Vegan Summerfest features experts in the fields of health, nutrition, animal rights, the environment, exercise and other related lifestyle topics, plus talented chefs. The following 2025 speakers are already confirmed, with more to be added. Please check back for updates.
Michael Greger, MD
A founding member and fellow of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, Michael Greger, MD, is a physician, author, and internationally recognized speaker on nutrition, food safety, and public health issues. He has lectured at the Conference on World Affairs, testified before Congress, and was invited as an expert witness in the defense of Oprah Winfrey in the infamous “meat defamation” trial. His latest book is How Not to Die. More than a thousand of his nutrition videos are freely available at NutritionFacts.org, with new videos and articles uploaded every day.
Neal Barnard, MD, FACC
Adjunct associate professor of medicine at The George Washington University School of Medicine; President of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine; founded the Barnard Medical Center where they work with patients to prevent and reverse diseases through nutrition and lifestyle changes; led numerous research studies investigating the effects of diet on diabetes, body weight, and chronic pain, including a groundbreaking study of dietary interventions in type 2 diabetes, funded by the National Institutes of Health; authored more than 70 scientific publications as well as 18 books and hosted three PBS television programs on nutrition and health Visit Speaker’s Website
Kim Allan Williams, MD, MACC, FAHA, MASNC, FESC
Vegan Cardiologist; completed his internal medicine residency at Emory University, and overlapping fellowships in cardiology, clinical pharmacology, and nuclear medicine at the University of Chicago; board certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular diseases, nuclear medicine, nuclear cardiology and cardiovascular computed tomography; joined the faculty of the University of Chicago in 1986; served as professor of medicine and radiology and director of nuclear cardiology at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine until 2010, when he became the Dorothy Susan Timmis Endowed Professor and chair of the division of cardiology at Wayne State University School of Medicine; In 2013, Williams assumed the position of James B. Herrick Professor and chief of the division of cardiology at Rush University Medical Center; past president of the American College of Cardiology
Laurie Marbas, MD, MBA
She is a double board-certified family medicine and lifestyle medicine physician who has been utilizing food as medicine since 2012. She holds medical licenses in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., and operates a small concierge practice at drmarbas.com. Dr. Marbas is the co-founder of The Healing Kitchen with Brittany Jaroudi, blending culinary expertise with medical guidance to create a recipe for health. A former co-founder of Mora Medical and Plant Based TeleHealth, she also hosts The Habit Healer Podcast and the Dr. Laurie Marbas YouTube Channel, where she shares her expertise in health, nutrition, and wellness.
Laurie received her dual degrees (MD and MBA) from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine and TTU School of Business. She was honored with the prestigious Gold Headed Cane Award, symbolizing excellence in the art of medicine and patient care. While in medical school and raising three children, she authored seven books, including the popular Visual Mnemonics series, using cartoons to simplify complex medical concepts—a system she developed to balance motherhood and medical training. More recently she coauthored, Plant-Based 101: The Ultimate Guide to Mastering the Plant-Based Diet, with Brittany Jaroudi.
A veteran of the United States Air Force, Laurie served in the Middle East and South America. She is also a wife, mother of three grown children, author, speaker, and an avid hiker.
Tim Radak, RDN DrPH MPH
He currently serves as Academic Coordinator for the Public Health PhD program at Walden University, and instructs students with a particular focus on critical thinking; and is a board member of the UK based Human Ecology Project. He previously served as Assistant Professor of Nutrition and Dietetic Internship Director at Appalachian State University, Senior Research Program Manager for the Cancer Prevention Institute of California, and Director of Nutrition for Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. Since age 18 he has been vegetarian and shortly thereafter vegan.
Stephan Esser, MD
Director, Esser Health– Take Your Life from Surviving to Thriving; clinician on lifestyle medicine, exercise and nutrition; completed his residency training at Harvard Medical School and a Sports Medicine Fellowship at Mayo Clinic
Angela Crawford, PhD
She is a psychologist, vegan educator, and author of The Vegan Transformation: A Journey to Heal Yourself and the World (Lantern, 2025). She speaks and teaches about thriving emotionally and socially as a vegan, the connection between food and mood, overcoming barriers to lifestyle change, and values alignment and compassion. Dr. Crawford previously worked as a psychotherapist for 25 years, empowering clients toward greater holistic well-being. She holds certifications as a Master Vegan Lifestyle Coach and Educator (MSVA), licensed PCRM Food for Life instructor, and Transformational Coach. She is passionate about the power of personal transformation to create a more fulfilling, healthy, and purposeful life – and a kinder, more sustainable world.
