Our Team
Oronde Cruger, Executive Director
Oronde worked as a Speak About It educator for years before being promoted to Program Coordinator, then Program Manager. Oronde graduated with a degree in neuroscience from Bowdoin College where he studied learning and memory along with hormones and behavior. His background mixed with his deep love for facilitating difficult discussions has served him well working with young folks trying to better understand the complexities of intimacy. His experiences helped to inform his 2018 TEDx talk about redefining masculinity and the importance of vulnerability in the process.
He has found a home in Portland, Maine and is the proud co-founder of Heart of Hospitality, a coalition of violence prevention groups and service industry professionals dedicated to improving the safety of venues across the state.
Olivia Harris, Director of Strategic Partnerships
Olivia (she/they) uses interactive theatrical tools to create conversations about consent, boundaries, and healthy relationships all across the world. She has worked as a theatre educator and program manager with the Harlem Children's Zone, Drew University, Bond Street Theatre, and the Philadelphia Theatre Company. While at Drew, Olivia co-designed curriculum that trained students to use applied theater techniques to combat sexual violence on their campus. Students under their mentorship at the Philadelphia Theatre Company led healthy relationship workshops throughout the city. She's been working at Speak About It since 2018, first as Executive Director and now as Director of Strategic Partnerships.
Olivia has a Masters in Applied Theatre from CUNY and Masters in Public Health from the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. The experiences were very different, but they relish the opportunity to make creative connections across disciplines.
Originally from Boston and Atlanta, Olivia now lives in West Philadelphia. Ask them what they're reading (if you want a brief lecture). You can learn more about Olivia's work at www.oliviaharris.com.
Mackenzie Bartlett, Marketing & Development Manager
Mackenzie is a Portland based filmmaker, community arts organizer and probably also 3 eels in a trench coat. Her award winning short films have been screened internationally, and often pull from social themes regarding bodily autonomy and systemic oppression.
She comes to Speak About It after 5 years leading The Art Department, a local arts non-profit and collaborative studio for adults with disabilities. While there, she deepened her passion for meaningful community relationships, and facilitating environments that are equitable and accessible for all.
In the fall, you can find her wearing her Program Director hat for Damnationland, an annual showcase of Maine-made short films, which strives to uplift and represent Portland’s weird and thriving art scene.
When not in the office, you can find her hanging out with her cat Norma, bent over a sewing machine, or re-watching something scary on VHS.
Leo Mock, Director
Leo Mock is a theatre-maker, sex and consent educator, and emerging intimacy choreographer training with Theatrical Intimacy Education. They have worked with with Speak About It since 2018, as an educator, actor, manager, and director. Leo is completing their BFA in Socially Engaged Arts from Goddard College, with a concentration in Decolonial Sexuality Studies. They have too many plants and will probably show you pictures of their cat.
Educators
ABBY WEISSMAN
Hello friends of Speak About It! It’s Abby’s second tour with SAI, and she could not be more excited - which for an Enneagram Type 7 like her is really saying something. Abby is a director, teaching artist, arts administrator (and more!) based in Philadelphia, PA. Most recently, she has spent her time guiding a group of Kindergarteners through Zoom school, learning how to choreograph theatrical intimacy and build consent-based arts spaces, and reading all of her friend’s birth charts. She is a proud company member of Revolution Shakespeare, and an alumnus of Northwestern University and the Arden Professional Apprentice Program. Love to the BLGS.
CHRISTOPHER ROBIN
Christopher Robin Wamsley is a queer writer and theatre maker based in Philadelphia PA. He graduated from Bennington College with a BA in Liberal Arts with a drama concentration. In the past their work has included self driven and collaborative theatre that digs at the heart of our human relationship with each other, which has led to her time at Speak About It. Christopher Robin is stoked to be returning to educate other young people through the excitement of theatre. When he’s not engaging in art that centers the joy and complexity of interpersonal relationships, Christopher Robin can be found working on a boat in the Delaware River.
CONALL SAHLER
Connall (he/him/his) is an actor, fight and intimacy director based in Boston, MA. Graduated with a BFA in Acting from Emerson College. Emerson College credits: Little Women (John Brooks) The Secret in the Wings (Actor #7), Old Jake’s Skirts (E.B. Sweeney, Good Samaritan), RAGE (Conflagration Ensemble, covering Leveler and Ballzindorf) , This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing (Male Understudy. Newfest Shortworks: The Rock (Robert), Where the Fireworks Come From (Gabe), Vampire Therapy (Doctor), RareWorks;The Sympathy Play (Marcus), Gold (Assistant Director, Male Understudy).
