Acknowledging Excellence
SASH celebrates individuals who have made remarkable contributions to advancing the mission and vision of SASH. These awards honor their dedication, expertise, and impact within their fields.
James Wadley
PhD
2024 SASH Carnes Award Winner
Feeling seen and moved, Dr. James Wadley is a tenured professor in the Human Services department at Lincoln University. He is the founding editor of the scholarly, interdisciplinary journal, the Journal of Black Sexuality and Relationships (University of Nebraska Press). Dr. Wadley’s vision and efforts have created a scholarly medium that is now available at over 1300 institutions globally. He is also the founder and Principal of the Association of Black Sexologists and Clinicians and his professional background in human sexuality education, educational leadership, and program development has enabled him to galvanize scholars and practitioners in the field of sexology around the world.
Debra Herbenick
PhD
2024 SASH Media Award Winner
Dr. Debby Herbenick has published more than 200 articles in scientific peer-reviewed journals and has led the National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior, which since 2009 has provided important data on sexual behavior among the US population of adolescents and adults. Additionally, Dr. Herbenick's research has made important contributions to understanding problematic sexual behavior trends, including the recent mainstreaming of rough sex behaviors which young people often learn about from pornography, social media, peers, as well as partners. Dr. Herbenick is also the president-elect of the International Academy of Sex Research, she has published 6 trade books that translate sexual science to the general public, and she has also engaged in public scholarship of sexual science through writing for the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Glamour magazine, and Men's Health magazine. Her newest book is Yes Your Kid: What Parents Need to Know About Today's Teens and Sex which was featured on CNN. Her research has been cited more than 11,500 times (as per Google Scholar) and she has served as a technical consultant to the World Health Organization on global sexual health data needs. In summary, Dr. Herbenick has made substantial contributions to sexuality research (including population-representative sexual behavior as well as problematic sexual behaviors) and she has also made important contributions to communicating about sex to the general public through books, sexuality information columns, and writing for newspapers and magazines. She also founded the Bloomington Sex Salon, hosting 40+ events in Bloomington, Indiana that have highlighted sexuality researchers, educators, artists, and advocates.
Diane Hovey
PhD
2024 SASH Merit Award Winner
Dr. Diane Hovey, the recipient of this year's SASH Merit Award, has dedicated over four decades to blending the arts and creativity with research and education. Her path to therapy was deeply shaped by personal experience after her daughter endured a tragic accident, inspiring her to earn a PhD in Family Social Science from the University of Minnesota. Her research explored how individuals and families interpret and respond to overwhelming life challenges, examining the underlying meanings that influence decisions and shape behaviors. This academic foundation led her to develop innovative therapeutic tools designed to address complex issues like chronic illness, betrayal trauma, and compulsive sexual behaviors.
As the founder of Alliance for Healing, Dr. Hovey specializes in helping individuals, couples, and families achieve emotional healing and rediscover their purpose. She also founded Photo InsightsTM, an organization dedicated to creating and sharing therapeutic tools designed to aid in navigating life’s challenges. Through photo-insight.com, she has recently launched an app and seven new sets of PhotoTherapy cards to aid individuals in giving voice to their experience and finding meaning on their path to healing.
Marty Klein
PhD
2024 SASH Research Award Winner
The recipient of this year’s SASH Media Award is Dr. Marty Klein of Palo Alto, CA. A life-long sexuality educator and sex therapist, Marty is the award-winning author of seven books (including the popular Sexual Intelligence and innovative His Porn, Her Pain). He also publishes the monthly electronic Sexual Intelligence newsletter, and has large followings on YouTube, Instagram, and X.
In addition to seeing couples and individuals as a Licensed MFT, Marty has trained tens of thousands of therapists and physicians in sexuality through his live lectures and, more recently, dozens of webinars—including several for SASH.
With his ground-breaking model for helping couples navigate conflict around pornography, his reshaping our field’s ideas about sexual “function” and “dysfunction,” and his decades of writing about the narratives of “sex addiction,”
Marty has indeed fulfilled his self-described mandate of “changing the way people, politics & the media look at sex.”
Kervins Clement
2024 Corley Research Grant Award Winner
The recipient of this year’s SASH Corley Grant Award is Kervins Clement, a dedicated scholar and practitioner in the field of culturally responsive mental health care. Kervins is currently completing his Ph.D. at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where his dissertation focuses on addressing the unique experiences of Black men undergoing sex addiction treatment. His research aims to advance culturally responsive approaches, empowering professionals to deliver more effective and inclusive care for this underserved population.
In addition to his academic work, Kervins is the owner of Clement Counseling and Consulting, PLLC, a private practice that provides clinical and educational services to individuals across North Carolina, with a particular focus on the Piedmont Triad region. Renowned for his expertise in culturally responsive treatment, Kervins is committed to fostering understanding and equity in mental health care.
Kervins expresses his deepest gratitude for being selected as the recipient of this prestigious award. He is honored by the recognition and is inspired to continue contributing to the profession through his work and research.