Notre Dame Room
11:30 am-12:30 pm: “Plant-Powered Living for Slow-Motion Aging”
Introduced by Glen Merzer
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm: “Ahimsa Ayurveda: The Extra Oomph in Your Vibrant Lifestyle”
Introduced by Marcy Dailey
Victoria Moran is an author, professional speaker, podcast host and founder of Main Street Vegan Academy, training and certifying Vegan Lifestyle Coaches and Educators. She has published 13 books about well-being, spirituality and vegan living. Her 14th book, Age Like a Yogi, is due out in late 2024. VegNews magazine lists Moran among the Top 10 Living Vegetarian Authors. She hosts the Main Street Vegan Podcast and the Main Street Vegan Talk Show streaming on Unchained TV.
Her care for animals is expressed as co-director of the Compassion Consortium, an interfaith spiritual center for animal advocates, as well as serving as lead producer for the 2019 documentary, A Prayer for Compassion. A current project features a film co-written with her husband, William Melton, titled, “Miss Liberty,” about a cow who escapes from a slaughterhouse.
Click here to learn more.
Pre-Function West (or West Wing)
11:00 – 11:30 am: “Mushrooms in Minutes”
Chef Josh Musinski, a 3rd generation descendant of Italian Immigrants, has over 20 years of experience in the food service industry. They are passionate about their work expanding the public’s understanding and appreciation of plant-based cooking and ethical veganism. Josh has reverence for the delicious wild of nature and respects the abundance that vegetable and mushroom farmers provide. After years of working in restaurants in Chicago, they relocated to Michigan in 2016 to start a homestead with dreams of an edible food forest.
Josh crafts recipes focused on utilizing locally grown produce to redefine the possibilities of vegetable and mushroom cookery. Currently, Josh operates Water & Wheat mobile food business as well as Fernberry Farm Seasonings, forages and sells local fresh mushrooms, and enjoys teaching vegan cooking classes at Kalamazoo Valley Community College. Look for their first cookbook called Water & Wheat, which is in the works to share all the former restaurant’s recipes.
Click here to learn more.
Pre-Function West (or West Wing)
Hip-Hop Music
Awesome/AC Wolf has been a firefighter for the City of Chicago since 2006. AC is also a MC/Hip Hop Lyricist, as well as a motivational speaker and workout enthusiast. With working out and Hip Hop being a part of his lifestyle, AC decided to design a unique brand of rhymes with his “Get Motivated” project.
With his “Get Motivated” rhymes, Awesome has created powerful, uplifting Hip Hop music that promotes fitness and wellness. His music inspires the listener to move, exercise and eat healthy, as well as keep a positive mindset and to strive for excellence. AC is one of a kind with his display of Hip Hop and motivational speaking with “Get Motivated,” where Hip Hop and fitness/wellness meet!
Click here to learn more.
Notre Dame Room
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm: “Becoming Vegan Strong”
Introduced by Tyler Kanczuzewski
Sgt Vegan is on a mission to save lives by advocating for healthy, plant-based environmentally-friendly living. Vegan since 1992, this former US Army Paratrooper has accumulated a diverse life resume:
Combat Veteran, Martial Artist, Vegan Chef, Author (Vegan Strong: The Ultimate Field Manual for a Kick-Ass Plant-Fueled Life), RN-Cardiac Telemetry, Fluent in both Japanese and American, World Traveler – 47 countries, Musician – Final Fantasy X soundtrack
Jo Stepaniak, MSEd, author of Low-FODMAP and Vegan, The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook, describes Sgt Vegan in these terms:
Sgt. Vegan (aka Bill Muir) is a classic Renaissance man. He’ll cover your back on the battlefield, in a medical crisis, at the gym, or in the kitchen. He knows firsthand what it’s like to maintain a plant-based diet under the most grueling circumstances (Army boot camp, Ranger training, deployment to Afghanistan!) and not only survive but also thrive, vegan strong. This Ironman isn’t just a tough guy, though. He has professional vegan culinary training, which is a natural extension of his warm, gentle heart. There’s no one better than Sgt. Vegan to train your body and motivate your mind for a life of health, fitness, compassion, and good eating.
Click here for more information.
Click here for a video interview with Chef AJ
Pre-Function West (or West Wing)
4:00 pm – 4:30 pm: “Homemade Candy Bars”
Katherine and Joshua started Feel Better Living as a married duo on a mission to help others feel better in their mind, body, and spirit.
