LOS ANGELES — Grooby Productions is touting a pair of 2019 XBIZ Exec Awards — Online Industry nominations for Kristel Penn.
Penn serves as Grooby’s Marketing & Editorial Director; she earned a nod as Community Figure of the Year and a WIA Woman of the Year citation.
“It’s an honor not only to be nominated for an XBIZ Exec Award, but to be nominated in two categories that hold such personal significance to me,” Penn said. “In both categories, my name is listed amongst people who are doing such important work in our industry and who I’ve long admired since I started my career over ten years ago. Win or lose, I am incredibly grateful to be recognized for my work and to share this nomination with so many titans of our industry.”
In addition to her work for Grooby, Penn is the Managing Editor of Transformation Magazine, the long-running transgender lifestyle publication, and Event Producer for the annual Transgender Erotica Awards in Los Angeles.
Earlier this year, Penn “co-presented an educational workshop at CatalystCon to discuss how to destigmatize porn and its consumption, with a focus on detangling shame and sexuality through self-reflection and open dialogue,” a rep said.
“Most recently, she enrolled in an MA in Counseling program with the long-term goal of helping create safe and competent mental health services to those in the adult industry.”
Mental health awareness is a key component of Penn’s advocacy on “a personal and professional level,” she said. “I want to use my life experiences, which includes both my privilege and marginalization, to help destigmatize the adult industry and help provide competent mental health resources for our community. I understand the great responsibility of having a goal like this, which is why I chose to enroll in a counseling program this year. I wanted to ensure that anything I’d potentially implement would be competent, safe and sustainable.”
Follow Penn on Twitter here.
The online industry edition of the 2019 XBIZ Exec Awards will be presented at an exclusive awards ceremony set for Tuesday, Jan. 15, during the XBIZ 2019 tradeshow, taking place Jan 14-18, at the Andaz hotel in West Hollywood, Calif.
Voting is underway on XBIZ.net, and will run through midnight on Tuesday, Nov. 19.
Click here for a complete list of nominees.
