Tanya Bass

Dr. Tanya M. Bass is the Founder of the North Carolina Sexual Health Conference and President/CEO of Optics to Action, a newly established organization specializing in professional development for human service professionals. She also serves as the lead instructor for Human Sexuality at her alma mater and Historically Black College/University (HBCU), North Carolina Central University, in the Department of Public Health Education. Her commitment to educating the next generation of sexuality and public health educators is evident in her work as an adjunct instructor for several years. Dr. Bass completed her doctoral studies at Widener University and holds certifications as a Certified Sexuality Educator (CSE) with the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT), as well as a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES®) through the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing. She has received several prestigious awards, including AASECT's Sexuality Educator of the Year (2020), the Distinguished Sexual and Gender Health Revolutionary award from the University of Minnesota Medical School's Program in Human Sexuality (2021), the Konstance McCafferee Community Service Leadership Award in Sexuality (2018), and the William R. Stayton Award for Applied Leadership in Human Sexuality (2021) from Widener's Center for Human Sexuality Studies. Tanya is an active member of professional organizations such as AASECT, NC Society for Public Health Educators, Women of Color Sexual Health Network, and the Association of Black Sexologists and Clinicians. She also serves as Vice President of Membership of AASECT and is a member of the editorial board for the American Journal of Sexuality Education.