This week on the PLANTSTRONG Podcast, Rip sits down with the legendary Kathy Stevens, founder of Catskill Animal Sanctuary, as she prepares to step away after more than 20 years of rescuing animals and inspiring people to live with compassion.Since 2001, Kathy has been leading with love—creating a safe haven for thousands of animals and cultivating a culture that welcomes everyone, no matter where they are on their journey. In this heartfelt conversation, she reflects on her legacy, the lessons learned from her four-legged teachers, and the future of Catskill Animal Sanctuary.You’ll hear:<ul><li>Kathy’s journey from teacher to animal sanctuary founder</li><li>Lessons in empathy from Catskill’s rescued residents</li><li>Why “leading with love” beats judgment every time</li><li>The challenges of passing the torch to a new leader</li><li>Her vision for the future of sanctuaries in a changing world</li></ul> Kathy’s warmth, wisdom, and dedication shine through in every story—including one unforgettable tale about Rambo the ram, who forever changed her outlook on life.Learn more or support the Catskill mission at <a href="https://casanctuary.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">casanctuary.org</a><a href="https://www.plantstrongpodcast.com/blog/kathy-stevens-2025" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Episode Webpage</a><a href="https://youtu.be/GBdyQPfATFI" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Watch the Episode on YouTube</a>

This week on the PLANTSTRONG Podcast, Rip sits down with the legendary Kathy Stevens, founder of Catskill Animal Sanctuary, as she prepares to step away after more than 20 years of rescuing animals and inspiring people to live with compassion. Since 2001, Kathy has been leading with love—creating a safe haven for thousands of animals and cultivating a culture that welcomes everyone, no matter where they are on their journey. In this heartfelt conversation, she reflects on her legacy, the lessons learned from her four-legged teachers, and the future of Catskill Animal Sanctuary. You’ll hear:Kathy’s journey from teacher to animal sanctuary founderLessons in empathy from Catskill’s rescued residentsWhy “leading with love” beats judgment every timeThe challenges of passing the torch to a new leaderHer vision for the future of sanctuaries in a changing world Kathy’s warmth, wisdom, and dedication shine through in every story—including one unforgettable tale about Rambo the ram, who forever changed her outlook on life. Learn more or support the Catskill mission at casanctuary.org Episode Webpage Watch the Episode on YouTube

This week on the PLANTSTRONG Podcast, Rip sits down with the legendary Kathy Stevens, founder of Catskill Animal Sanctuary, as she prepares to step away after more than 20 years of rescuing animals and inspiring people to live with compassion.Since 2001, Kathy has been leading with love—creating a safe haven for thousands of animals and cultivating a culture that welcomes everyone, no matter where they are on their journey. In this heartfelt conversation, she reflects on her legacy, the lessons learned from her four-legged teachers, and the future of Catskill Animal Sanctuary.You’ll hear:<ul><li>Kathy’s journey from teacher to animal sanctuary founder</li><li>Lessons in empathy from Catskill’s rescued residents</li><li>Why “leading with love” beats judgment every time</li><li>The challenges of passing the torch to a new leader</li><li>Her vision for the future of sanctuaries in a changing world</li></ul> Kathy’s warmth, wisdom, and dedication shine through in every story—including one unforgettable tale about Rambo the ram, who forever changed her outlook on life.Learn more or support the Catskill mission at <a href="https://casanctuary.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer">casanctuary.org</a><a href="https://www.plantstrongpodcast.com/blog/kathy-stevens-2025" rel="noopener noreferrer">Episode Webpage</a><a href="https://youtu.be/GBdyQPfATFI" rel="noopener noreferrer">Watch the Episode on YouTube</a>

Ep. 317: Kathy Stevens - Founder of Catskill Animal Sanctuary on Retirement and a Legacy of Love

People become curious about whole food, plant-based nutrition for a multitude of reasons. Maybe you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, heart disease, cancer, obesity, or another chronic disease and you know (or you’ve been told) that this is your best shot at healing your body. You may be an athlete looking to maximize your performance and recovery with the power of plant-based nutrition, or you’re a parent who wants to escape the processed food aisle and start feeding your children real, nourishing foods. Perhaps you are concerned about climate change and the profound negative impact that animal agriculture has on the planet. 

The problem? A whole food, plant-based diet can seem overwhelming, confusing, and, yes, expensive. You’ve been told it will make you deficient in something, or that you won’t get enough protein. You think it might be a boring way to live, or that it is so extreme you’ll alienate yourself from friends and loved ones. 

Well, here at the PLANTSTRONG Podcast, we’re not afraid to be extreme - extremely positive, extremely helpful, and extremely well-researched. Each week on the show, host Rip Esselstyn talks to medical experts, authors, athletes, and people just like you who are not just surviving on a plant-based diet, but THRIVING. 

As founder and CEO of PLANTSTRONG, Rip Esselstyn is a wellness advocate, former professional athlete, firefighter, and NY Times best-selling author renowned for his dedication to promoting vibrant health through plant-based nutrition and active living.

Over twenty years ago, Rip rescued several of his fellow firefighters with whole, plant-based foods following the groundbreaking research of his father, Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., author of Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease.  The results were so dramatic that Rip wrote the bestselling book,The Engine 2 Diet, to spread the word. His subsequent works, including Plant-Strong, The Engine 2 Seven-Day Rescue Diet and The Engine 2 Cookbook, further solidified his reputation as a leading voice in the plant-based movement. Rip was also featured in the documentary Forks over Knives and served as an executive producer of The Game Changers film; a revolutionary documentary that shatters the myths about meat, protein, and strength.

