Plant Your Seed: Recent Episodes
Fred Ferris
Welcome to Plant Your Seed where we believe saving the planet starts with having compassion for yourself. We share raw and authentic stories from ordinary people who transformed their lives by transitioning to a plant-based diet. We hope this inspires you to Plant Your Seed and help save our planet!
Cassie Gaffaney is a tattoo artist and musician originally from New Zealand and now currently based in Las Vegas. Her vegan journey started after she saw the film, Joker. Joaquin Phoenix’s performance in that movie had such a profound effect on her that it led her to LA Animal Saves Pig Vigils at Farmer Johns. She is passionate about living a compassionate lifestyle and supporting local animal rescues/organizations and sanctuaries and sharing the message of kindness for all beings.
Show Notes for Plant Your Seed Podcast: Ella Magers | Sexy Fit Vegan Welcome to another inspiring episode of Plant Your Seed Podcast! In this episode, we sit down with Ella Magers, the vibrant force behind Sexy Fit Vegan®. With 29 years of vegan living, Ella brings a wealth of knowledge, passion, and energy to the discussion on transforming lives through compassionate choices and fitness. Ella is also a Board Member at Hogs and Kisses Farm Sanctuary.
What You'll Learn: Ella’s personal journey from a meat-eating background to becoming a passionate vegan advocate. The founding of Sexy Fit Vegan® and the mission behind it. Practical advice for those looking to transition to a plant-based diet without feeling overwhelmed. The intertwining relationship between fitness, nutrition, and mental health in Ella's life and coaching. How to use compassion as a guiding principle for lifestyle changes and personal development.
Timestamps: 00:59 - Introduction to Ella Magers and her vegan journey. 10:11 - What it was like to be a vegan kid. 17:37 - Challenges and rewards of transitioning to a plant-based diet. 19:34 - Combining veganism with fitness: Tips and strategies. 21:40 - The importance of self-love in the journey towards wellness. 31:52 - Sexy Fit Vegan success story 36:08 - What is next for Sexy Fit Vegan? 39:52 - Ella’s advice for newcomers to the plant-based lifestyle. 43:32 - Closing thoughts and where to find more about Ella Magers. Resources Mentioned: Sexy Fit Vegan® website
Connect with Ella: Instagram: @SexyFitVegan Facebook: Sexy Fit Vegan YouTube: Sexy Fit Vegan Channel Hogs and Kisses Farm Sanctuary Thank you for tuning in to this episode with Ella Magers. If you’re inspired to make a change or want to learn more about living a compassionate, fit, and healthy lifestyle, make sure to check out all the resources listed and follow Ella on social media for daily inspiration and guidance. Remember, the journey to a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle starts with one small step. Let’s continue to plant seeds of positivity, health, and compassion together. Subscribe & Review: Loved this episode? Don’t forget to subscribe to the Plant Your Seed Podcast on your favorite podcast platform and leave us a review. Your feedback helps us grow and reach more listeners like you. Tune in next week for another inspiring episode aimed at empowering you on your journey to a healthier, more compassionate lifestyle!
Rey Ortega is a pioneer in the plant-based sector with over 30 years of experience. In 1994, he founded the Alternative Baking Company, one of the first vegan cookie brands on the market, which generated $1 million in sales in 1995. In 1997, he founded Sun Flour Baking Co. to create new flavors, tastes, textures, and nutrition products with a longer shelf life and higher profit margins. With extensive knowledge across the entire product life cycle, he is an experienced formulator within the industry, has designed three facilities, and has sold millions of vegan cookies, keeping eggs and dairy out of the mouths of many. Besides owning five plant-based brands, he has also published two children's books and is an expert at cannabis infusion for topical and edible products.
Show Notes for Plant Your Seed Podcast: Episode with Jennifer White
Join us on Plant Your Seed Podcast as we welcome Jennifer White, who shares her transformative journey to veganism after a pivotal reading of Jonathan Safran Foer’s book, Eating Animals, an eye-opening experience gifted by her aunt and uncle. Discover how her path led her from vegetarianism to veganism and eventually to a key role at PETA UK, aligning her career with her ethical beliefs.
What You'll Learn:
- Jennifer's Vegan Transition: How and when Jennifer adopted a plant-based lifestyle.
- Family Reaction to Influential Book: Insights into her family’s reaction to the catalyst of her vegan journey.
- Realizations Post-Book: The moment Jennifer understood the full impact of the book on her views.
- Challenges in Vegan Transition: The difficulties Jennifer faced moving from vegetarianism to veganism.
- Professional Alignment with Values: How working for PETA UK helped Jennifer align her actions with her values.
- Health Improvements: Changes Jennifer observed in her health and well-being since going vegan.
- Impact on Athletic Performance: How her vegan diet has affected her running and athletic endeavors.
- Influencing Others: Jennifer's approach to changing people’s opinions about veganism.
- Social and Family Dynamics: The effects of Jennifer’s plant-based diet on her social and family life.
- Addressing Vegan Misconceptions: How Jennifer responds to misconceptions and criticisms about plant-based eating.
- Passion for Veganism: What drives Jennifer’s deep passion for vegan advocacy.
- Life Changes and Motivation: How being vegan has altered Jennifer's life and what keeps her motivated.
- Overcoming Cognitive Dissonance: Strategies to help others address and overcome cognitive dissonance related to diet and lifestyle.
- Professional Challenges: Challenges Jennifer faces in her role at PETA UK.
- Measuring Impact: How Jennifer assesses the effectiveness of her efforts in making a difference.
- PETA UK Initiatives: Current projects and involvements of PETA UK.
- Job Responsibilities: A look into Jennifer’s daily tasks and responsibilities at PETA UK.
- Addressing Apathy: How Jennifer handles apathy towards animal rights and veganism.
- Rewards of the Job: The most rewarding aspects of her work.
- Current Excitements: Exciting developments in Jennifer’s life and career.
- Source of Courage: Where Jennifer finds the courage to pursue her passions and make significant changes.
Timestamps:
- 0:52 - Transition to Plant-Based Diet
- 2:36 - Reaction to Jonathan Safran Foer’s Book
- 4:08 - Realization from the Book
- 5:42 - Challenges After Becoming Vegetarian
- 7:10 - Not Challenging the Status Quo
- 8:01 - Working for PETA UK
- 10:35 - Health Changes
- 11:52 - Vegan Diet and Running
- 14:08 - Influencing Opinions
- 15:34 - Impact on Social and Family Life
- 16:34 - Addressing Misconceptions
- 17:39 - Passion for Veganism
- 19:02 - Life Changes Due to Veganism
- 19:54 - Staying Motivated
- 21:13 - Assisting Cognitive Dissonance
- 22:16 - Challenges in Role
- 23:46 - Measuring Impact
- 25:49 - PETA UK Involvements
- 27:14 - Job Details
- 28:13 - Dealing with Apathy
- 29:33 - Rewarding Aspects of the Job
- 30:09 - Current Excitement
- 31:43 - Finding Courage
- 32:45 - Recommended Resources
- 37:40 - Contacting Jennifer White
Resources & Links:
- Contact Jennifer White and learn more about her initiatives: TikTok
- Recommended resources for transitioning to a plant-based diet: Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer
Subscribe & Review: If Jennifer's journey inspires you, subscribe to the Plant Your Seed Podcast on your favorite platform and leave a review. Your engagement helps us bring these impactful stories to a wider audience.
Stay tuned for more episodes that delve into the journeys of individuals making a difference through health, wellness, and sustainability.
Show Notes for Plant Your Seed Podcast: Episode with Angela Yvonne
Join us on the Plant Your Seed Podcast as we welcome Angela Yvonne, a vibrant advocate for veganism whose journey began with a powerful personal realization about the impact of diet on health. Angela shares her transformative story from learning about her mother's diet-related illness to embracing a plant-based lifestyle and spreading awareness through her work, including her initiative "Vegan Pop Eats."
