Addison Smith (she/they), or simply Addi, has been a classroom, library, and consulting educator for over 20 years. They first gained teaching experience while pursuing a master’s degree in Music Composition and then gained journalistic research skills while working on a second master’s in Digital Storytelling.
During their studies for the Digital Storytelling degree, they came to accept that they are a transgender person and focused their studies on understanding modern gender theory as a way of understanding themself. Their final project after two years of research was The Gender Series. This eight-part educational video series covers gender theory and related fields.
Addison combines their performance chops, teaching experience, research skills, and personal story to create dynamic, engaging, and positive presentations that help others understand LGBTQ+ issues, especially transgender issues. In these talks, Addi leans into the science of LGBTQ+ identities to dispel the misinformation spread by opponents of LGBTQ+ rights.
From September of 2018 to late 2021, Addison sat on the board of directors of GenderNexus, which provides wellness services to Indiana’s transgender population, and served as a board member and Director of Education for Indy Pride.
They have won a Marshall University Maier award for non-fiction writing, been published in the Music Educator’s Journal, and are a member of Mensa.
On a personal note, Addi enjoys biking, reading (especially the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher), working in their yard, watching good TV and bad movies, and creating new art projects that few people ever see.
They live with a cat named Keowee.