Because of their own history and struggles with health and wellness, they have devoted the past decade to uncovering and exploring natural modes of healing.
For them, eating a plant-based diet rich in enzymes has been a part of the equation of their natural solution to Feel Better Living. To showcase some of their recipes they have a cooking show, which can be found on their YouTube channel.
They also love medicinal herbs and mushrooms, solutions given by nature to help them Feel Better Living. Katherine has completed her first herbalist course and Joshua is actively studying how herbs can play a role in our hormonal health – which is of utmost importance to how we Feel Better Living in our day-to-day lives.
Another part of their Feel Better Living efforts comes in the form of mental support. Both Katherine and Joshua are accredited coaches who have supported 100’s in their efforts to gain mental awareness, manage their actions, overcome mental barriers, find peace of mind, and change their lives in positive ways. They actively work 1-1 with people in an “invest where you’re at” style to make mental, physical and spiritual support affordable for everyone who comes to them.
Katherine and Joshua believe that in order to Feel Better Living we need to look beyond ourselves, explore the essence of nature and understand our relationship with it. Katherine has a bachelors in Wildlife and Joshua a bachelors in Environmental Science. They believe their extensive knowledge of the natural world has brought them closer to the earth and thus the unknown spiritual sides of this reality. They actively compost, reuse, and recycle to nourish the earth and create as little trash as possible. They believe when we nourish a relationship with the earth in these ways we Feel Better Living.
This married duo loves sharing education and gifts of health whenever they can. They love conversation and have an open heart and ears for anyone in need. Spark a conversation with them and see how they can support you in your efforts to Feel Better Living.
Watch Katherine and Joshua on YouTube and visit their website.
Notre Dame Room
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm: “Hooked: How The Food Giants Hooked Us & How We Can Free Ourselves”
Introduced by Glen Merzer
Joan Davis is a nurse with over twenty years of wellness experience. Her husband’s unexpected heart attack led her to discover the body of research exploring the connection between diet and disease. She earned a certificate in plant-based nutrition and currently volunteers for Dr. Michael Greger’s Nutrition Facts.org site. Davis utilized a background in teaching to develop programs that share the “how” and “why” of eating whole plant-based foods. As a former cruise lecturer, she has learned the value of “edutainment” while educating audiences. Her message: “Getting older doesn’t have to mean getting sick and your genes are NOT your destiny.”
Credentials
MS Public Health University of Illinois 1990
BS Nursing 1983
BS Secondary Education 1970
RN – IL 041-224129 Health Promotion Focus
Certificate: Plant-based Nutrition, Jan. 2016, eCornell and T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutritional Studies
Click here for more information.
Pre-Function West (or West Wing)
12:30 pm – 1:00 pm: “Tofu-Walnut Balls” and “LuAnn’s Southwest Barbecue Sauce”
Jill Keb and Kathy Taylor are life-long friends and co-founders of Plant Life Journey Retreats. They both grew up on the Standard American Diet and have since discovered the Huge benefits of WFPB for themselves. They run beautiful beach-side immersive cooking & wellness retreats to help people on their health journey. The retreats are an affordable and timely way to learn KEY nutritional science, cooking tips and tricks to empower you towards your optimal health.
Kathy was one of two main executives to run a family business for over 28 years. She is a creative recipe developer & supportive listener. Kathy enjoys cooking nutrient-dense, delicious meals for her husband and two sons.
Jill wrote and produced a 90-minute DVD called Change Your Food, Change Your Life. She is a certified food educator, Food For Life Instructor and Yoga teacher. Faith, (Healthy) Food, People and then everything else, is how she strives to prioritize her life.
Click here to learn more.
Announcing Speakers and Chef Demos
Get ready to groove! We’re back with a bang this year! 🌱 Our guest speaker in 2022, Glen Merzer, author and playwright, specialist in animal agriculture and the environment, rocked the mic last time, and he’s back for round two! Joining him as the emcees are none other than the dynamic duo Tyler Kanczuzewski, VegFest Board member extraordinaire, and Awesome AC/Wolf, the hip-hop sensation! 🎤🌟 Get ready for an epic blend of knowledge, beats, and plant-powered vibes that will leave you feeling inspired and energized! See you there! 🎉