What You'll Learn:
- Angela's Transition to a Plant-Based Diet: Details on how and when Angela made the switch to veganism.
- Impact of Family Health on Dietary Choices: Angela discusses the emotional impact of her mother's illness and how it influenced her decision to change her diet.
- Health Improvements Post Transition: Insights into the changes Angela noticed in her health and wellbeing since adopting a vegan diet.
- Guidance for New Vegans: Angela offers advice for those considering a plant-based lifestyle.
- Evolving Food Perspectives: How Angela's views on food have shifted since her transition.
- Overcoming Transition Challenges: The obstacles Angela faced when shifting to a vegan diet and her strategies for overcoming them.
- Addressing Vegan Misconceptions: How Angela responds to common misconceptions about veganism.
- Challenges in Media Production: Angela discusses the hurdles of creating a TV pilot focused on veganism.
- Passion for Veganism: What drives Angela's strong passion for promoting veganism.
- Starting "Vegan Pop Eats": The inspiration and courage behind launching her vegan-focused platform.
- Recommended Resources: Angela shares valuable resources for anyone transitioning to a plant-based diet.
Timestamps:
- 0:45 - Transition to Plant-Based Diet
- 5:16 - Reaction to Family Health Revelation
- 9:05 - Detailed Vegan Transition Process
- 10:52 - Health Changes Post-Diet Transition
- 12:44 - Advice for New Vegans
- 15:12 - Changed Perspectives on Food
- 18:18 - Challenges During Transition
- 19:33 - Addressing Vegan Misconceptions
- 28:02 - TV Pilot Creation Challenges
- 36:02 - Passion for Veganism
- 38:17 - Launching "Vegan Pop Eats"
- 41:21 - Resources for Going Vegan
- 43:43 - Contacting Angela Yvonne
Resources & Links:
- Follow Angela Yvonne on Social Media: Instagram
- Vegan Pop Eats: https://www.veganpopeats.com/
Subscribe & Review: Inspired by Angela’s story? Don’t forget to subscribe to Plant Your Seed Podcast on your favorite platform and leave a review. Your engagement helps us bring more stories like Angela’s to our audience.
Stay tuned for more episodes that inspire, educate, and empower you towards a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle.
This is a Plant Your Seed podcast original concept... Catch-Up Conversation! We are finding out what's new with a former guest, Wendy Smith from Odd Man Inn Animal Refuge! Odd Man Inn's mission is to provide lifelong sanctuary care to vulnerable animals and educate to inspire compassionate living. Wendy is a military veteran, a registered nurse, the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the organization.
oddmaninn.org
The Healthy Voyager, aka Carolyn Scott, is the creator and host of The Healthy Voyager web series, site, and overall brand. An award-winning healthy, special diet and green living and travel expert, holistic nutritionist, plant-based vegan chef, best-selling cookbook author, media spokesperson, sought-after speaker, consultant, and television personality, Carolyn Scott is a respected figure in the world of healthy lifestyle and travel as well as special diet cooking and nutrition. The Healthy Voyager aims to help people live well, one veggie at a time!
Brad King is the founder of Farm Animal Rescue, a sanctuary-based animal rights organization that focuses on education and awareness.
Imagine a place where animals who've been bred to live short, painful, and uncomfortable lives in the commercial food industry… get to live happily and at peace without fear and stress. That place is Farm Animal Rescue which is located on 55 acres in the Dayboro Valley, 45 minutes north-west of Brisbane, Australia.
farmanimalrescue.org.au
Erin & Dusty Stanczyk are certified health & lifestyle coaches and creators of the lifestyle brand and website, EatMoveRest.com. Together with their two children, Max and Liv, and their Bernese Mountain Dog, Beau, they inspire and empower others to get back to the basics, by doing the 3 things we all do every day... eat, move, and rest! You can find the plant-powered family of four blending, juicing, and chopping on Instagram @ErinStanczyk, @DBStanczyk, @EatMoveRest and on the EatMoveRest YouTube channel. In their free time, they enjoy photography and videography, traveling, and hosting local dinner gatherings, demos, and workshops. The family also hosts plant-based wellness retreats around the world, where they get to connect with many of their online friends and followers. Join them in their new private online community, the EatMoveRest Club, to gain access to their meal planner & recipe app, entire ebook collection, exclusive Facebook group, weekly livestream Q&As, and more!
Joshua Weilerstein enjoys a flourishing orchestral conducting career across the globe and has forged close relationships with many of the world's finest orchestras and soloists. He is also the host of the popular classical music podcast, Sticky Notes. He lives in London with his wife Bernice and their two rabbits, Abby and Benji.
The Tattons are the co-founders of BReD, a B-Corp certified vegan sourdough bakery located in the premier ski and mountain bike resort of Whistler, BC, Canada. The bakery specializes in sourdough and vegan baked goods. The BReD cookbook is an homage to the Tattons' bakery and mission to inform and provide their community with cruelty-free food.
edsbred.com
Crystal Bonnet is a professional raw vegan chef and founder of the raw culinary school Crystal Dawn Culinary. She also cooks and develops recipes for raw retreats and vegan restaurants across the globe.
Website: crystaldawnculinary.com
Cookbook: The Art of Raw Desserts: 50 Standout Recipes for Plant-Based Cakes, Pastries, Pies, Cookies and More
Kate is relentlessly focused on creating a healthy, happy, compassionate vegan world. She specializes in creating the Mindset that makes your best eating and exercising choices simple and sustainable. Kate first got into fitness as a way to transform her body and confidence. She has spent 17 years helping thousands of individuals sculpt a body and life they love and over the past 7 years has focused on Vegan Health Coaching as one of the most powerful ways to advocate for animals is to be fit, strong, and healthy.
After many years of treating serious childhood diseases, Dr. Ettinger turned his focus to wellness and prevention. In 2021, he founded the Doctor Herbivore telehealth practice to teach families how to thrive while eating plant-based, especially when there are weight concerns. Dr. Ettinger enjoys helping families change course to a plant-strong path for their health, animals, social justice, and the environment.
Diane Rose-Solomon went vegan in 2019 but didn't know how to cook anything plant-based. A vegan cooking class boosted her confidence quickly. Diane recently founded a plant-based project called: What's Plant-Based Cooking Good Looking?, a safe space to help you go from Plant-Based Curious to Plant-Based Confident.
Jackie Norman is a bestselling author, inspirational speaker and podcast host. As a former dairy farmer of 18 years turned vegan activist, she uses her extensive insight and experience of 'both sides' to build bridges of communication and open minds and hearts. A PTSD survivor, Jackie credits her WFPB diet with helping her manage and overcome some of the debilitating conditions associated with trauma, such as IBS and chronic pain.
Michelle Cehn is the founder of the popular vegan food and lifestyle website World of Vegan, co-host of The Plant-Powered People Podcast, and the creative force behind @Vegan on Instagram, where she has brought together a plant-passionate community over one million strong. Michelle is also the author of The Friendly Vegan Cookbook, and a speaker, writer, filmmaker, YouTube personality, and mama on a mission to create a better future for our world. Michelle's Resources: World of Vegan: https://www.worldofvegan.com/ Michelles Website: https://www.michellecehn.com/ Plant-Powered People Podcast: plantpoweredpodcast.com The Friendly Vegan Cookbook: friendlyvegancookbook.com Meal Plans: plantbasedmealplan.com Mini Documentary: plantbasedmealplan.com/7days World of Vegan Newsletter: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/62ed6e9be5ea6b3d8aea45f8 Social Media Links instagram.com/vegan youtube.com/worldofvegan facebook.com/worldofvegan twitter.com/worldofvegan pinterest.com/worldofvegan tiktok.com/@worldofvegan linkedin.com/in/michellecehn/ About World of Vegan World of Vegan is a food and lifestyle website making vegan living fun, delicious, easy, and accessible to all. With vibrant social media channels and over 1 million Instagram followers, World of Vegan reaches the community with a positive, welcoming, friendly vibe and provides resources, guides, and tools to help you learn, evolve, eat incredible food, and live your best life.
