LOS ANGELES — The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has announced the nominees for its 2024 Board of Directors election.
The announcement follows:
The Free Speech Coalition’s Board of Directors election will take place from December 3 to December 10, 2024.
This year, seven Board seats are up for election. The candidates include seven incumbent Board Directors and one member-nominated candidate. Below are the candidates that will appear on the ballot. Each elected member will serve a two-year term beginning January 1, 2025.
All FSC members in good standing will receive an email with a unique voting link on December 3.
Participation is vital to ensure a strong and representative Board. If you do not plan to vote, please click the link and select "Abstain" to prevent further reminders.
Nominee Bios
Jon Blitt (Incumbent)CEO, Mile High Media
Jon Blitt got his start in adult at age 18, working in the family business while also attending college for his Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing. From the shipping department at Mile High Media (founded by father Ted Blitt, an AVN Hall of Famer), Blitt rose to become vice president of the company, which has changed immeasurably over the past three decades.
Mile High began as a distributor for adult content, then made its foray into production with Blitt’s guidance, launching an empire of high-end, story-driven porn that now encompasses every major porn niche and employs some of the most awarded directors in the industry.
With Jon Blitt’s business insight, trendsetting vision, and goal to create high-end porn, Mile High Media has become one of the largest Canadian adult content producers and distributors. His tireless work behind the scenes has earned Mile High the AEBN 2012 Studio of the Year title and FSC 2016 Production Company of the Year, as well as Blitt’s place in the AVN Hall of Fame Executives Branch in 2016. There is no end in sight as Blitt looks to the future, pushing boundaries as a trendsetter and progressive businessman for Mile High Media.
Alec Helmy (Incumbent)Founder and Publisher of XBIZ.com
Alec Helmy is the founder and president of XBIZ, the adult industry’s leading source for business news and information, providing up-to-the-minute coverage of the industry at XBIZ.com and in three trade publications — XBIZ World, XBIZ Premiere, and XBIZ Sensuals.
In addition, XBIZ produces five annual trade events, which culminate with the XBIZ Awards, the adult industry’s biggest night.
XBIZ is frequently cited in mainstream media for coverage of the industry and has been published in CNN, Fox News, Newsweek, MSNBC, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Wired, CNET, ABC, USA Today, and The Los Angeles Times, among others.
One of the early pioneers of the online adult industry, Helmy is the founder of ASACP and a board member of the Free Speech Coalition.
Matt Mason (Incumbent, FSC Board Secretary)President of Treasure Island Media
Liz Rek (Incumbent)Director of Marketing, Streamate
Liz joined the industry in 2000 and helped build and launch live cam giant Streamate. Over 20 years, Liz has worked in different facets of the cam world, becoming one of the “go-to” resources for broadcasters, creators, affiliates, and partners from around the world.
She has been an integral part of the creation and evolution of Streamate Models, and while under her guidance, Streamate has become a world leader in the cam industry, garnering numerous prestigious awards and building Streamate into the product it is today.
Liz has also participated in and moderated various seminars, mentoring models, and has become a valuable journalistic resource for interviews in both adult and mainstream media. She has focused on helping Streamate continue growing as an industry leader and places a high value on maintaining a positive reputation for models, members, and the industry as a whole.
Tony Rios (Incumbent)CEO, AVN Media Network
Tony Rios is the chief executive officer of AVN Media Network, the global leader in adult entertainment media that is entering its 42nd year as the preeminent voice of the industry.
A pioneering entrepreneur in the pay-site sector who began his career in 1995, Rios took charge of AVN in 2015, guiding the company into a new era of excellence with its suite of world-class trade shows, signature events, and monthly publications anchored by the flagship AVN magazine, which celebrated its 500th issue in September 2024.
Rios also, in 2018, reimagined the industry’s publication of record, AVN magazine, remaking it with a fresh new look and consumer-driven focus; and in 2017, he introduced the leading monthly magazine dedicated to the live-cam community — CAMStar.
Prior to AVN, the veteran executive created and managed some of the earliest adult pay sites across a variety of niches before making the move in 2000 to Channel 1 Releasing, where he thrived as the co-owner and chief technology officer.
Savannah Sly (Member Nominee)Founder and Co-Director of New Moon Network
Savannah Sly is a globally recognized advocate and thought leader for the rights and welfare of sex workers. Sly is the founder and co-director of New Moon Network, an intermediary fund and field builder that has channeled over $1,500,000 into the movement for sex workers' rights since 2022, more than tripling available funding for sex worker-led initiatives in the U.S. An organizer at heart, Sly has played a powerful convening role for ACLU-WA’s Tech Equity Coalition, as well as numerous sex worker campaigns including EPA United, the #OldProProject at Old Pros Inc., and SWOP-Seattle.
Recognizing the need for mentorship in the movement for sex workers' rights, Sly created and launched Spokes Hub, an online peer learning academy for advocates with lived experience in the sex trade, hosted by New Moon and Woodhull Freedom Foundation. Sly serves on the board of the Woodhull Freedom Foundation, the only organization dedicated to sexual freedom as a fundamental human right, and is serving a second term on the global steering committee for the Sex Work Donor Collaborative.
Sly is the first "out" sex worker to be published in Brookings and has been interviewed for the New York Times, Psychology Today, VICE, the Seattle Times, the Stranger, VPR, and KUOW. Learn more at SavannahSly.com
Tim Valenti (Incumbent, FSC Board President)President and CEO of NakedSword.com
After nearly a decade in the industry, Valenti engineered a game-changing merger between NakedSword and AEBN in 2007. In 2015, Tim was named President of Falcon | NakedSword, where he oversees operations for Falcon, Raging Stallion, and HotHouse, as well as the NakedSword Network.
Over the years, Valenti has become one of the industry’s most respected and innovative thinkers, known for blurring the line between adult and mainstream entertainment. Valenti’s partnership with major studios, as well as with niche production companies, has allowed NakedSword access to an unrivaled video library.
Tim has appeared as an op-ed blogger in the Huffington Post and produced both adult and independent films, including the award-winning indie feature, I Want Your Love.
Walden Woods (Incumbent)Walden Woods has been in the adult industry for well over a decade, working with some of the most well-known brands and companies in the gay porn world. He started off as an assistant camera operator and quickly found his footing, excelling to become a leader in that specific niche in the community.
Throughout his career, Walden has been steadfast in ensuring that models and talent, and everyone involved in the industry, have been represented fairly and have access to protection and rights that will create a safe working environment for all. From the day he had a camera put into his hand, he quickly learned the responsibility that came with that and has always made sure that safety, health, and respect were the most important priorities of any production. During his years in the industry, he has helped to pave the way for talent and staff to find access to resources that help their physical and mental well-being.
Walden is an advocate for performer rights and is excited to be a part of the FSC Board of Directors to continue to carry on the legacy and groundwork they have laid down and the positive changes that have been created.
Walden was born and raised in New England and currently resides in San Diego with his husband and two dogs.
For more information, visit FreeSpeechCoalition.com.
