Speakers

• Michael Greger, M.D. has scoured the world’s scholarly literature on clinical nutrition and developed this brand-new talk of the latest in cutting-edge research. Focusing on studies published just over the last year in peer-reviewed scientific nutrition journals, Dr. Greger offers practical advice on how best to feed ourselves and our families to prevent, treat, and even reverse chronic disease In an engaging interactive quiz show format.A founding member 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. He is a graduate of Cornell University School of Agriculture and Tufts University School of Medicine. Currently Dr. Greger serves as the Director of Public Health and Animal Agriculture at The Humane Society of the United States. Hundreds of his nutrition videos are freely available at NutritionFacts.org
• Dr. Adiel Tel-Oren was born in Jerusalem, Israel, where he currently authors books, sees patients in 15 clinics, and lectures extensively several times a year. Dr. T is a renowned holistic scientist, author, innovator, and educator – consulting for medical laboratories and professional medical product manufacturers, formulating new products, designing Green Buildings, and lecturing to doctors and the public worldwide on Natural Principles, Health, Medicine, Nutrition, and Sustainability. He is a licensed European Medical Doctor (trained in Europe and in the USA), a US-licensed, Board-Certified Nutritionist and professor with the International & American Association of Clinical Nutritionists, and board-certified by the American Board of Functional Medicine, Boards of Oxidative Medicine and Chelation Therapy, Clinical Board of Nutrition, and the American Board of Disability Analysts, and a Doctor of Chiropractic – retired from active US practice in 2001. He is also President Emeritus and Professor of Medical Sciences & Functional medicine with the University of Natural Medicine.Dr. T has been traveling extensively, offering medical care and studying nutrition practices in Africa, East and South Asia, Europe, the Americas, and the Tropics. He is the Founder and Co-Founder of several non-profit Health and Sustainability Programs Worldwide. This includes the Center for Community Development in Nepal ; The Israeli Center for Functional Medicine; The Eco-Sphere Green Community Project in Wisconsin; and the Ecopolitan Eco-Health Network with its numerous communities in the USA – supporting healthy lifestyle, Intensive Healing Retreats, Tropical Escapes, Foraging trips, Eco-Raw Restaurants, Clinics, University Degrees and Certification Programs, and Humanitarian Eco-Trekking adventures. Dr. T is also founder of the world’s first hypoallergenic GF/DF vegan bakery.
• Paul Magee Berry has worked in animal welfare for 20 years, including eight years at Best Friends Animal Society’s. As Best Friends first C.E.O., Paul helped transform the organization from a founder-run sanctuary to a premiere national animal welfare agency.Notable accomplishments during Paul’s tenure there include leading Best Friends’ massive animal rescue effort after Hurricane Katrina; negotiating to save the lives of the pit bulls from the Michael Vick dog fighting case; and successful launch of the Dogtown TV series.In 2010, Paul went through a major health crisis that nearly cost his life. “About 30 books and 200+ research papers later, I developed a diet that helped me fully recover and thrive in all phases of health.” Paul is now enjoying his best health ever on a vegan diet of fresh, whole, mostly raw foods.Paul will be speaking about the naturally cleansing benefits of raw, vegan foods as a foundation for whole health. “Toxicity and deficiency are the primary causes for most all diseases, and a diet of properly combined and sequenced fresh, whole foods resolves both those issues.”But it’s not just about food, “a balanced approach that addresses all phases of health is the difference between surviving and thriving. And I’m working to take my recovery to the next level.”In the weeks leading up to 2012 Veggie Fest, Paul is embarking on a “NOLA Fest Whole Health Quest”.”I’ll be interviewing experts from across the movement including our featured speakers of the 2012 NOLA Veggie Fest. We’ll explore nutrition, exercise, fat loss, muscle gain, toxicity and eating disorders (can we really get addicted to food?), and more, to find out just what it takes to gain our optimal whole health.”I’ll share what I learn and accomplish along the way. And I’ll give a presentation on the final results at the Veggie Fest in May.”

  You can follow Paul’s “NOLA Fest Whole Health Quest” at www.wholehealthhabits.com

• Ellen Jaffe Jones is a U.S. consumer, health and fitness journalist and author. She is the author of Eat Vegan on $4.00 a Day: A Game Plan for the Budget Conscious Cook. She is a former 2-time Emmy-winning TV investigative/consumer reporter/anchor. Ellen wrote her book after her mom, aunt and both sisters got breast cancer. Figuring out how to avoid family genes and medical history became the investigative reporting job of her life. At 58, Ellen Jaffe Jones is “The Veg Coach.” She is a personal trainer, running coach, author, and teaches healthy cooking classes designed by respected doctors and registered dietitians.
• Christine Waltermyer has over a decade of experience in the field of natural cooking and is the founder and director of the Natural Kitchen Cooking School, with training programs in Manhattan, New York and Princeton, New Jersey. Christine is a masterful chef and teacher specializing in macrobiotic and vegan cuisines, and has co-taught with legendary natural foods leader Michio Kushi. Her latest book The Natural Vegan Kitchen: Recipes from the Natural Kitchen Cooking School blends the principles of macrobiotics seamlessly with recipes that taste too indulgent to be good for you, and many of the recipes are gluten-free.
• Derek Goodwin is a vegan activist who created the NOLA Veggiefest web site. He is a certified Jivamukti Yoga Teacher who teaches using his spiritual name Pashupa (protector of the animals in Sanskrit). He currently lives in NYC and works as the Web Editor for Jivamukti Yoga. He is co-host of the podcast Vegan Radio, and founder of the Vegan Bus Project. He is also known for his photography of farmed animals living in sanctuaries and his local NOLA Yoga Photography project. In his free time he likes to hula hoop and play the ukulele (see his youtube hit Big Ole Vegan Mountains).

  Derek will be teaching Animal Mukti: Animal asana, music & stories at Swan River Yoga in Mid-City on Friday, May 11 at 7pm in conjunction with NOLA Veggiefest. Come check it out!

• Michele Claiborne is today’s Medicine Woman, International renowned for her sharing of knowledge on Coaching ‘True Prosperity’. Being a Herbalist, Natural Healer and Counselor for 26 years, her definition of that is; maintaining our Health and Well-Being through what we eat to what we think; maintaining and sharing our wealth through sustainable, positive living and maintaining our happiness by seeing life as a gift and knowing that no problem is insurmountable. ‘If it’s a problem there is always a solution’ you just may need someone to help you see it, even if it is to change the way we see it, and Michele inspires us to do just that!
  She has founded and supported many international projects: www.EdibleCityGardens.com in New Orleans – educating on sustainable living and urban farming in the City – another project that started in Africa, educating sustainable health through sustainable living, H.E.L.P Hands-on Education for Life Project – starting in India for getting funding for sponsoring, educating and feeding the children in many countries – and her main project in www.HealingArtsInternational.com gathering an international community of Healers, Artists and Performers and her link where she shares with individuals, groups, corporations, and Events her knowledge through consultations and workshops. Born in New Orleans, leaving when she was very young to live and work all over the world, to return to her homeland 5 years ago. You can now reach her on 504 330 8380 or mc@HealingArtsInternational.com.