Our Educators
%20(1).png)
Our Educators
We believe in the power of collaboration and the benefit of sharing a common mission. Our mission at NWIOI is Educate various clinicians and other educators on how to share the value of diverse expressions of healthy sexuality by providing world-class courses, supervision, and tools. Furthermore, to provide the public with access to impactful resources on healthy sexuality.
​
The educators below are passionate about sexual health, human sexual rights, and are leaders in the field of sexology. NWIOI is fortunate to have such a dedicated team to focus on education and training.
Neil Sampson, MA, LMFT, CST
Co-Founder • Educator • Supervisor
Neil is a person-centered Marriage and Family Therapist, known for his dedication to education, tenured professional experience, and commitment to community involvement. He graduated from Hope International University with his Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy in 2010.
​
Neil's undergraduate education was in Theatre with an emphasis in Technical Theatre Production from the University of California, Riverside. His early academic career instilled a passion for the arts and an overall love for all things created in passion.
​
As a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in both Washington and Florida, Neil supports individuals and couples along their mental/relational/sexual journey. Additionally he is an adjunct professor at Seattle Pacific University, teaching a Human Sexuality and Sex Therapy course for PhD students.
​
Neil's professional journey includes leadership roles in various healthcare settings, such as CHI Franciscan Health and MultiCare Health Systems, where he managed programs and services related to mental health and adolescent behavioral health. His expertise extends to areas like social services, care management, and development strategy.
Neil is a Certified Sex Therapist, providing specialized care in intimacy, religious trauma and overall sexual health. He received his training/supervision in Sex Therapy from NWIOI. Neil has also trained in EMDR from The Creative Mindfulness Institute, and trained in Gottman Couples Counseling.
​
Beyond his clinical work, Neil has served in several community initiatives including the Key Free Community Clinic board, the Gig Harbor Arts Commission, and Multicare Bridges Center for Grieving Children. In his personal life he is a dedicated spouse and father, and enjoys working in the yard/garden.
Miri Sampson, MA, LMFTA
Co-Founder • Educator
Miri Sampson, is a dedicated and compassionate therapist committed to fostering healing and growth in individuals, relationships, and families. Miri has clinical expertise supporting clients recovering from sexual shame and religious trauma. She is passionate about supporting and advocating neurodivergent clients. Miri completed her graduate degree in Couples and Family Therapy from Antioch University New England.​
Miri serves as a Couples and Family Therapist in Gig Harbor, WA, where she owns and operates a private practice. Her undergraduate degree is in Youth Ministry from Azusa Pacific University which paved the way for a fifteen year career serving a vast array of youth/families in both California and Washington state.​
Miri has undergone extensive post-graduate school education including EMDR Training, Advanced Clinical Sexology, and Certified ADHD Professional Intensive Training. Miri’s sex therapy training was provided by NWIOI. Miri serves as a Champion for the Duke University Center for Women and Girls with ADHD. She speaks to local womens and mothers groups about embodied sexuality and safe relationships.​
Miri has also volunteered with Healing Reins Equine Assisted Psychotherapy and served on the Youth Suicide Prevention Coalition in her community. Beyond her professional life Miri is passionate about music, the arts, comedy, animals, and most of all her family.
Dr. Linda Gromko, MD
Principal Educator
Dr. Linda Gromko, with a lifelong passion for healthcare, has led her private medical practice, Queen Anne Medical Associates, for 35 years. The practice transitioned to all-tele health in 2024. A graduate of the University of Washington with both Bachelor and Master of Nursing degrees, she transitioned to medicine, completing her residency in family medicine at UW in 1987. Linda's diverse medical career spans from bedside care to emergency medicine and women's clinics. Her personal journey with her late husband's diabetic kidney failure led her to advocate for diabetes prevention and home dialysis. Linda has served the transgender and gender non-conforming population since 1998.
Dr. Brittany Millard-Hasting, MD, MPH, CSC, FECSM
Principal Educator
Dr. Brittany Millard-Hasting is a resident physician at the University of Washington. Brittany is an owner of Medication Consultation Services, an organization that focuses on Sexual Medicine, Pharmacy Education, Leadership Consulting, Medication Reconciliation and other healthcare related consultations. Brittany served as a U.S Air Force primary care physician for over 8 years.
​
Brittany has a special research interest in Sexual Violence in Wartime and has spoken internationally regarding her research and advocacy.
​
Brittany is an AASECT Sexuality Counselor and utilizes her research to enhance the field of Sexology.
Mx. Anunnaki Ray Marquez
Principal Educator
Mx. Anunnaki Ray Marquez was born an intersex person in 1967 and went into intersex activism in 2014 when he discovered he was not alone in being violated by being assigned the wrong sex and gender at birth. By 2018, he fought for and received the first intersex birth certificate in Colorado, and soon later became a TEDx Talk Alumni with his educational talk “Born Intersex: we are human!” He proudly shared his family's story in the documentary “Stories of Intersex and Faith” with Christian Theologian Megan DeFranza, Ph.D., and Judi Herring, M.D.
By being rewarded a full scholarship, he is working on his Master of Divinity at Meadville Lombard Theological School. He is a member of the Unitarian Universalist Society for Community Ministry, where he strives to fulfill his sacred contract as an LGBTQIA+ visionary, Public Chaplain, and Gender/Intersex Educator. Daily, he proudly continues with his online presence with his Social Justice Ministry. https://anunnakiray.com
Dr. Megan K. DeFranza, PhD.
Principal Educator
Megan is a straight, cisgender, endosex author, speaker, theologian, filmmaker, and sexuality counselor. She is the author of Sex Difference in Christian Theology: Male, Female, and Intersex in the Image of God among other publications on sexuality, gender, gender identity, and theology. While a research associate with the Center for Mind and Culture in Boston, she directed the award winning documentary “Stories of Intersex and Faith.” Integrating interviews from the film with her own theological teaching, she created the award winning 6-part video curriculum for churches "Fearfully and Wonderfully Made: Scripture and the New Science of Gender." Megan began her journey to become a sexuality counselor with NWIOI in 2022. She has a private counseling practice in Beverly, MA, where she continues her work to help bring healing to those harmed by certain Christian teachings on sex, gender, sexuality, and purity culture. www.megandefranza.com.
Dr. Tina Sellers, PhD
Education Chair • Founder
​Dr. Tina Schermer Sellers is a licensed sex and gender feminist psychotherapist, best-selling author, researcher, emeriti professor, and media personality whose expertise spans sex therapy, spiritual intimacy, parenting, and social justice. Her revolutionary perspectives have been expressed on platforms such as Spirituality & Health, Refinery 29, Vocal, Medium and Bust Magazines, along with many podcast, radio, news, and TV interviews. Known for exposing the impact of sexual shame on our ability to securely attach to our partners, and instruct our children to attach to theirs, Dr. Sellers’ book Sex, God, & the Conservative Church – Erasing Shame from Sexual Intimacy has had a global impact. Her latest book, (2021), Shameless Parenting – Everything You Need to Raise Shame-free, Confident, Kids and Heal Your Shame Too! was a New Release Bestseller in eight categories. Updated Edition, 2023. Dr. Sellers is a leader in the integration of psychedelic assisted therapy and the healing of sexual, relational, and intergenerational trauma, and founded InannaRising.org to support other psychedelic medical and psychotherapy providers. She can be followed on Instagram @DrTinaShameless and @Inanna_Rising_PAT.