CLARA MEAD
Clara is currently a student at Oberlin College. She is a Consent Educator through Oberlin's Title IX Office, as well as a committee member of the Oberlin Experimental College program. Prior to joining the Speak About It team, she worked with various arts organizations, including Maverick Concerts and the Woodstock Film Festival. She is thrilled about this experience and can't wait to speak about it at schools all over the country!
EMMA MUELLER
Emma Mueller (she/her) is a queer actress, writer, and teaching artist based in NYC. Emma holds a BFA in Drama from NYU Tisch with a minor in Applied Theatre. Recent theater credits include ‘The Alice’ and ‘Comeback Cabaret’ at Don’t Tell Mama in NYC; film credits include ‘No Joke’, a limited series streaming on Amazon Prime and several wonderful short films. As an educator, Emma teaches with NYC Children’s Theater, and was featured on PBS as part of the “Let’s Learn!” program. She is over the moon to be joining Speak About It as an Actor-Educator and is ready to speak about it a whole lot! www.emmarosemueller.com.
HARSH J. GAGOOMAL
Harsh J. Gagoomal (he/him/his) is a joyful human who resides in Chicago, Illinois. He loves speaking about healthy relationships, cultural identity, and social justice. Please feel free to learn more about him at www.hiimharsh.com.
JAY CONNOLLY
Jay Connolly is a stage and film actor, director, and producer based out of Salem, Mass. He is a professor of Theatre at Endicott College. Jay has been working as a violence director and stuntman, and stunt coordinator for stage, film, and educational workshops throughout Massachusetts. Jay is returning to Speak About It for the third time and could not be happier spreading such an important message!
LEAH DEL ROSARIO
Leah Del Rosario is a Filipina-American actor, born and raised in Southern California. She recently graduated from Boston University’s School of Theatre and is currently based on the east coast. Her recent theatre credits include Eli in Let the Right One In (Actor’s Shakespeare Project), Dead Air (SheNYC Theatre Festival), Orlando (BU), and Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again. (BU). She has also been in short films Ash Wednesday, Through the Winter, and Everything’s Fine. In high school she was involved with peer educator group Change the Talk (now SafeBAE) a student-led national organization working to prevent sexual violence among teens. She is very excited to continue this important work with Speak About It. Leah believes in wonder, embracing fear, keeping her plants alive, and 90% dark chocolate.
Follow her journey at: www.leahdelrosarioactor.com, ig: @leahdelrosaario
PATRICIA YEAZELL
Patricia Yeazell (She/Her) is a NYC based Actor and Comedian. Patricia graduated from the University of Tampa as a double major in Theater and Communication. Patricia has experience working as an actor educator at Bond as well as LiquidGoldConcept. You may have seen her performing stand-up with DBJComedy and Not So PC Comedy.
PROPHETT
Prophett (they/he) is so excited to be joining SAI for their first year! They are a Maine based theatre artist with a passion for education and theatre for young audiences. Proph is an actor, theatre technician, poet, painter, drawer, and singer/songwriter. In their personal life they have a passion for community organizing and advocacy. Prophett has a particular passion for speaking out about their experiences as a disabled, trans, queer person who was born in raised in Maine, and has survived chronic homelessness. Proph’s favorite thing about working with SAI is the opportunity to tell stories they relate to, and help others feel less alone. The biggest thing they hope people take away from any interactions with Speak About It is that each person’s voice is not only appreciated but necessary to their community, and that their boundaries matter. @ProphettWith2Ts
STEPHEN SPENCER
Stephen Spencer is a Boston-based actor and educator artist with a degree in interrelated media from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. With extensive experience in improv, performance art, and movement, Stephen brings a unique blend of creativity to his work. As a cast member of Speak About It, he brings culminated skills that he has used at various positions at other youth-centric non-profits.
VALERIE PINILLA
Valerie (she/her) has a Masters in Social Work and is based in NYC and New Jersey. She has previously worked with Speak About It in 2015 & 2016 and is honored to be back. Valerie had a passion for sex education and is thrilled to be educating young people through her love of acting.
Board of Directors
Donna Ekart
PRESIDENT
Events Committee Chair
Donna is a librarian by profession and by nature. She's a Midwest transplant from Kansas who loves the beauty of Maine while stubbornly maintaining that the prairie is "just as pretty as the ocean". She loves her wife, her two dogs, kayaking, lifting heavy weights, growing too much food in her backyard gardens, ill-conceived home improvement projects, and local breweries. Speak About It hits a happy intersection in her life of love of theatre, education, and good works.