Jen Howk, PhD
Jen is a writer, researcher, and coach who has been vegan for twenty years. She has a Ph.D. in government from Harvard University, and her academic work focuses on the social, psychological, and political determinants of resilience and well-being. As a coach, she is interested in helping clients discover new ways of thinking about and approaching difficult problems in relationships, work issues, family issues, and health concerns. She’s a self-taught permaculture enthusiast with a few hundred fruit trees and an ever-expanding collection of other plants. She’s also proud companion to her rescue squad of three dogs, two rabbits, two guinea pigs, the groundhog who lives under her shed and eats the entire garden every year, and a free-range house mouse named Misha. For more information or to reach out, visit www.jenhowk.com
Victoria Moran
Featured twice on Oprah, the author of Main Street Vegan and The Love-Powered Diet is director of Main Street Vegan Academy, cofounder of the Compassion Consortium, host of the Victoria Moran Podcast, and lead producer of the documentary A Prayer for Compassion. Her next book will be Age Like a Yogi.
Dawn Hilton-Williams
Dawn Hilton-Williams, fondly dubbed “The Vegucator,” champions the cause of 100% whole food, plant-based (WFPB) living and health equity as Founder of Herban Eats, LLC and Co-Founding Executive Director of Power is Giving, Inc.
A WFPB certified nutrition professional, Dawn is also a contributing culinary and wellness equity columnist with decades of culinary expertise and author of clinically endorsed cookbook & guide, “Flava My Plate,” which seamlessly blends affordable, nutritious vegan recipes with facts and strategies to combat lifestyle-driven chronic diseases.
With a focus on optimizing BIPOC community wellness through vegucation, Dawn provides flavors and facts that support accessible and sustainable change.
Robert Breakey, MD, DipABLM
Graduate of the University of Michigan Medical School; Head of his medical group’s “IHA Center for Lifestyle Medicine”; on the Board of Directors of Plant Based Prevention of Disease (P-POD); Chairman of the Board of the Plant Based Nutrition Support Group (PBNSG).
Maribeth Abrams, MS, CNC
Certified Nutritional Consultant; Certified Holistic Health Practitioner; Certified Lifestyle Educator; author of The 4-Ingredient Vegan and Tofu 1-2-3; NAVS Board Member; Associate Editor Vegetarian Voice magazine; vegan for 20 years; mother of two teens vegan since birth.
Milton Mills, MD
He practices urgent care medicine in the Washington DC area, and has served previously as Associate Director of Preventive Medicine and as a member of the National Advisory Board, for Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). He has been a major contributor to position papers presented by PCRM to the United States Department of Agriculture regarding Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and has been the lead plaintiff in PCRM’s class action lawsuit that asks for warning labels on milk. ; co-author of PCRM’s report on Racial and Ethnic Bias in the U.S. Dietary Guidelines.
Chip Ballew
Carol H. Barnett, PhD, JD
Co-Coordinator, Rochester Area Vegan Society; provides the recipes, cooking and food sampling for a six-week course in Plant-Based Eating which has reached more than 300 people in the Rochester area; mother of three adult children who are lifelong vegans.
Ted D. Barnett, MD, FACLM
The “High-Tech Doctor with Low-Tech Solutions.” Diagnostic & Interventional Radiologist and senior partner with Borg and Ide Imaging in Rochester, NY, where he has practiced since 1986. Board-certified in Diagnostic Imaging (1984); board-certified in Vascular & Interventional Radiology (1995); one of the first 204 physicians board-certified in Lifestyle Medicine (2017). Dedicated to transforming the practice of medicine using the principles of Lifestyle Medicine and plant-based nutrition. Founder and CEO of Rochester Lifestyle Medicine Group, (2015); Founder and President, Rochester Lifestyle Medicine Institute (2017), which licenses a medically-supervised 15-Day WFPB Jumpstart. Teaches a 6-week 12-CME Plant-Based Nutrition course, accredited for physicians by the University of Rochester, which has reached almost 1,000 people in the Rochester, NY area. Co-Coordinator, Rochester Area Vegan Society since 1995; father of three adult children who are lifelong vegans.
Christine Melanie Benson
A decade-plus vegan with her own powerful story of food-based healing, Christine Melanie Benson is also an author, personal coach, attorney, and host of the Vegan Posse podcast. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling. Christine brings her expertise in self-healing and her training in Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy even to her fiction works, as demonstrated by her novel Marrying Myself, which features a vegan protagonist and both entertains and inspires readers to fall in love with the world around them and, most of all, themselves. A welcome alternative to the meathead characters in mainstream women’s fiction, Marrying Myself was named a top media pick of the year in 2023 by VegNews magazine. In her role as host of the Vegan Posse podcast, Christine talks to vegans from around the globe who are living lives of integrity and compassion, with an eye toward justice – not just keeping the peace but creating it through their food choices and beyond. Formerly of Boston and New York City, Christine now makes her home in Nashville, Tennessee.