Danielle Medina is the creator of Fit N Play Mama LLC, a fitness/ yoga and nutrition education resource for adults and children. Whether she is writing articles, conducting interviews, or teaching her educational webinars, classes, and workshops, Danielle loves sharing her knowledge with a variety of audiences on taking back their health and living their best life.
fitnplaymama.com
Dr. Eduardo Corassa is a clinical nutritionist with an emphasis on raw and plant-based diets. He is the author of nine books, six online courses, an international speaker, and the creator of Saúde Frugal.
Stevan Mirkovich is the CRO and Owner of Planted Expo, a trade show, platform, and network to connect Canadians to local vegan and plant-based businesses offering new, innovative, and inspiring products, services, and practices.
The Planted website is a great educational resource offering online courses and make sure to check out their chats section where you will find the latest from leading voices in the plant-based movement.
Be sure to head along to one of their upcoming trade shows where you will find over 200 vegan edible and lifestyle businesses and a great lineup of leading plant-based speakers from around the world.
Trade show dates : Toronto: April 29 - 30 Vancouver: May 27 - 28
Sarah Strickland is currently a junior in high school and the Lead Outreach Raven at the Raven Corps, a youth-led activist organization. Raven Corps current goal is to get big dairy out of schools and increase plant-based milk access in the over 100,000 schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program.
The Raven Corps is a youth-centered movement of activists devoted to building a just and sustainable future for ALL animals and our natural world. We take action through a consistent anti-oppression lens and trust that we can achieve liberation for ALL if we join forces and strike at the roots of oppression.
Laura Carney is a writer and copy editor in New York. She's been published by the Washington Post, the Associated Press, The Hill, Runner's World, People magazine, Guideposts, Good Housekeeping, The Fix, Upworthy, Maria Shrivers Sunday Paper and other places, and her book My Fathers List: How Living My Dad's Dreams Set Me Free is being published by Post Hill Press in June 2023. Her work as a copy editor has been primarily in magazines, for 20 years, including Good Housekeeping, People, Guideposts, Vanity Fair, and GQ. She's @myfatherslist on Instagram, @lac30 on Twitter, and her website is bylauracarney.com.
Sabrina Fair Andronica is an animal activist and children's author in Los Angeles, California. She has published three books, (with a fourth on the way) all under her brand, Always Fair Books. Each book shows awareness, compassion, and enlightenment of animal welfare and self-growth through fictional stories; always just and fair. She has been meat-free for nine years and became fully vegan six years ago in May. Sabrina is here to share how veganism has shaped her life and how she's working on planting her seed with her brand!
Jered Camp is a paramedic turned co-founder of Iowa Farm Sanctuary, Iowa's first farm animal sanctuary. He rescues and provides loving care to abused and neglected animals while advocating for animal welfare and a more compassionate world.
iowafarmsanctuary.org
Maxime Sigouin is a leading fitness coach, entrepreneur, and athlete with over 10 years of experience in the industry. He is the founder of Fit Vegan Coaching, dedicated to helping people adopt a healthier lifestyle through plant-based nutrition and exercise. Maxime is also a highly accomplished athlete who has competed in Ironman and Spartan races, and cycling events for cancer research. His mission to help 1 million people by 2050 is reflected in his range of services, including one-on-one coaching, online courses, and community support. Maxime's dedication to promoting a healthy and active lifestyle inspires others to reach new heights.
Toni Okamoto is the founder of Plant-Based on a Budget, the popular website and meal plan that shows you how to save dough by eating veggies. She's also the author of the Plant-Based on a Budget Cookbook, and the co-host of The Plant-Powered People Podcast. Okamoto's work has been profiled by NPR, NBC News, Parade Magazine, and she's a regular presence on local and national morning shows across the country, where she teaches viewers how to break their meat habit without breaking their budget. She was also featured in the popular documentary What the Health. When she's not cooking up a plant-based storm, she's spending time with her husband and their rescued dog in Sacramento, CA.
Jo-Anne is an award-winning photojournalist, sought-after speaker, photo editor, and the founder of We Animals Media. She has visited over sixty countries to document our complex relationship with animals. She is the author of three books: We Animals (2014), Captive (2017), and HIDDEN: Animals in the Anthropocene (2020), and is the subject of Canadian filmmaker Liz Marshall's acclaimed Canadian documentary, The Ghosts in Our Machine. Jo-Anne's photographs have received accolades from Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Nature Photographer of the Year, Big Picture, AEFONA, Picture of the Year International, the Global Peace Award, and others. In 2020, Jo-Anne was thrilled to be a member of the jury for World Press Photo. She hails from Toronto, Canada.
weanimalsmedia.org
Beth Love is the founder of Eat for the Earth, an ordained New Thought minister, and the author of the Tastes Like Love book series. She has brought a message of transformation to multiple audiences with her speaking and facilitation skills, in contexts as diverse as the California state prison system, schools, nonprofits, churches, radio, various online forums, local community television, and The Oprah Winfrey Show. She is known for her fierce commitment, wise counsel, strategic mind, and huge capacity for love.
Rev. Beth's life calling has taken many twists and turns but has always been centered on human transformation. She has taught in and run Montessori schools, helped to found a New Thought church and served in various capacities in that community for over 20 years, facilitated training on issues of power and privilege, run non-profit organizations focused on the topic of child abuse, and done extensive volunteer work with prison inmates.
Her current focus is running Eat for the Earth, a nonprofit organization that supports a human dietary shift towards more plants and fewer animal products to sustain all life on Earth. Learn more and find out how you can get involved at EatForTheEarth.org.
Ralph Montague is a longevity coach from Monmouthshire, Great Britain. He focuses on sleep and energy mastery. His passion for longevity evolved from working within the anti-aging industry for over twenty years. His first book within the STOP!! Series, is aptly named STOP!! Killing yourself – The Beginners Guide to Living Longer by Removing and Improving, encouraging readers to maximize their longevity with easy-to-follow guidance, checklists, and prompts is out now! Ralph also has just finished his next project; Sleep Mastery courses, helping individuals and companies achieve rested and rejuvenating sleep habits. He plans to have a series of books dedicated to longevity, sleep, and energy with simplistic, no-nonsense advice, for minimal fuss and maximum results.
Rachael Brown earned a plant-based nutrition certification and food and sustainability certification from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies and eCornell. After being diagnosed with high cholesterol in her late 20s, she discovered The China Study and transitioned her family to the whole-food, plant-based, no-oil (WFPBNO) lifestyle, and her cholesterol immediately dropped 50 points. She has been an adjunct professor in nutrition and wellness, a certified yoga and Pilates instructor, and a licensed massage practitioner. Learn more at www.forforkssakebook.com
Mathilde Do Chi is an international food law consultant passionate about modernizing our global food system to tackle climate change, improve people's health and remove animals from our plates.
Cyd Notter is a graduate of the Center for Nutrition Studies, a certified instructor for The Starch Solution and other dietary courses, a past newspaper columnist, and the author of the award-winning book The Plan A Diet: Combining Whole Food, Plant-Based Nutrition with the Timeless Wisdom of Scripture. Cyd offers personal nutrition coaching and speaks at various Veg Fests and local groups. Connect with her at cydnotter.com.