Rip’s mission and the mission of the PLANTSTRONG Podcast is to make plant-based living accessible and approachable, and to further the advancement of all things within the plant-based movement. We share the scientifically proven benefits of plant-based living and envision a world that universally understands, promotes, and prescribes plants as the solution to empowering your health, enhancing your performance, and restoring the environment.

You won’t be weak if you’re eating strong food. PLANTSTRONG food. 
We welcome you wherever you are on your plant-based journey and we’re thrilled you’re here.

Medicine

Alternative Health

Health & Fitness

Nutrition

People become curious about whole food, plant-based nutrition for a multitude of reasons. Maybe you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, heart disease, cancer, obesity, or another chronic disease and you know (or you’ve been told) that this is your best shot at healing your body. You may be an athlete looking to maximize your performance and recovery with the power of plant-based nutrition, or you’re a parent who wants to escape the processed food aisle and start feeding your children real, nourishing foods. Perhaps you are concerned about climate change and the profound negative impact that animal agriculture has on the planet. The problem? A whole food, plant-based diet can seem overwhelming, confusing, and, yes, expensive. You’ve been told it will make you deficient in something, or that you won’t get enough protein. You think it might be a boring way to live, or that it is so extreme you’ll alienate yourself from friends and loved ones. Well, here at the PLANTSTRONG Podcast, we’re not afraid to be extreme - extremely positive, extremely helpful, and extremely well-researched. Each week on the show, host Rip Esselstyn talks to medical experts, authors, athletes, and people just like you who are not just surviving on a plant-based diet, but THRIVING. As founder and CEO of PLANTSTRONG, Rip Esselstyn is a wellness advocate, former professional athlete, firefighter, and NY Times best-selling author renowned for his dedication to promoting vibrant health through plant-based nutrition and active living. Over twenty years ago, Rip rescued several of his fellow firefighters with whole, plant-based foods following the groundbreaking research of his father, Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., author of Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease. The results were so dramatic that Rip wrote the bestselling book,The Engine 2 Diet, to spread the word. His subsequent works, including Plant-Strong, The Engine 2 Seven-Day Rescue Diet and The Engine 2 Cookbook, further solidified his reputation as a leading voice in the plant-based movement. Rip was also featured in the documentary Forks over Knives and served as an executive producer of The Game Changers film; a revolutionary documentary that shatters the myths about meat, protein, and strength. Rip’s mission and the mission of the PLANTSTRONG Podcast is to make plant-based living accessible and approachable, and to further the advancement of all things within the plant-based movement. We share the scientifically proven benefits of plant-based living and envision a world that universally understands, promotes, and prescribes plants as the solution to empowering your health, enhancing your performance, and restoring the environment. You won’t be weak if you’re eating strong food. PLANTSTRONG food. We welcome you wherever you are on your plant-based journey and we’re thrilled you’re here.

People become curious about whole food, plant-based nutrition for a multitude of reasons. Maybe you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, heart disease, cancer, obesity, or another chronic disease and you know (or you’ve been told) that this is your best shot at healing your body. You may be an athlete looking to maximize your performance and recovery with the power of plant-based nutrition, or you’re a parent who wants to escape the processed food aisle and start feeding your children real, nourishing foods. Perhaps you are concerned about climate change and the profound negative impact that animal agriculture has on the planet. 

The problem? A whole food, plant-based diet can seem overwhelming, confusing, and, yes, expensive. You’ve been told it will make you deficient in something, or that you won’t get enough protein. You think it might be a boring way to live, or that it is so extreme you’ll alienate yourself from friends and loved ones. 

Well, here at the PLANTSTRONG Podcast, we’re not afraid to be extreme - extremely positive, extremely helpful, and extremely well-researched. Each week on the show, host Rip Esselstyn talks to medical experts, authors, athletes, and people just like you who are not just surviving on a plant-based diet, but THRIVING. 

As founder and CEO of PLANTSTRONG, Rip Esselstyn is a wellness advocate, former professional athlete, firefighter, and NY Times best-selling author renowned for his dedication to promoting vibrant health through plant-based nutrition and active living.

Over twenty years ago, Rip rescued several of his fellow firefighters with whole, plant-based foods following the groundbreaking research of his father, Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., author of Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease.&nbsp; The results were so dramatic that Rip wrote the bestselling book,The Engine 2 Diet, to spread the word. His subsequent works, including Plant-Strong, The Engine 2 Seven-Day Rescue Diet and The Engine 2 Cookbook, further solidified his reputation as a leading voice in the plant-based movement. Rip was also featured in the documentary Forks over Knives and served as an executive producer of The Game Changers film; a revolutionary documentary that shatters the myths about meat, protein, and strength.

Rip’s mission and the mission of the PLANTSTRONG Podcast is to make plant-based living accessible and approachable, and to further the advancement of all things within the plant-based movement. We share the scientifically proven benefits of plant-based living and envision a world that universally understands, promotes, and prescribes plants as the solution to empowering your health, enhancing your performance, and restoring the environment.

You won’t be weak if you’re eating strong food. PLANTSTRONG food. 
We welcome you wherever you are on your plant-based journey and we’re thrilled you’re here.

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Ep. 317: Kathy Stevens - Founder of Catskill Animal Sanctuary on Retirement and a Legacy of Love

Ep. 317: Kathy Stevens - Founder of Catskill Animal Sanctuary on Retirement and a Legacy of Love

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