Anne Dinshah
Co-author (with H. Jay Dinshah) of the forthcoming book Powerful Vegan Messages; co-author of Apples, Bean Dip, and Carrot Cake: Kids! Teach Yourself to Cook; author of Dating Vegans; vice president of American Vegan Society; managing editor of American Vegan magazine; professional rowing coach; lifelong vegan, third generation vegetarian, and mom to vegan son Clint.
Freya Dinshah
Co-author of Apples, Bean Dip, and Carrot Cake: Kids! Teach Yourself to Cook a great new book that inspires kids to make healthy snacks and meals; author of The Vegan Kitchen which in 1965 was the first U.S. cookbook to use the word vegan in the title and espouse the vegan philosophy; lecturer & teacher; lifetime vegetarian (over 60 years vegan); President of American Vegan Society and editor of American Vegan magazine; inducted to the Vegetarian Hall of Fame
Michael C. Dorf, JD
Robert S. Stevens Professor of Law at Cornell University Law School; graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School; author of four books and numerous articles on law and its relation to social change; co-author of the book Beating Hearts: Abortion and Animal Rights; as a vegan activist, he applies the lessons he has learned from studying other justice movements.
Mylan Engel Jr.
Professor of Philosophy at Northern Illinois University specializing in animal ethics and environmental ethics; co-author (with Kathie Jenni) of The Philosophy of Animal Rights: A Brief Introduction for Students and Teachers (2010); lead editor of The Moral Rights of Animals (2016); he has developed a common sense approach to animal ethics, which he uses to defend ethical veganism and to argue that animal experimentation should be abolished.
Joann Farb
JoAnn Farb is a former microbiologist with a global pharmaceutical company, author of two books and mother of two life-long grown-up vegans. She publishes the Feast Lawrence News and blogs at JoAnnFarb.com about veganism, parenting and health. Visit Speaker’s Website
Sarina Farb
Sarina is a life-long vegan and second generation activist dedicated to making the world a better place. She speaks and writes about growing up vegan and dealing with “pushback”. Sarina was previously Tribe of Heart’s International Liaison, helping to make the award-winning animal films The Witness and Peaceable Kingdom: The journey Home understandable and accessible around the world. Also a science educator, Sarina is passionate about bringing ethics, holism, and true critical thinking into science curricula. She earned her degree in biochemistry and policy studies at Grinnell College where the also founded the vegan group AACT.
Lee Hall, JD, LLM
A 36-year vegan, Lee holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Environment & Climate Law from Vermont Law School. Lee has taught animal law and environmental law, and has authored several books, including On Their Own Terms: Animal Liberation for the 21st Century. Lee penned the “Vegetarian” and “Environmental Racism” entries for the Encyclopedia of Activism and Social Justice (Sage), and the chapter “Nonhuman Rights and Human Sustainability” for Springer’s Encyclopedia of UN Sustainability Goals (Vol. 12, 2020)—the largest peer-reviewed project ever undertaken on the subject.
Amie Hamlin
She is the Executive Director, Coalition For Healthy School Food; wrote NYS Legislative Resolution that passed unanimously in the NYS Legislature in 2004 – requesting vegan entrees each day and nutrition education that includes information on multi-cultural and vegan eating styles; responsible for the first four vegetarian public (non-charter) schools in the United States (all in NYC) and a vegan option on the menu every day in NYC schools, oversees development of nutrition education curriculum (Food UnEarthed: Uncovering the Truth About Food), educational resources, and helping school transition to more plant-based menus; founder and president of Club Veg: Vegan Education Group in the Southern Tier of NY (Binghamton & Ithaca); founder of Growing Peace Farm, a veganic farm outside of Ithaca, NY.
Kathleen Kinsolving
Vegan; earned a BFA in Film and TV; presented film appreciation classes; teaches English at Centreville High School where her students enjoy such literature and films as the anti-hunting short story The Most Dangerous Game, and the great avian rebellion in The Birds
Vance Lehmkuhl
Vegan columnist (“V for Veg”) for the Philadelphia Daily News; cartoonist, speaker, piano-player and all-around entertainer; founding member of vegetarian pop band Green Beings; creator of “Edgy Veggies” cartoon for VegNews; author, Joy of Soy (collection of his vegetarian cartoons); illustrator (created NAVS “Food/Friend” T-shirt) and feature writer for Vegetarian Voice.
Sally Lipsky, PhD
She has a Ph.D. in Education and Certificate in Plant-based Nutrition from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies. Knowing the importance of day-to-day food choices in maintaining long-term health and well-being, she educates others about practical ways to implement and maintain plant-centered eating habits. She has authored articles, curriculums for healthcare providers, a monthly newsletter, and the recently published book Beyond Cancer: The Powerful Effect of Plant-Based Eating. Also, she is leader of the Pittsburgh Plant-Based Support Group in partnership with PlantPure Communities.
