Richelle Frabotta

Richelle’s work is inter-disciplinary, prevention focused, and inclusive of and about folx with marginalized identities. She emphasizes that sexuality education should be taught from a medically accurate and research informed, compassionate, person-centered lens with methods that are culturally inclusive, developmentally relevant, grounded in social justice praxis while maintaining standards. As a Certified Sexuality Educator (1996) and Supervisor (2015) by the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT), Richelle teaches a range of topics to various and diverse audiences….and is especially noted for her work with and for I/DD and LGBTQ+ communities. Richelle is steadfast about teaching human sexuality in an ethical, professional manner while incorporating critical pedagogy, and contemporary best practices.

In 2007, Richelle founded Southern Ohio Sexuality Education and Consultation Services, SOSECS LLC, where she contracts with government entities and schools throughout the United States. In 2019, she contracted with the local Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Mental Health Services Board to author curriculum, Visible and Resilient in Community and Self. V&R is determined and intentional about increasing health equity for Montgomery County’s LGBTQ+ youth. Richelle spent 2009 - 2021 as a Lecturer in Family Science & Social Work department and 5 years as the Founder / Coordinator of the Dennis L. Carlson Sexuality Education Studies Center at Miami University, Ohio. She left that role in June 2021 and now serves as the LGBTQ+ Health Initiatives Project Manager at Public Health Dayton Montgomery County. Although serving all ages of Miami Valley residents, she has a particular focus on prevention education for reducing youth suicide. Richelle incorporates healing-centered research into her work and is one of the few people in Ohio certified to perform psychological autopsies. She considers it crucial that those delivering sexuality education not cause harm and remember that teachers are students, too.