Caitlyn Jones
Vice President
Hailing from MA, Caitlyn earned her BFA in Theatre Performance from Salem State University before moving to NYC. As a former Speak About It Educator (2016 season, occasional shows 2017-2020), she is eager to continue to serve SAI and bring her own experiences to the Board! Caitlyn is currently a Community Lead at Skip the Small Talk, where she facilitates events that encourage strangers to have meaningful conversations. In her day-to-day as a Workplace manager at an adtech company, she strives to help people feel connected to each other and comfortable going to work. All in all, Caitlyn simply wants the people around her to feel supported, heard, and happy – in and out of bed!
DANNY CHIN
SECRETARY
Development Committee Chair
Danny Chin first moved to Maine to attend Bowdoin College. After a few years in his home state of Massachusetts, he is excited to be back in Maine. Danny currently serves as Department Chair and French teacher at North Yarmouth Academy, where he also runs the school’s Gender Sexuality Alliance and CivilTea dialogue group. As a teacher and diversity, equity, and inclusion practitioner, Danny holds a Master’s in International Higher Education and Intercultural Relations from Lesley University and believes in the power of education to explore new perspectives and reflect on one’s own identity. He is excited to further advance the mission and educational values of Speak About It.
Ariel Linet
TREASURER
Finance Committee Chair
Ariel grew up in Massachusetts, and after stints in Arizona, Virginia, and New York, is so happy to be settled in Maine as of 2016. She has a BA from Brandeis University and a law degree from the University of Virginia. Before moving to Maine, she worked at a holistic public defense practice, the Bronx Defenders, where she represented clients in housing court and other civil matters. Now she is part of the children’s advocacy team at Disability Rights Maine, working with young people up to age 21 to protect their rights and make their voices heard. Ariel was lucky to participate in the Maine Association of Nonprofits’ Emerging Leaders program in the fall/winter of 2019, which is how she was matched with Speak About It. She is so excited to be a part of SAI’s efforts to educate about consent and healthy sexuality.
Shay Wilcox
Shay is a born-and-raised Mainer, currently pursuing a Masters in Special Education and Disability Studies and works for Best Buddies Maine, a non-profit that promotes inclusion for people with disabilities across the state. When they are not speaking about consent education, you can find them at Rwanda Bean drinking too much coffee, randomly hosting trivia one-offs, hiking with his partner and their dog Van Halen, or spending time with friends.
Shay is so excited to be joining the Board to expand Speak About It’s reach in Maine’s community because everyone deserves consent education.
Kendra Gaarder
Kendra is a freelance school-based health and sexuality educator who lives in Portland, Maine. She is also a nurse, and her years of being an RN in a variety of settings including emergency departments, summer camps, outdoor education and schools have given her a unique perspective as an educator. She is passionate about bringing themes of consent and communication to the daily discourse! In her free time, Kendra enjoys biking to beaches, local historical research and Zumba.
Tori Bolding
Stacy Kelly
Stacy is originally from Illinois, but in 1999, she moved to Maine to reinvent herself and live "life the way it should be." Tucked into the Midcoast region, she found a great career, bought a home, met her spouse, and created a family. She is an active volunteer for local LGBTQ+ organizations, and she has been a frequent guest speaker at global conferences focused on DEI workplace engagement. She’s passionate about expanding people’s ability to connect, learn from one other, and appreciate their common humanity.
She holds a BA in Liberal Arts from the University of Maine and a Masters in Education - Human Resource Development - Education Policy, Organization, and Leadership from the University of Illinois. Professionally, she’s a Senior Project Manager for a large financial firm, working on high-tech, transformational projects, and she’s also worked extensively to create and deliver global, LGBTQ+ focused DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) training in corporate settings.
In her personal life, she loves to riff on recipes, color outside the lines, read, listen to music, volunteer for local school activities with her son, and is also a rabid, Premier League soccer fanatic.
She’s excited to join the board of an organization doing essential work around healthy relationships and consent.
Marti McCaleb
Committee Members
Conrad Pinnock
Governance Committee
Renzo Barrientos
Governance Commiteee
FOUNDING ALUMNI
Shane Diamond, Founder
Shane founded Speak About It after graduating from Bowdoin College in 2010. He was the founding Executive Director until 2018. He spent his time at Bowdoin playing ice hockey and talking about sex. Under his leadership, Speak About It grew from a small and great idea into a national non-profit, performing for hundreds of thousands of students at high schools and universities across the country and world.
Shane lives in Portland, Maine and can be found drinking fancy coffee, modeling bowties, hanging with his pup Harvey, and writing bad jokes.
David Surkin, Creative Director
David is proud to have been collaborating with Speak About It since 2010, part of a sexual education career spanning over 25 years. A graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, David earned his Actors Equity card in 2005.