Myriam Parham, RD, CDCES
She has presented nutrition lectures for Dr. John McDougall Publix programs in Florida and is a frequent speaker at the NAVS Summerfest. She has also served on the PCRM Professional Advisory board for many years and participated in their GEICO nutritional intervention research program. She currently serves on the Health Care Advisory Team for the Plant-Based Lifestyle Movement (PBLM) since its inception in Florida. She is the president and co-founder of Florida Voices for Animals, Inc
John Pierre
Personal trainer to top celebrities and Fortune 500 CEOs, and his client list has included Ellen DeGeneres and Emily Deschanel; vegan nutrition and fitness consultant who lectures throughout the US sharing the principles of compassionate living to people of all ages; best known for his innovative work helping older adults enhance cognitive functioning, and his fun, yet effective approach to functional fitness; author of The Pillars of Health.
Roberta Schiff, MS
She has been presenting at Summerfest for over 10 years. She lives in Rhinebek NY where she is a health educator, nutrition counselor and coordinates Hudson Valley Vegans, planning events and educational outreach activities.
Alyssa Sikora
For the last 18 years, she has practiced a variety of yoga to include Yin, Vinyasa, and Iyengar yoga. She is now a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher (CIYT) and Registered Yoga Teachers (RYT) 500 through Yoga Alliance. She connected with the Iyengar philosophy because of its emphasis on anatomy and philosophy. The Iyengar method also helped advance her personal practice. Alyssa has studied with Senior Iyengar teachers such as Arun, Randy Just, Nichole Baker, Rebecca Lerner, and Abhijata Iyengar. In addition to yoga, Alyssa had a 10 year career working for the government. Alyssa has a Bachelor’s Degree in political science and a Master’s degree in international relations. Alyssa was also a Food for Life Instructor through PCRM for many years, and is a certified vegan chef through the Rouxbe Cooking School. Alyssa has traveled all over the world, but now calls Colorado home with her husband and two children. When Alyssa is not gardening, making DIYs, or cooking vegan food, she teaches yoga and homeschools her two kids.
Karen Steiner
In 2013 at the age of 55 she weighed 220 pounds (at 4’11”), was severely depressed and had aching joints. After a lifetime of yo-yo dieting she figured out how to stop overeating and lost 90 pounds. The process started with working in the three key areas, mindset change, mindful eating and self-acceptance. The changes in the way she saw herself led her to a Whole-Food Plant-Based diet. Her story was featured in the Spring ’22 print edition of Forks Over Knives Magazine. She is currently a Coach working with people who have a long history of overeating and yo-yo dieting. Visit Speaker’s Website
Michael Taylor
He is a business executive with 33+ years’ experience selling complex and high-level projects to executives, engineers, influencers and users. Understanding the art of the sell, support and how a customer buys is critical to success. Michael uses these same principals in successful “selling”/converting people to veganism and with a high degree of success in keeping them vegan. He travels in North America, South America and Europe for business and also contributes to VegWorld Magazine as the restaurant “critic.
Marcella Torres
Professional meal planner, dancer, PhD student in mathematical biology, and mother to a thriving vegan child; half of the husband and wife team of competitive bodybuilders behind Vegan Muscle and Fitness, where they have shared their training and nutrition tips, recipes and more since 2009; co-owner of Richmond, Virginia’s only plant-based personal training studio, Root Force Personal Training, which seeks to promote a fit and active plant-powered lifestyle and shatter the perception that strength and athleticism can’t be achieved with a plant-based diet – the mission: to generate as many fit vegan role models as possible to get the message across that a plant-based diet isn’t a handicap in the world of athletics – it’s an advantage!
Derek Tresize
Three-time natural bodybuilding champion and WNBF pro bodybuilder; A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer, is certified in Plant-Based Nutrition, and holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology; half of the husband and wife team of competitive bodybuilders behind Vegan Muscle and Fitness, where they have shared their training and nutrition tips, recipes and more since 2009; co-owner of Richmond, Virginia’s only plant-based personal training studio, Root Force Personal Training, which seeks to promote a fit and active plant-powered lifestyle and shatter the perception that strength and athleticism can’t be achieved with a plant-based diet – the mission: to generate as many fit vegan role models as possible to get the message across that a plant-based diet isn’t a handicap in the world of athletics – it’s an advantage!
Robert C. Victor
Former Staff Astronomer at the Abrams Planetarium, Michigan State University, where he served for over 30 years; he still designs and produces occasional issues of their monthly Sky Calendar, and writes on sky watching for theCoachella Valley Independent, and for the California and the Michigan Science Teachers Associations; he received the Clifford W. Holmes Award for his “Major Contribution to Popularizing Astronomy,” and the Shiny Apple Award from Palm Springs Unified School District for sharing his passion and knowledge of the sky with students and parents.