I’ve spoken with members and they’ve had difficulty accessing TES resources, including finding the right person to contact, getting on our mailing lists and learning about events. I have concrete plans to improve that which include more sophisticated tools to help aid membership engagement and facilitate member/organization communication, make it easier for members to learn about events they might want to attend, and make it easier for them to attend those events.
Addressing volunteer attrition
Our organization exists solely based on its volunteers. Because of that, we need to make sure that our volunteers are engaged and fulfilled. TES struggles to keep its volunteers, and while I am grateful for the amazing volunteers we have and continue to bring in, as an organization we need to figure out why our volunteers leave and what we can do to keep them involved and engaged. To this end, I would like to bring in some additional resources to the various volunteer committees as well as improved tools to help us learn from out volunteers what they need from us as an organization. Improving our volunteer experience will mean less stress for any individual volunteer, and better continuity of our organization’s culture over time.
I hope that the TES membership allows me to give back and serve the organization that has given me so much and changed my life in immeasurable ways.
Vir
For Board of Directors:
Like me, you believe in TES and what it stands for and, like me, you believe in what it can be. Almost 7 years ago, I first ran for the Board because I saw the need for change. Since then, I have worked to make TES more efficient, productive and relevant for the community. Over the last few years, as a TES Board Member I have:
Held various senior rolls and most recently chaired the last two TES Fest, which that have been the most successful in recent history.
Been the Membership Director, and revitalized the program with new membership cards, welcome kits, and incentives. Membership has increased 65% since I first took the position.
Built custom metal equipment for TES and TES Fest, and established an effective Equipment Crew granting TES independence and potential to do additional events.
Acted as co-facilitator of the Dominant Men and submissive women’s Group.
And much, much more!
I am happy with the progress that has been made, however there is still much to be done. I am running again for the TES Board to bring my considerable experience to continuing to move the organization forward.
Vote for me, RAMON, and help me continue working to assist TES in better serving you and the BDSM community
Ramon