Theresa "Sam" Houghton has been eating a plant-based diet for 13 years and is the author of The Whole Food Plant-Based Diet Starter Guide. As Chief Nerd at The Modern Health Nerd, she helps plant-based and better-for-you brands understand their customers and create better long-form content. She's a graduate of both the Bauman College Nutrition Consultant program and the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate program, which gives her a unique perspective on plant-based health and content marketing.
Passionate vegan and photographer since 2009, Kelly uses her photographs to invite viewers into the amazing and meaningful lives farmed animals live. She shows a kinder world for farmed animals is possible in her strikingly beautiful images captured through her work at Edgar's Mission Farm Sanctuary in Australia.
Passionate vegan and photographer since 2009, Kelly uses her photographs to invite viewers into the amazing and meaningful lives farmed animals live. She shows a kinder world for farmed animals is possible in her strikingly beautiful images captured through her work at Edgar's Mission Farm Sanctuary in Australia.
Margaux Khoury is a founder of vegan businesses, a corporate advisor for ethical startups, and a speaker on animal rights, animal agriculture, environmental issues, and ethics.
The Content Doctor Sandra Nomoto is a content writer and editor for cruelty-free businesses. She previously ran Conscious Public Relations for over a decade. In 2019, she authored The Only Public Relations Guide You'll Ever Need and her new book, Vegan Marketing Success Stories is out now. She enjoys blogging about content marketing, book publishing, travel, and vegan food at SandraNomoto.com.
Stefanie Ignoffo is a plant interventionist, CEO & Founder of Plantspiration NFP Inc., and Food For Life Instructor with the Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine and has completed the American College of Lifestyle Medicine Coaching program. She advocates and promotes Lifestyle Medicine by educating, motivating, and inspiring people to adopt a plant-based lifestyle in order to prevent and reverse chronic diseases including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, autoimmune disorders, obesity, and chronic illnesses.
Simen Li is a vegan coach and consultant. He has consulted with vegan wellness centers, hotels, and restaurants. Simen has coached people to thrive as vegans for six years and has 12 years of experience in vegan nutrition.
veganicediblelandscapes.com
Holly Skodis is the founder of Yoga is Vegan a project and podcast dedicated to helping Yogis embrace Veganism. Holly has been featured on Jane Unchained's Lunch Break Live, Vegan Health & Fitness Magazine, and Angelika Buettners, "I AM", a Quest to Empower Women, and Portray Ageless Beauty Coffee Table Book.
Frances is the Founder and President of Vegan Wines, a completely vegan-friendly wine club, and Despacito Distributors, a plant-based wine distribution company.
Frances has acquired nuanced expertise and made many connections in the wine industry through her work building these two companies. Her background, however, delves deeper than entrepreneurship. She is also an active member of Women of the Vine & Spirits, an organization that fosters a supportive environment for females in the alcoholic beverage industry. Frances also has extensive experience in the vegan and plant-based markets. She has sponsored conferences like the Plant-Based World Expo and founded VegFest Puerto Rico, a nonprofit established in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria.
In 2001, after turning down an offer to lead a new charter high school, Kathy Stevens founded Catskill Animal Sanctuary, where her love of teaching, her belief that education has the power to transform, and her love of animals come together. One of the worlds leading sanctuaries for farmed animals, CAS has saved more than 5,000 non-human individuals through direct rescue and exponentially more through programming that encourages humans to adopt veganism.
casanctuary.org
opensanctuary.org
Guy Vaknin is a renowned chef famous for his innovative plant-based creations. After serving in the Israeli Defense Force (IDF), Vaknin moved to New York in 2005 to study computer engineering. But he quickly realized that his calling was in the food industry. Chef Vaknin then enrolled in the Institute of Culinary Education. Upon graduating in 2007, he became the Executive Chef at Esprit Events, an established kosher catering company in Manhattan. In this role, he met his future wife and co-founder Tali. Together, they developed their signature vegan sushi and the Beyond Sushi brand was born. He is the founder and owner of City Roots Hospitality, New York City’s leading vegan restaurant group, which includes Beyond Sushi, Willow, and his latest vegan restaurant, Coletta.
beyondsushi.com
willownewyork.com
colettanyc.com
cityrootsnyc.com
Monica Aggarwal, MD, is an adjunct Associate Professor in the University of Florida's Division of Cardiovascular Medicine where she conducts research on the impact of nutrition on chronic illness. She also serves as the Chief Medical officer of the not-for-profit, 4Roots Farm which is looking at how to improve food quality to improve human health. She received her medical degree from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine and subsequently went on to complete a residency in internal medicine at Tufts University Hospital in Boston, MA. She then completed a cardiology fellowship at the University of Maryland in Baltimore, MD.
Dr. Aggarwal's own path to understanding the impact of nutrition on illness started soon after the birth of her third child when she developed an advanced form of rheumatoid arthritis. She was placed on medications that gave her severe side effects. It was only through learning about the microbiome (gut), its impact on the immune system, and the role of nutrition in affecting the gut that was she able to truly heal. Determined to change the face of medicine, Monica left private practice and returned to academics in order to pursue research on the role of diet and to create an integrative cardiology practice focused on nutrition and lifestyle.
Dr. Aggarwal served as the Director of Integrative Cardiology and Prevention at the University of Florida for 4 ½ years during which time she was promoted to Associate Professor of Medicine. At the University of Florida, she focused on promoting food as the foundation of healing and for its medicinal value. In her clinic, she emphasizes plant-based nutrition and often performs multiple mind-body techniques with her patients, including yoga and meditation. At the University of Florida, she was also the Director of Medical Education for Cardiology, where she directed education for medical residents and cardiology fellows, with a focus on prevention, nutrition, and lifestyle. In the hospital, she has multiple initiatives including developing a 100% plant-based menu for cardiac and vascular patients.
Dr. Aggarwal gives talks around the community, country, and internationally. She was named a Next Generation Innovator by Cardiology Today. She is often featured in Veg News, Naked Magazine, and forksoverknives.com. She conducts research on nutrition education in medical institutions and on how a plant-based diet impacts cardiovascular disease. She has published in major medical journals such as the Journal of American College of Cardiology and the American Journal of Medicine.
Board-certified in cardiology and three specialties of cardiology: echocardiography, nuclear cardiology, and advanced lipid management, she is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology (ACC), where she is a member of the nutrition council working on nutrition policies for the nation. Dr. Aggarwal specializes in the preventive management of heart disease with lifestyle techniques in conjunction with medications. She is the author of the book Body on Fire: How Inflammation Triggers Chronic Illness and the Tools We Have to Fight It, which outlines prescriptions to help guide people to better health, and the recently released Body on Fire Cookbook which provides whole food, healthy recipes to help implement change.
She has instituted a new plant-based menu at the University of Florida/Shands Hospital which is receiving national attention along with new discharge education that empowers patients to heal their bodies with their lifestyles. She was recently named Floridas Cardiovascular Researcher of the year which provided her with a grant to conduct the important research needed on nutrition in 2019 and Exemplary Teacher of the Year in 2020.
She currently sees patients in Orlando, Florida at AdventHealth and via telemedicine as part of Wholistic Cardiology and details can be found on her website.
Website: Drmonicaaggarwal.com
Facebook: drmonicaaggarwal
Twitter: @drmaggarwal
Instagram: drmonicaaggarwal
Dr. Melanie Worley is an Emergency Medicine physician and soon-to-be Sports Medicine fellow, 3-time Boston marathoner with a 2:56 personal best in the marathon, and Ironman 70.3 World Championship Qualifier. She is passionate about plant-based diets for both athletic performance and disease prevention.
She attended undergraduate at Wake Forest University, where she graduated summa cum laude with a Health and Exercise Science major with honors and was a member of Phi Betta Kappa. She then went on to Ohio University for medical school, where she was president of the Lifestyle Medicine Club and published two lifestyle medicine-related publications. In residency at Sarasota Memorial Hospital for the Florida State Emergency Medicine program, she served as the Chief Resident of Wellness.
