Vegan Posse

Vicki Brett-Gach is a Plant-Based Culinary Instructor, Certified Personal Chef, Master-Certified Vegan Lifestyle Coach, and author of "The Plant-Based for Life Cookbook: Deliciously Simple Recipes to Nourish, Comfort, Energize and Renew”. Vicki's focus is always on making eating healthy EASY. She is Forks Over Knives Plant-Based Certified, trained in Dietary Therapy for Reversing Common Diseases, and a graduate of Dr. McDougall’s Starch Solution Certification program. Vicki earned a Certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition through the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies, and is trained in Nutrition for a Healthy Heart. She also holds certificates in Wellness Counseling (through Cornell University), and in Culinary Coaching (through Harvard Medical School and The Institute of Lifestyle Medicine). Vicki teaches whole food plant-based cooking classes to groups of all sizes, and provides one-on-one coaching to clients across the country, helping them reverse health challenges and chronic conditions. 

Stay connected with Vicki through her Ann Arbor Vegan Kitchen blog, at AnnArborVeganKitchen.com.

Resources:

Ann Arbor Vegan Kitchen website: https://annarborvegankitchen.com/

Victoria Moran's Main Street Vegan Academy: https://mainstreetvegan.com/

The Food Revolution by John Robbins: https://www.amazon.com/Food-Revolution-Your-Diet-World/dp/1573244872

Whole by T. Colin Campbell: https://www.amazon.com/Whole-Rethinking-Nutrition-Colin-Campbell/dp/1939529840/

The China Study by T. Colin Campbell: https://www.amazon.com/China-Study-Revised-Expanded-Comprehensive/dp/B01MYXN06I/

Geoff Palmer, a 61-year old, 39-year vegan, is a Natural Bodybuilding and Natural Physique Masters Champion, the Owner of Clean Machine Plant-Based Fitness Nutrition, author, national lecturer, vegan patent holder, and 2 Time NEXTY Winner for “Best Supplement of the Year” in 2016 and 2018. Geoff was named one of the “Top 100 Most Influential Vegans” by Plant-Based News. Geoff created the first 100% vegan bodybuilding competition in the World.

Resources:

 Website: https://cleanmachineonline.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CleanMachineOnline

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CleanMachineFit/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cleanmachinefit/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoff-palmer-ⓥ-1b78565/

WVBC Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/495728784160662

Malcolm Gladwell, The Tipping Point:

 https://www.amazon.com/Tipping-Point-Little-Things-Difference/dp/0316346624

Marilyn Ferguson, The Aquarian Experience: https://www.amazon.com/Aquarian-Conspiracy-Personal-Transformation-Cornerstone/dp/158542742X/

Anita Lupp's vegan journey spans several countries and continents! Originally from the U.K., Anita lives with her family in the northwest suburbs of Chicago in Wauconda, Illinois (not be be confused with the fictional kingdom of Wakanda from the Marvel movies). Anita made the vegan leap after 17 years of being a non-vegan vegetarian. Get the scoop on her ensuing journey of self-discovery, her surprising health transformation, her husband's even more surprising decision to join her on the vegan path, and her experience raising - or attempting to raise - health-conscious, ethical kids.

In addition to working full-time as a project manager for a distribution company, Anita is launching a whole-food plant-based health coaching service. Keep an eye out for her website, ⁠anitalupp.com⁠. Regardless of where you're from or how you got here, I have a feeling you'll relate to Anita's story - especially if you're one of us "sensitive" souls.

Resources:

Anita Lupp website: https://www.anitalupp.com/

Email Anita: [email protected]

Documentary, The Game Changers: https://gamechangersmovie.com/

Documentary, Forks Over Knives: https://www.forksoverknives.com/

Institute for Integrative Nutrition: https://www.integrativenutrition.com/

Documentary, Simply Raw: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1587696/

Even for docs, losing weight isn't easy! Scott Harrington, D.O., is a board-certified Family Medicine physician with over 17 years of experience. He started his medical career using standard treatment methodologies. Then, in 2012, Dr. Harrington personally adopted a plant-based diet and saw dramatic health improvements in his energy level, athletic endurance, and recovery time. His weight, blood pressure, blood sugar, and hormone levels all normalized. This personal transformation convinced Dr. Harrington to shift the focus of his medical practice to teaching patients what he had learned.

