2018 TES Elections: Candidates & Candidate Statements

TES Members who have put in to run for Arbiter:

Spike

TES Members who have put in to run for Parliamentarian:

Dov

TES Members who have put in to run for the Board of Directors:

Infinity-Rising
Jaden
Jinx
Rein
Steph
Zero

CANDIDATE STATEMENTS

For Arbiter:

Spike: My name is Richard, my scene name and FetLife id. is Spike. I am running for my fifth term as TES Arbiter. I have found the past four 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. In the past year I have been instrumental in the merger of LILNR with Long Island Consensual Kink (LICK) which has helped to foster a stronger and more united kink community on Long Island. I have presented classes for TES, Dom/sub Friends, LILNR and LIRR, Bound in Boston 2017and 2018, and TES Fest 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.
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 sometimes must 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.

 

For Parliamentarian:

Dov: I’ve been a member of TES since 1993 and I’ve held many positions of prominence at TES including becoming an emeritus board member. This year I am Running for the Parliamentarian position for TES.
The parliamentarian for TES has over the years been misunderstood by many members as to what the position is about as well as by many who have held the position for TES.
My experience on the TES board and my work for other organizations informs me that the best parliamentarians aren’t the ones who wave Roberts like a cudgel but who use it to keep the board focused on the issues at hand and to make sure the board understands the needs and of the votes put on the table.
It’s about making sure that the board is functional so that TES has a space to teach and that the people volunteering for TES have the needed resources to get the job done.
I hope that you will give me another chance to expand on the work I have already done for TES over the years.
Respectfully Dov

 

For Board of Directors:

Infinity-Rising: Infinity Rising is a gender fluid switch who has been in and out of the public scene in the NYC area for over 10 years. Infinity has been a TES member for over 2 years and has volunteered in a variety of capacities for Bothell TES and TES FEST. They currently serve as the Vic Chair of both the Socials and Founder Care committees. They were also the Vic Chair of Vending for TES FEST 2018. They also teach and moderate BDSM discussions for a variety of groups in the North East region. Infinity also brings with them over 10 years’ experience from the corporate world of sales/marketing in the biotechnology sector.

 

For Board of Directors:

Jaden: Hello All, My name is Jaden, and I have been an interim member on the TES Board for the last six months. During that time, I have become a Co-director of Membership, and Director of Programming. My personal goal is to help move this organization forward, and break some of the stigmas and mistakes that still haunt the concept of the TES Board.
I have been in the scene about six years now, and I have been volunteering with TES for five. Over that time, this organization has very much become a home for me, and it is a home that I intend improve in any way I can.
As a member of the current board, I have been focusing on smoothing things over, both internally and externally. Between politics and current cultures, emotions are running high. I have been striving to mitigate some of the unnecessary stresses that plague our community.
As Director of Programming, I have been working towards improving the quality and diversity of our weekly class topics and presenters. I intend to continue to further this goal. It is important to remember that this is a community, and that we all need to do our share to make sure that it can thrive.
I hope you care as much about fostering this community as I do. and regardless of the outcome of this election, I look forward to continuing to make this community the best that it can be. – Jaden Jordan

 

For Board of Directors:

Jinx: I have been a TES member since 2011, and a TES Board member since 2015. I am putting my name forward in this election because I want to continue building TES as a resource for kink education and social interaction.
Over the years, I have had the opportunity to volunteer in a variety of capacities for various committees — Communications, IT, Membership, Operations, Programming, Promotions, Socials, and TES Fest — and have a good understanding of the inner workings of the organization. I understand what we need to work on (strategic planning, volunteer growth and retention, rental space and stability, etc.) and would like to continue to help with these efforts in order to build a better foundation for the long-term goal of a permanent home for TES and its legacy.
TES is my home in the kinky community, and I want to continue to help it grow and thrive. Please vote as an active and engaged member of TES, and vote for me — Jinx!

 

For Board of Directors:

Rein: I’ve been coming to TES for six years now. I owe a lot to this organization, and I’m continually doing what can to give back. I’ve been involved in Community outreach projects, like our volunteer swaps with other organizations. I marched with TES at Pride. I’ve had the honor of serving as the Vice-Chair of Safety at TESFest for the last two years, and was a DM for four years before that.
I have also served as the Head DM for a number of other events and organizations. I’m looking into options TES might have for more permanent class space (though I’ll do that whether or not I’m elected).
I’m invested in taking a serious look at our policy for how we handle incidents, such as consent violations. I think we need to re-evaluate how we handle these issues, and have a consistent, transparent policy moving forward, I’m invested in working on developing that policy, as well as any dedicated committee necessary to implement it.
TES is not only a pillar of the community, but a gateway to the scene at large for newcomers. I would be honored, and I look forward, to continuing to serve and protect that legacy.
Thank you for your time.

 

For Board of Directors:

Rouge: I am running for the TES Board of Directors. I was appointed as an interim BOD in December 2017 and currently serving on the board. I am the current treasurer and membership director. I was also recently nominated as the chair of TES Fest 2019.
I have been in the kink scene for over 10 years and a TES member for over 5 years. I love giving back to the community. In addition, I run a group in Westchester/Rockland, NY.

 

For Board of Directors:

Steph (EvilGamerX): My name is Steph or EvilGamerX, I am interested in hypnosis, bondage, masochism, knives, etc etc. I’ve been on multiple boards of different university clubs, one of which held one of the largest recurring events on campus and the other which held a convention on campus. My main goal for TES is to work if the IT volunteers to help streamline and improve TES’s online presences and TES’s online tools.

 

For Board of Directors:

Zero: Over the last two years I’ve had the honor of serving you on the TES Board of Directors. TES has given me so much, and as it approaches it’s 50th year, I wish to ensure that TES remains vital and relevant. In my first term I worked with the Board and many amazing volunteers to help achieve that goal. I am extremely proud of our accomplishments:
• Socials
o Resurrected the Socials Committee, bringing back regular parties o Brought in exclusive party vendors with special deals and prizes o Implemented a door policy that ensures our parties are a safe and welcoming
place to play for members of our community o Made TES parties profitable again
• DMs
o Created online DM training course
▪ Successfully implemented for TES Fest 2018
▪ Lead supplemental live training workshops o Worked toward diversifying our DM pool and leadership o Lead the DM team for TES Fest 2017 and 2018
• Community
o Represented TES at events sponsored by groups such as LSM and The Eagle o Hosted TES excursions such as a West Village shopping crawl and tour of the Gay
Gotham exhibit o Organized community table at Folsom Street East 2018 o Spearheaded TES’ return to the NYC Pride March last year o Lead TES’ efforts in co-sponsoring the 2017 Consent Summit with NCSF
I hope to continue these efforts and more in my second term, and with your vote, help to usher TES toward another fifty years! Thank you.
~Zero