To learn more, go to www.trainedonplants.com and follow @trainedonplants on Instagram and check out her podcast, which is all about lifestyle and sports medicine, plant-based fueling, and running/triathlon training.
Richard J. Schmidt, MD, FACOG, is a reproductive endocrinology and fertility specialist, as well as the medical director and laboratory program director at NOVA IVF in Mountain View, California. Dr. Schmidt has committed more than 25 years to delivering excellent patient-centered fertility care and is a vegan physician, having trained as a Food for Life instructor and is passionate about helping patients achieve better outcomes through a plant-based diet.
Alex has been vegan since 2007 for the animals. In Veganism, she has not only found a purpose in her life.. she found a level of spirituality that has forever changed her heart and how she interacts with ALL beings. Being a beacon of love and light is the foundation of her spiritual practices and, she feels, the very foundation of Veganism.
Instagram:
chiquita_vegana
Living among Meat Eaters: The Vegetarian's Survival Handbook
Pam Ahern is the Founder of Edgars Mission. A safe haven for formerly farmed animals in Lancefield, Australia. The one-time equestrian champion gave it all up when, in 2003, a tiny piglet, the eminent Edgar Alan Pig, trotted into her life and led her down a path she never imagined.
Graham and Annette Henry are both trained as whole food plant-based educators. The husband and wife teammate are using their knowledge and passion to help others transition successfully to a more plant-based diet as a route to improved health.
Chris Fuller-Wigg is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Austin Farm Sanctuary. He is also the VP of Services for Motiv, a SaaS implementation company. Over the last 5 years, in addition to working at Motiv and building a life with his wife Angela, Chris has worked to build Austin Farm Sanctuary from a 1/2 acre micro-sanctuary to the blossoming non-profit it is today.
Jamie Logan is a NYC-based filmmaker, podcast host, and animal advocate who uses humor, health and fitness, public speaking, and social media to inspire others and cultivate change.
Damien Clarkson is the Co-Founder of THE PACK, a food technology startup making healthy and nutritious plant-based dog food. He previously Co-Founded Vevolution a leading technology platform for the plant-based business community where he is still a board member.
Tiffany Paltauf is the founder of Sleepy Pig Farm Animal Sanctuary, a vegan farmed animal sanctuary located in Upstate NY. Tiffany decided to start a sanctuary after rescuing and raising a two-day-old piglet that she named Maybelle.
Patreon: Sleepy Pig Farm Animal Sanctuary
Website: spfanimalsanctuary.org
John Oberg is a social media influencer and animal advocate dedicated to making the world a kinder place for animals by utilizing the power of social media. In 2018, he launched his own independent, patron-funded program for animals through Patreon to maximize his impact, redefining animal advocacy in the social networking space. Previously, he served as Director of New Media for The Humane League and as Director of Communications for Vegan Outreach. Since launching his project, he has accumulated hundreds of millions of views of his content across social media reaching tens of thousands every single day. He recently launched online courses focused on social media advocacy through the online educational platform, Advocacy Collaborative.
Advocacy Collab Twitter Course: https://advocacycollab.com/mastering-twitter/
Advocacy Collab Instagram Course: https://advocacycollab.com/mastering-instagram/
Official website: JohnOberg.org
Patreon Page: Patreon.com/JohnOberg
Donate: Donorbox.org/JohnOberg
Twitter: Twitter.com/JohnOberg
Instagram: Instagram.com/JohnOberg
Facebook: Facebook.com/JohnObergOfficial
YouTube: YouTube.com/user/JohnOberg
Megan Pereira is the founder of Road To Refuge Animal Sanctuary, located in CT. She works full time as a mixed animal Veterinary Technician with a Bachelor's Degree in Animal Science. She coordinates all potential rescues and tends to the medical needs of all the animals as well as running day-to-day activities at Road to Refuge.
Chris Huriwai is the co-producer of MILKED, which is a feature documentary that exposes the whitewash of New Zealand's multi-billion-dollar dairy industry. He is also a Māori vegan advocate and extreme sportsman. He has a history of working in community health, working for 7 years teaching physical education and mentoring young people from primary to high schools. He’s a back-to-back 3-time world champion for street unicyclist and has recently moved home after working for an organization that assists rough sleepers and individuals who struggle to access sustainable housing. Chris is the co-founder of the animal rights project Aotearoa Liberation League. He is passionate about indigenous practices and using veganism as a decolonial tool.
How to watch:
milked.film
Kerstin Brueller is a vegan animal rights and liberation activist focusing on online activism. She is also a writer, content creator, illustrator, and graphic designer from Vienna, Austria.
Web
kerstinbrueller.com
Instagram
@kerstinbrueller
Andrew Alexander is the producer of Creating a Vegan World documentary where he interviewed 50 leading experts in the vegan, animal rights, and plant-based health movements to discover what it takes to change the world.
Olivia DiNardo is the founder of Sowa Goat Sanctuary, a nonprofit located in Harvard, MA that provides lifelong holistic care to abused, neglected, orphaned, and slaughter-bound goats in need of a safe haven.
sowagoatsanctuary.com
Ray is an award-winning author of YA Fantasy and Climate Fiction from Essex in England.
As an author of Climate Fiction, Ray's books are published on recycled paper where possible and she plants 1 tree per book sale via Ecologi. It is Ray's dream to one day open The Peridot Animal Sanctuary and Wildlife Reserve in England and that dream inspired Ray to close her business of 15 years to pursue a writing career.
When Ray isn't writing, she is happiest spending time with her children, partner, family, and friends or walking with her dogs spending time in nature. A firm believer of magick, Ray can often be found stargazing under the moon with a tarot deck in one hand and a strong cuppa in the other.
Alli Chambers is the co-founder and president of The Zend: Final Farm & Sanctuary. Passion has always fueled her path and her choices in life. Adopting a vegan lifestyle catapulted her into a completely different way of seeing the world around us and how connected we all are. To date, it's her favorite choice she has ever made and it's what started her on the path to The Zend. The Zend is a "safe place for gentle souls" and it's her actual dream come true.
Sean O'Callaghan is a vegan journalist, activist, community organizer, marketer, and travel enthusiast who loves supporting people on their vegan journeys. Originally from Australia, Sean currently lives in London, UK.
fatgayvegan.com
veganculinarycruises.com: USA National Parks Vegan Adventure May 15-20, 2022
islaurbana.org: Isla Urbana is a project dedicated to contributing to water sustainability in Mexico through rainwater harvesting.
Britt is a fine art animal photographer and animal rights advocate from Connecticut. In 2016, she became involved in animal rights activism and volunteering at farm animal sanctuaries. Through her volunteer experiences, she was given the opportunity to photograph some of the sanctuary animals. It was then that she found her true passion in photography. Now, she photographs both rescued animals and wildlife, with a mission to raise awareness for the ways in which humans have a negative impact on animals and how we can create positive change.
Shauna is a licensed veterinary technician with a background in wildlife rehabilitation, farm animal nursing care, and a love of nature. She worked at a mixed-animal veterinary hospital shortly after earning her degree in veterinary technical science in 1994. She went on to earn specialty certification in animal dentistry and pursued an interest in anesthesia and surgical procedures. In her direct work with farmed animals, she came to understand each of them as unique and intelligent beings, which led to removing all animal products from her diet and starting her sanctuary, Wildwood Farm Sanctuary & Preserve.
Aksana is the founder of PiQi, a vegan fermented drinks startup, that's based in the UK. She's a long-time vegan and a fermentation enthusiast. Along with her partner Nick, they are on a mission to help people look after their gut health on a vegan diet.