Dr. Harrington went on to found Vegan Primary Care. The plant-based diet had impressive effects with his patients, many of whom were suffering with chronic illnesses. In fact, a large number of patients were able to stop their medications altogether.

Through his telemedicine practice, Dr. Harrington can see patients from 22 states. He continues to lecture on weight loss and food addiction. He can be reached at https://www.veganprimarycare.com/

Resources:

Website: https://www.veganprimarycare.com/

PCRM profile: https://www.pcrm.org/findadoctor/scott-harrington-do

Call Dr. Harrington: 727-222-3036

Email: [email protected]

Diet for a New America by John Robbins: https://www.amazon.com/Diet-New-America-Choices-Happiness/dp/193207354X

Healthy at 100 by John Robbins: https://www.amazon.com/Healthy-100-Scientifically-Healthiest-Longest-Lived/dp/0345490118/

Dr. John McDougall on the Rice Diet: https://www.drmcdougall.com/education/lectures-all/john-mcdougall-md-discusses-the-rice-diet-with-frank-neelon-md/

Working as a microbiologist with a global pharmaceutical company in the early 1990s, JoAnn Farb toured lab animal testing facilities, pharmaceutical manufacturing plants, and factory farms and came face-to-face with the fact it was her own (and all of our) food choices that were driving the horrific experiments being conducted on non-human animals. She went vegan in 1991, without ever having met a single other vegan! Now, she lives in the woods in Kansas with her husband and dog,. Their two grownup vegan-since-birth daughters live nearby. 

JoAnn is the author of two books, Compassionate Souls - Raising the Next Generation to Change the World and Get Off Gluten. She speaks nationally on health and justice issues. A theme running through all of JoAnn's work is that most human-caused historic harms could never have happened if otherwise "good people" had objected to "tiny" injustices that paved the way for catastrophic wrongs. Committed to seeking - and speaking - truth, JoAnn encourages people to question EVERYTHING.

Resources:

JoAnn Farb website: https://joannfarb.weebly.com/about.html

Curated resources page:

Diet for a New America by John Robbins: https://www.amazon.com/Diet-New-America-Choices-Happiness/dp/193207354X

Risa Branch is a jazz and blues singer, Reiki Master, and professional cat-sitter based in New York City. She’s also a dedicated, longtime vegan, having adopted the lifestyle as a teenager, and she’s been advocating for animals and veganism for all of her adult life. Risa has recorded two albums, and she’s been featured in a variety of media as a vegan music artist.

Resources:

Website: http://RisaBranch.com 

Facebook: http://Facebook.com/RisaBranch 

Instagram:http://Instagram.com/RisaBranch

Risa Branch animal rights song “Strange Fruit”: https://risa.bandcamp.com/track/strange-fruit

Documentary appearance in I’m Vegan: https://youtu.be/l08as25vCVc

Outtake: https://youtu.be/mokrYJ9pBAk?si=hnZEY7WTHZEdQqck

Other Risa press:

Tenderly magazine: Not Every Singer Is Here to Start

The Syncopated Times (cover story): https://syncopatedtimes.com/risa-branch-a-passion-for-tradition/

Black Vegans Rock blog: http://www.blackvegansrock.com/blog/2016/1/8/feature-risa

Women in Jazz podcast: https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/women-in-jazz/episode-08-risa-branch-3hZAx8o-5dD/

Mindful Minutes with Musicians podcast: https://www.youtube.com/live/Gr9VfRzooDg?si=JU249IrMsAdnaAVq

Vegan Werden (German publication): https://veganwerden.wordpress.com/2013/09/29/risa/Other resources mentioned:

Vegan: The New Ethics of Eating by Erik Marcus: https://www.amazon.com/Vegan-Ethics-Eating-Erik-Marcus/dp/0935526870

You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero: https://www.amazon.com/You-Are-Badass

NYC Vegan Restaurants:

Organic Grill: https://www.theorganicgrill.com/

Urban Vegan Kitchen: https://urbanvegankitchen.com/

Caravan of Dreams: https://www.caravanofdreams.net/

Happy Cow: https://www.happycow.net/

NYC Vegan Drinks: https://vegandrinks.nyc/

Berlin Vegan Jass Bar Barkett: http://barkett.berlin/

Cadence - Vegan Soul Food: https://www.overthrowhospitality.com/location/cadence/

