Speakers

• Jane Velez-Mitchell hosts Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell, a topical event-driven show with a wide range of viewpoints. A veteran television news journalist, Velez-Mitchell reported for the nationally syndicated Warner Brothers/Telepictures show Celebrity Justice and regularly served as guest host for Nancy Grace, another HLN program. As a commentator on high-profile cases, Velez-Mitchell has appeared on CNN, MSNBC, Fox News and other national cable television programs
• Dr. Jonathan Balcombe is a behaviorist and animal-rights activist, and has written many scientific papers and lay-articles on animal behavior, humane education, and animal research. Author of books, including Pleasurable Kingdom: Animals and the Nature of Feeling Good and Second Nature: The Inner Lives of Animals, he is formerly the Senior Research Scientist with Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. Jonathan is now an independent consultant based in Germantown, Maryland.
• Dr. Craig Sommers travels the globe giving lectures on how to achieve optimum health through proper nutrition and lifestyle habits. He is a certified yoga instructor, certified nutritionist, and the author of Raw Foods Bible, a comprehensive easy to read guide to the optimum diet and lifestyle. His talk will be on “Achieving Optimum Health.
• Robert Cheeke works full-time for Sequel Naturals as a National representative for Vega, a line of vegan whole-food products, and also works full-time running Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness . . . As a touring speaker, the Presentation Robert gives across North America is titled, “Thrive on a Plant-Based Diet – Whole-Food Nourishment for Whole-Body Health” as part of Robert Cheeke’s “Take Action and Make it Happen Tour.” Vegan Body Building and Fitness
• Jack Norris is the president and co-founder of Vegan Outreach. Vegan Outreach produces Why Vegan and other booklets, and has distributed over 11 million copies. Jack runs Vegan Outreach’s Adopt A College program which has directly handed a Vegan Outreach brochure to almost four million students. In 2005, he was elected to the Animal Rights Hall of Fame. Jack writes a nutrition blog at JackNorrisRD.com. He is the author of Vitamin B12: Are You Getting It?, Staying Healthy On Plant-Based Diets, and other articles found at VeganHealth.org.
• John Sakars is a writer, artist and musician from Niagara Falls, Ontario. His visual art has been reported on by national media outlets, and has been reproduced on book covers by the World Health Organization. He has been a vegan for 12 years, and has written many songs with animal rights themes. He is an entertaining speaker, who incorporates humor into his inspiring performances.
• Gene Baur, is co-founder and president of Farm Sanctuary, the leading farm animal protection organization in the U.S. His pictures and videotapes exposing factory farming cruelty, have been aired nationally and internationally, educating millions. His book, entitled Farm Sanctuary: Changing Hearts and Minds about Animals and Food, is a best seller.
• Josh Hooten is the co-founder of The Herbivore Clothing Company in Portland, Oregon. He also started and stopped Herbivore magazine (after a good 5 year run.) He is one of the founders of the Let Live Foundation, an animal rights group who put on the annual Let Live Animal Rights Conference. He has spoken at many events around the country and enjoys that almost as much as riding bikes with his kid on the Trail-A-Bike behind him.

Entertainment

• Terrina Cook and John Hébert: After fronting her band “The T-Bonz” for over 25 years in Adirondack, New York, Terrina Cook made a larger than life decision to turn dreams into reality. In 2007 she moved to New Orleans, a city she loved and visited often. These former visits inspired her debut CD “Terrina’s Wings” which was recorded in New Orleans. Jon Hébert, a Louisiana native, has been writing songs for almost twenty years. After a brief stint in the Asheville, N.C. music scene, Jon was called back to Louisiana in October of 2008. Knowing there was a reason why he was called back, he thought he might find it in the New Orleans open mic scene.
• Based in New Orleans, Sweet Jones embodies the unified musical collaboration of Matthew (guitar/vocals) and Melissa DeOrazio (guitar/vocals), along with Abe Frishman (bass), and Adrian Piano (drums). Featuring original compositions, as well as creative interpretations of other artists’ songs, the music ultimately expresses heart and soul, bringing together elements of Roots-Rock, Blues and Americana.
• Jacquie and Kristi of Pandorium Belly Dance Co. have been featured at many local events including the Louisiana Renaissance Festival, Byblos Restaurant, and various St. Tammany Art Association events.