Cat Besch is the Founder and Director of Vietnam Animal Aid and Rescue-US in Hoi An, Vietnam since 2013. She is an outspoken vegan rescuer and pig mother who is obsessed with global food security and building a world without animal agriculture and fishing.
Tomi Makanjuola is an award-winning food blogger and chef. She runs The Vegan Nigerian, a platform dedicated to making Nigerian cuisine and the vegan lifestyle accessible to members of her community and beyond. Tomi is passionate about sharing her knowledge through workshops, cookbooks, and online content. She is the author of Vegan Nigerian Kitchen.
Kelly is the Co-Founder and former Executive Director of Barn Sanctuary. She had over 7 years of experience in marketing and communication for startups and nonprofit organizations before transitioning to executive leadership. She is a passionate advocate for nonprofit work and specifically animal rights, environmental conservation, and social justice.
Christopher Soul Eubanks is a climate, human, and animal rights activist that was raised in Atlanta, Ga. He has dedicated himself to doing advocacy work that combats all forms of injustice. After learning the horrors of animal exploitation, Christopher became vegan, began doing community organizing, and has helped co-organize Atlanta's first-ever animal rights march. Christopher plans to use education, public speaking, and creativity as tools to advocate for the climate, a vegan lifestyle, and the end of all forms of injustice.
Robbie Balenger is a plant-based ultra-endurance athlete obsessed with finding sustainable motion through space and time. This obsession leads Robbie to seek out mammoth athletic projects that span weeks and months. By exploring recovery techniques and honing diet choices, Robbie is investigating how he can keep going forever.
Eric Leroy Adams (born September 1, 1960) is the Borough President of Brooklyn, New York City.
Adams served as an officer in the New York City Transit Police and then the New York City Police Department, for 22 years. In 1994, though endorsed by the Nation of Islam, he was defeated in the Democratic primary for a New York Congressional seat. From 2006 to 2013 he was a Democratic State Senator in the New York Senate (representing the 20th Senate District in Brooklyn). In November 2013, Adams was elected Brooklyn Borough President, the first African-American to hold the position. In November 2017 he was reelected. On January 1, 2022, Eric will officially be the Mayor of New York City.
Pat McAuley is a Boston-based serial entrepreneur, author, TEDx speaker, and wellness advocate. After a plant-based diet changed his life, Pat shifted his focus to building and supporting businesses in the plant-based space. He is the host of the popular Eat Green Make Green Podcast and Founder of PlantPub, a plant-based food and craft beer brand.
Trey Morrow is an animal liberation activist from South Carolina, USA. He is the co-founder of Animal Activism Mentorship, a program that empowers humans to take action for animals by providing one-on-one mentorship and a supportive community.
Jessica is a writer and animal advocate. Her work is featured in newspapers across Canada. She also co-hosts The Paw & Order Podcast, Canada's animal law podcast.
Jamie is the creator and director of the award-winning docu-series Wild Lands. Wild Horses. Jamie thrives on driving creative ideas from beginning to end. As an Art Director/ Creative Director over the past 14 years, she has helped develop some of the most recognizable brands in the world.
_
A horse lover since birth, Jamie quit her job to follow her passion - photographing wild horses all across the Western United States. With a greater outreach from a growing Instagram following, she has been inspired to do even more. Utilizing her talents, Jamie created her own production company that concentrates on bringing animal causes to the public through film & photography. Jamie's latest project, the docu-series Wild Lands. Wild Horses will help bring awareness to the wild horse cause.⠀
Jason Bolalek is the founder of Destination Liberation, a Vermont-based animal rescue organization, dedicated to rescuing male calves from dairy farms (who are seen as mere waste products in the dairy industry) and finding them forever homes
Anna Pippus is the author of The Vegan Family Cookbook, a cookbook, and strategy manual to make everyday plant-based cooking easier, to be published by Appetite by Random House in 2021.
She holds degrees in law and psychology, having worked as an animal protection lawyer and campaigner for over a decade.
Todd is the founder of Arthur's Acre Animal Sanctuary. After finding a 3 ½-month-old piglet at a former small-scale "farm to table" type facility he was looking at in order to turn it into a sanctuary, Todd demanded to have the pig handed over to him. That pig he named Arthur. Arthur, who was the last pig to be threatened with death at that place, was the first pig to receive sanctuary there. The place where Arthur was meant to die young and afraid will be the place where he learns to live, to love, and be loved in return. Arthurs Acres now stands, no longer a negative place, but one with an abundance of love, kindness, positivity, and compassion. Todd has learned the joy and heartbreak of opening his heart to animals in need, thus finding his true passion in life.
Alison Tierney, through Wholesome LLC, spreads the power of nutrition and a healthy lifestyle to combat chronic disease. As a board-certified oncology registered dietitian, Alison focuses on evidence-based nutrition to educate and empower individuals to take their health into their own hands not only after diagnosis but before. Using plant-based nutrition and a focus on whole-person health, Alison overcame PCOS and infertility. Now, she is on a mission to foster a community dedicated to the prevention and management of chronic diseases through individual counseling, seminars, recipes, blog development, and online courses.
Wholesome's motto is simple for vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores alike - eat more plants.
Laura Carney is a writer and magazine and book copy editor in New York. She's been published by the Washington Post, the Associated Press, The Hill, Runner's World, Good Housekeeping, Upworthy, The Fix, and other places, and is writing a book about finishing the bucket list of her late father, who was killed by a distracted driver.
Dr. Brooke Goldner is a best-selling author, the founder of www.GoodbyeLupus.com, creator of the Hyper-nourishing Nutrition Protocol for Lupus Recovery, and is the author of 3 best-selling books, Goodbye Lupus, Goodbye Autoimmune Disease, and Green Smoothie Recipes to Kick-Start Your Health and Healing.
Wendy Smith is a military veteran, a registered nurse, and a vegan animal rights advocate. She is the Co-Founder and Director of Odd Man Inn Animal Refuge. Wendy works as a registered nurse, comes home to care for 140 animals, and helps run Odd Man Inn full time with her husband, Josh. There are no days off... she does it all for the animals!
Robin lost her beautiful little boy, Danny, to SIDS in 2007. She fell into a depression so deep she couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep, couldn’t function. Her 10-year relationship with her fiancé, Danny’s father, fell apart. She lost everything, including the will to live. Then finally one night after months of despair she googled “bereaved mother” to find help. What popped up was totally unexpected, and altered the course of her life completely... This is a powerful episode and a reminder that our deepest grief can also become our greatest ally and gift. Our suffering can help us become more empathetic and deepen our resolve to help others. Out of the darkest days of our life may come a spark of light that reveals truths that were hidden or we were blind to before. Pain can propel us towards living a life with more meaning and purpose.
Things mentioned in the podcast:Videos:Ronnie the Donkey
This is WOR! Women Of Rescue
Books:
- the kind life: Alicia Silverstone
- Mad Cowboy: Plain Truth from the Cattle Rancher Who Won't Eat Meat by Howard Lyman
- The Vegan Stoner Cookbook: 100 Easy Vegan Recipes to Munch
Instagram:
@enchantedfarmsanctuary
@womenofrescue
Instagram for other Women Of Rescue@goatsofanarchy
@boochaces : Rancho Relaxo
@twistoffatefarmsanctuary
Erin Amerman is the founder and president of Critter Creek Farm Sanctuary. Founded in 2016, the sanctuary quickly grew to become the largest bovine sanctuary in the United States. The sanctuary currently houses over 220 rescued residents, of whom nearly 150 are bovines.
Rachel McCrystal is the Executive Director at Woodstock Farm Sanctuary. She has been at the Sanctuary for seven years. Rachel has volunteered for and worked at various animal rights, conservation, and sheltering organizations over the last 15 years with a focus on development, marketing, campaigns, and strategic planning. She’s been widely published with stories on animal rights and liberation.