Slutty Vegan: https://sluttyveganatl.com/

By Any Greens Necessary by Tracye McQuirter: https://byanygreensnecessary.com/

Diet for a New America by John Robbins: https://www.amazon.com/Diet-New-America-Choices-Happiness/dp/193207354X

Marrying Myself by Christine Melanie Benson: https://www.amazon.com/Marrying-Myself-Christine-Melanie-Benson/dp/1685130763/

Rey Ortega is bulidng a vegan cookie empire! With over 30 years' of baking experience, Rey is a pioneer in the plant-based sector. In 1994, he founded the Alternative Baking Company, one of the first vegan cookie brands on the market, which generated $1 million in sales in 1995. In 1997, he founded Sun Flour Baking Co. to create new flavors, tastes, textures, and nutrition products with a longer shelf life and higher profit margins. Sun Flour Baking produces raw and baked gluten-free cookies free of animal products. It also provides co-packing, product development, consulting, testing, nutrition facts, graphic design, and wrapping in small batches. Clients include Sodexo Marriott Food Service and Whole Foods. The company supports Farm Sanctuary, the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), and In Defense of Animals (IDA). 
Rey owned Garden to Grill, a vegan restaurant, for five years. With extensive knowledge across the entire product life cycle, he is an experienced formulator within the industry, has designed three facilities, and has sold millions of vegan cookies, keeping eggs and dairy out of the mouths of many. Besides owning ‌five plant-based brands, he has also published two children’s books and is an expert at cannabis infusion for topical and edible products.

Website: https://www.startaveganbusiness.com/media.html

Shen Kenner has been a professional guitarist for over three decades, dazzling audiences in Casablanca, San Francisco,  Greece, Finland, New York City, and many points in between. Shan is also a licensed realtor. He authored his own book SK Real Book, a physical book of two hundred of his own compositions. After living in New Orleans since 2014, in the spring of 2023, Shan relocated to Nashville, where he is currently performing, recording, and collaborating with an array of local talent.

Resources:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shan_kenner_guitarist/

Funny how easy it is to forget that our minds are in our bodies! But not for vegan psychiatrist Dr. Adam Woods. Adam Woods, M.D., is a private practice "Family Psychiatrist" in the Iowa City area, meaning that he sees "all ages" and "all diagnoses." He holds a Bachelor's Degree from Drake University, a Master's Degree from Princeton University, and a medical degree from Duke University. He completed his Psychiatry Residency at the University of Iowa.  

Dr. Woods began his plant-based journey in 2017 after a lifetime of struggling with his weight and watching his family suffer from lifestyle-related diseases. He strives to promote a healthy plant-based diet and lifestyle over medications whenever possible and engages in Evolutionary Psychology-based therapy as promulgated by his mentor and friend, Dr. Doug Lisle. Beyond medicine, Dr Woods has an academic passion for philosophy and ethics. He is currently taking classes with the hope of beginning a PhD program in the next few years.  

If you're interested in connecting for a consultation or a friendly chat, Dr. Woods welcomes emails at [email protected].  

Resources:

Email Dr. Woods: [email protected]

Adam Woods MD on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEUodNCa--0-8UGoStWeS4g

Vegan psychologist Dr. Doug Lisle: https://esteemdynamics.com/

The China Study by T. Colin Campbell: https://www.amazon.com/China-Study-Comprehensive-Nutrition-Implications/dp/1932100660

Robert Cheeke grew up on a farm in Corvallis, Oregon. He adopted a

Robert is often referred to as the “Godfather of Vegan Bodybuilding,” growing the industry from infancy in 2002, to where it is today. As a natural bodybuilding champion, Robert was named one of VegNews magazine's Most Influential Vegan Athletes. He tours around the world

Robert is the founder and president of Vegan Bodybuilding

Resources:

Website: https://www.veganbodybuilding.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robert.cheeke/?hl=en

Robert Cheeke on Forks Over Knives: https://www.forksoverknives.com/wellness/robert-cheeke-shares-vegan-bodybuilding-diet/

Preorder Robert's upcoming book, The Impactful Vegan: https://www.amazon.com/Impactful-Vegan-Biggest-Difference-Animals/dp/1637744587/

Robert Cheeke books: https://www.amazon.com/Books-Robert-Cheeke/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3ARobert+Cheeke