Karen Ranzi is an award-winning author, internationally acclaimed speaker, holistic health coach since 1998, certified raw foods chef, speech pathologist for 43 years, and director of the online 100 hour Vegan Certification Course. Her new book Heal and Prevent Autism: Natural Solutions That Work is out now. Karen is the winner of the Living Now Award in the category of Health and Nutrition, and the Peer-to-Peer Award for Service to Childrens Health for her book Creating Healthy Children. Karen has traveled throughout the United States and abroad to speak on the extreme benefits of a fresh whole food vegan lifestyle. In 1994, Karen was able to heal her three-year-old son from asthma, chronic ear infections, and multiple allergies, and herself from the IBS, hormonal imbalance, and severe cystic acne through dietary and lifestyle changes. By means of her education, life-changing personal experiences, and sincere desire to share her message, Karen has been able to guide thousands toward developing excellent health through simple plant-based living.
At 44, Ben Raue also known on Instagram as Plant Based Ben, a former corporate paper pusher, decided to change to a whole-food plant-based diet. Not only did he lose weight but he radically changed his physical appearance. You would be amazed at what Ben did in just 90 days.
Kathy Davis is a plant-based lifestyle coach, recipe developer, the CEO of VegInspired.com and the author of three cookbooks. Her third cookbook "Budget-Friendly Plant-Based Diet Cookbook came out on August 17th. Kathy helps people successfully transition to a plant-based way of eating that supports a fast-paced lifestyle, without requiring hours in the kitchen or the added stress of "What am I going to eat?!"
Kym Henley is the founder of Freedom Hill Sanctuary. A sanctuary for orphaned, abandoned, or injured farm animals. Freedom Hill Sanctuary was established in 2011 with one lamb called Lynn and since then has grown to 150 animals. A place they all call home
Kat runs a vegan bed and breakfast, offering yoga, meditation, reiki, and horse therapy. She is also the founder and executive director of Promised Land Animal Sanctuary in Campbellford, Ontario.
Manu Ndo is a French triathlete who is working on accomplishing an Ironman. An Ironman is a triathlon race that consists of a 2.4 mile swim (3.9K), a 112 mile bike (180.2K), and a 26.2-mile run (42.2K). He is against cruelty and animal abuse, which is why he is vegan and why he tries to spread the word that we can live our best life without hurting any other earthlings. He believes you absolutely can be vegan and be in top shape. Doing the triathlon has been challenging for him because he hasn’t always been athletic. Before becoming vegan, he was 110 lbs (50 kg) heavier. His weight loss is the result of a healthy lifestyle and triathlon training that he enjoys sharing on social media
Ashlee Piper is a political strategist turned eco-lifestyle journalist and TV personality.
Ashlee is also the author of
Give a Sh*t: Do Good. Live Better. Save the Planet.
She baby stepped her way to becoming vegan about 10 years ago and hasn’t looked back.
Former NBA player Donny Marshall has been a standout basketball player in high school, college and the NBA. He was healthy, in shape and yet the doctors told him and his wife that they had about a 1% chance of getting pregnant. Donny and his wife decided to change to a plant-based diet and were able to have children.
Dr. Aaron Spitz is among the top 2% of male infertility experts in the country and the author of the most informative and accessible book on men’s health: The Penis Book: A Doctor's Complete Guide to the Penis—From Size to Function and Everything in Between. His trademark wit makes men feel at ease with even the most uncomfortable topics, which is why he's often featured in the media, such as the Netflix documentary, The Game Changers, The Doctors, and more.
Sarah is the founder of the pig sanctuary, The Pearly Acre. The Pearly Acre was founded to serve an unexpected demand for experience and knowledge about her Pot Belly pigs. What began with simply taking her pig, Bullet, for hikes at a local conservation area and attending town events, became what is now The Pearly Acre. Named after her beautiful piglet, Pearl, whom she lost at 8 months old, she strives to live the most compassionate life she can, in Pearl's name. The Pearly Acre also works to help match unwanted pigs with new homes through a networking community.
Susan Klingenberg is the founder and president of Little Buckets Farm Sanctuary.
In 2017, Susan made a bucket list, which included saving a life at a livestock auction. The life that was saved was a one-day-old baby calf who she named Bucket. Just being ripped from his mom, Susan became his new mom and he befriended her dog Colton. Watching Bucket and Colton interact everyday, Susan saw that Bucket was no different than Colton. A grass puppy.
Bucket wanted to be loved, he wanted to give his love, he wanted to run and play, take naps, and have chin scratches just like Colton. Bucket inspired Susan to make her dream of a sanctuary happen so that she could save as many lives as possible just like Bucket's and she wanted to be able to show the public a side of farm animals that most people never get to see, all in the hopes that they will make that connection and want to go vegan for the animals.
Mike Stura is a Mechanic, Welder and Harley Davidson guy. He's not your typical vegan but Mike owns and runs Skylands Animal Sanctuary and Rescue in New Jersey.
Mike started Skylands Animal Sanctuary and Rescue with one tiny piece of land and a few small animals. That tiny piece of land grew to become an entire farm full of rescued souls. These animals are rescued from slaughterhouses, live markets, farms, extreme neglect, abuse, religious ceremonies, abandonment, and are even found wandering streets…
No matter where they are from or from what dire circumstances they escape, they are provided with proper veterinary care, the best foods, water, a safe place to live, eat and sleep as well as lots of love around the clock.
Every animal requires room to run and live unencumbered by the threat of harm and each one gets exactly what they need at the Skylands Animal Sanctuary and Rescue.
To help the animals and Mike at Skylands Animal Sanctuary and Rescue donate by going to skylandssanctuary.org
Mackenzie Sullivan is the founder and president of Ellie Mae Farm Sanctuary.
The story of EMFS started when Mackenzie was a student a the University of Connecticut. For her Introduction to Animal Science course, she had to choose a farm animal to train for an event at the end of the semester. She ended up picking a Hereford girl with the ear tag that read H864D; who she named Ellie Mae. Over the next few months, Mackenzie grew an incredibly strong bond with Ellie Mae.
At the end of the class assignment, the university auctions off some of the farmed animals, and Ellie Mae happened to be one of them. Mackenzie knew she had to do something to try and save her. Unfortunately, when the time came, she was outbid by a local farmer and completely devastated. She felt that she had let Ellie Mae down. Luckily the farmer said that she could come to visit Ellie Mae whenever she wanted to, so for the next two years, she did every weekend. During this time Mackenzie visited as many sanctuaries as possible and interned at a sanctuary in New York.
When Ellie Mae was almost two years old she was artificially inseminated and on September 16, 2018, Ellie Mae gave birth to a baby girl who Mackenzie named, Zee. Mackenzie was finally able to convince the farmer to let her have Ellie Mae and Zee. So she and her partner, Billy, bought a trailer and moved the two girls to their first property in May of 2019.
Kimberly is a self-taught private chef, an on-air personality noted for her infectious personality, and the founder of Might Be Vegan.
In the kitchen, she’s had the pleasure of serving busy executives, families, as well as celebrities, and professional athletes. She’s also the creator behind the award-winning national COVID-19 hunger relief program, Food Love.
Food Love by Might Be Vegan is a national, direct-to-door hunger relief effort providing families in need with nutritious, plant-based food at no cost to them, to strengthen health outcomes and work towards greater food justice in the U.S.
Created as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the program is especially focused on serving Black and Brown communities and those living in poverty. The program operates in all 48 contiguous states and has already served so many when they needed it most. In addition, Food Love is the only national hunger relief effort that is fully vegan and that is led by a Black woman.
Dr. Akil Taher is the author of OPEN HEART a book that chronicles his transformational journey. Dr. Taher had angioplasty at 56, open heart surgery at 61, and ran his first half marathon less than a year later. He then proceeded to run the Chicago, Boston, and Mumbai marathons, and also climbed mountains. He transformed from a middle-aged couch potato with a dangerously bad diet into a vital, energetic athlete, ever seeking new challenges and adventures. His whole food plant-based diet played a major part in his transformation.
Jamie is the founder of Humble Honee and the Vice President of Critter Creek Farm Sanctuary.
Her time at Critter Creek Farm Sanctuary has allowed her to educate people about the cruelty involved in animal agriculture by having people meet their meat.
With her new business venture Humble Honee, The Bumble-Free Alternative. She is focused on raising awareness about another exploited species: bees.
Alicia Wilks is a mother of five who runs a plant-based household. She is a trained massage therapist, is certified in plant-based nutrition from Cornell University, and her husband, James Wilks, is the producer of the popular documentary - The Game Changers.
Steven Seighman is a plant-based food photographer and founder of the website The Nut-Free Vegan. He is a ten-year vegan and lifelong food allergy sufferer. Another aspect of The Nut-Free Vegan, which aligns with his belief in change through positivity, is his support of animal sanctuaries. He is a member of several of these organizations around America and donates 50% of all of his ad revenue from his site to support these causes.
Kartikeya Talreja is a Los Angeles based certified Ayurvedic Nutritionist, Digestive Health and Lifestyle Coach. Ayurveda is one of the oldest health systems in the world which originated in India more than 5000 years ago. Ayurveda believes that most diseases originate with imbalances in the digestive system. Kartikeya guides his clients who are suffering from digestive issues by educating them to eat a healthy whole food plant-based diet, spices, herbs, and to adopt a healthy lifestyle using the principles of Ayurveda.
Lena Kaneider suffered from anorexia nervosa and veganism changed her life. Veganism helped her battle and overcome anorexia nervosa. The colorful vegan diet let her enjoy food again and helped her regard it as fuel rather than the enemy. She also became aware of certain problems in this world and now lives more ethically. She was vegetarian for years but going vegan was definitely the best decision of her life!
Instagram:
len.alini
After watching Forks over Knives, Kory Zelickson decided he wanted to change to a vegan diet. He started simply by eliminating meat, moved onto fish, and then finally dairy. His transition took him about 10 years to completely change to a vegan diet. He is proof that where there is a will, there is a way.
Kory is an entrepreneur, investor, vegan, and CEO of Vejii Inc.
Kory's latest venture, shopvejii.com is putting his passion to life.
Shopvejii.com is an online marketplace making vegan certified products more widely accessible.
Danielle and Chris Benn had no intention of becoming vegan. After trying a vegan challenge five years ago, Danielle and Chris saw and felt immediate benefits. They both decided to continue with a plant-based diet and are still vegan today.
Danielle and Chris continue to share these benefits so that others can feel as they do.
Mario Buccellati is a plant-based chef and owner of Mariolinos Vegan Italian Kitchen in New York City.
He has worked in all facets of the industry from food festivals and food trucks to some of the best vegan restaurants in New York City. He has also curated 30 of his own 4-course pop-up dinner events. Mario traveled Europe to develop his knowledge on the plant-based scene. Stopping in Italy, Athens, and London, he met with restaurants and chefs to learn techniques and the imagination behind the food they had to offer. During his stay in Tuscany, he also received a diploma at the macrobiotic & plant-based school, Gioia di Vivere.
When the pandemic started, Mario decided to take his small vegan Italian kitchen and change it into a delivery service to help bring food and joy into people's homes.
Things mentioned in the podcast:Books:
The Beauty Detox Solution: Eat Your Way to Radiant Skin, Renewed Energy and the Body You've Always Wanted Paperback –
by Kimberly Snyder
Dirt Candy: A Cookbook: Flavor-Forward Food from the Upstart New York City Vegetarian Restaurant by Amanda Cohen
Music:
White China
Sammantha Fisher is a self-taught internationally-published Animal Rights photographer. The sole purpose of her work is to showcase the emotional lives, beauty, and vibrant personalities of animals in hopes that viewers will consider a plant-based lifestyle. Sammantha provides free photography services to vegan sanctuaries worldwide - so a huge majority of her work is based on rescued animals but she also documents those animals at farms, slaughterhouses, and everywhere in-between.
Sexual Assault Helpline - rainn.org
U.S. - stopbullying.gov
U.K. - nationalbullyinghelpline.co.uk
Australia - bullyingnoway.gov.au
Stephanie Rich is the chef and owner of Verdine in Houston, Texas. In six years, Stephanie was able to go from a simple vegan pop-up at a farmers market to owning her own bricks and mortar plant-based restaurant called Verdine.
Verdine
Glen John Jones is a personal trainer and the author of "Think and Grow Vegan" - a book about how to gradually adopt a plant-based diet in five stages.
Glen was an avid meat eater who changed to a plant-based diet when he started concentrating on endurance sports.
Matt Underwood is the play-by-play announcer for the Cleveland Indians. Matt suffered from allergies, inflammation and even had an inhaler for his asthma. In 2017, Matt changed to a plant-based diet and all of these symptoms disappeared.
Tamara Monroe was successfully thriving in a traditional marketing role but decided to give all that up to follow her dreams. Tamara owns and runs Lovebird Donuts with her husband Ryan, a vegan donut and coffee shop in Maine.
Lovebirds Donuts is an all-vegan and sustainably minded shop dedicated to offering real, scratch-made food and organic coffee.
Peter Cervoni is a corporate chef at Good Catch Foods, where they make plant-based seafood… and he’s been vegan for over 20 years. He’s seen a lot of changes over those years.
He is a veteran of the foodservice industry, bringing with him over 30 years of proven, professional culinary experience to the realm of plant-based, health-supportive cuisine.
Peter graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 1993, and after an apprenticeship at The Breakers Resort in Palm Beach, FL, Peter worked at some of New York City's finest restaurants, including The River Café and La Cote Basque.
After experiencing his epiphany leading to his paradigmatic switch to become vegan over 20 years ago, Peter devoted all his talent and energy to plant-based and health- supportive cuisine. Since that time Peter has worked at the helm of top New York City vegan restaurants, such as Angelica Kitchen, Quintessence and Organic Avenue in addition to consulting for many others.
Besides being a chef, Peter has held almost every job imaginable in the culinary world from food writer for Vegetarian Times, to food stylist and culinary educator. As a restaurant consultant and recipe formulator, Chef Peter has travelled extensively in North and Central America and Europe to help bring the message of Veganism to the world.
Bettina Campolucci Bordi is the driving force behind Bettina's Kitchen. Bettina is a chef who hosts retreats, writes cookbooks, and has workshops in London. She Inspires people to eat seasonally and cook from scratch.
Bettina’s Kitchen today encompasses culinary, yoga and mindfulness retreats, plant based cooking workshops, recipe development, food writing, and most recently, Bettina's first cookbook, Happy Food. Everything she does honors her own beliefs around food and wellness and aligns with her philosophies: that we should eat seasonally, locally and from farm to table as much as we can; we should support small businesses within our communities; we must use roots, shoots and all! Cooking waste free is particularly important to her; and we must let our veggies do the talking – the best plant food is fuss-free, simple, easy, inexpensive and speaks for itself.
Doug McNish is a world class vegan chef, consultant, educator, author and committed vegan activist.
He's been named one of the 5 vegan chefs who are revolutionizing food and he has recently redesigned his Toronto restaurant, Mythology.
Doug is bringing Vegan cuisine to the mainstream and challenging ideas on ethics, the health and the environment. In addition to publishing 3 award winning books in three years, Doug currently helps operate Mythology in Toronto Ontario. You can catch Doug online by following him on Twitter, Instagram or on Facebook, where he routinely shares his current projects, and his love for everything Vegan!