Saturday, September 28, 2024
Norse Hall, Portland
Noon - 6pm

Speakers and Chefs

Discover a world of inspiration, knowledge, and transformative ideas. Our diverse lineup of speakers, including leading experts, passionate advocates, and trailblazing pioneers, will take you on a journey towards a more compassionate and sustainable future.

Join us as we delve into the crucial topics of veganism, animal welfare, environmental stewardship, and health. From groundbreaking research and innovative practices to personal stories of change, our speakers are here to educate, motivate, and empower you.

Being Healthy on a 100% Plant-Based Diet
Brenda Davis, RD, Keynote Speaker

In this presentation, Brenda Davis, RD, will walk attendees through 5 key goals for maximizing health on a vegan or plant-exclusive diet. She will discuss macros (protein, carbohydrate, and fat), micros (vitamins and minerals), maximizing dietary factors that afford protection against chronic disease, minimizing dietary factors that increase risk, and how to make ecologically sustainable food choices.

Brenda will answer many of the most pressing questions about plant-exclusive diets. Are vegan diets safe and adequate throughout life? Can we get enough protein from plants? Is milk necessary for calcium? Can diets without fish provide sufficient omega-3 fatty acids? Is it OK to eat veggie meats and other processed vegan foods? Brenda provides evidence-based information, practical tools, and reassurance for those striving to make more compassionate, conscious choices. 

Bio

Brenda Davis, a registered dietitian, is a plant-based trailblazer and an internationally acclaimed speaker. She has been a featured speaker at medical, nutrition, and dietetic conferences in 25 countries on six continents. As a prolific nutrition writer, Brenda has authored or co-authored 13 books, with nearly a million copies in print in 12 languages. Her latest book, Plant-Powered Protein, was released in 2023.

Brenda has also authored and co-authored numerous professional and lay articles, and is a past chair of the Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She was the lead dietitian in a diabetes randomized controlled trial in the Marshall Islands. In 2022, Brenda was the seventh recipient of the Plantrician Project’s Luminary Award. She lives in Calgary, Alberta in Canada.

From Farms to Fallout: The True Cost of Animal Farming
Cory Davis, MBA, MSc.IM, P.Ag

Discover the untold narrative of our land. Agrologist (soil scientist) Cory Davis unearths the historical footprint of animal exploitation in reshaping North America's ecologies. In this new landscape, he discusses how our current agricultural system perpetuates a painful legacy of oppression through land ownership, wildlife conflicts, and other environmental impacts. Join him on a transformative journey as he illuminates a path toward a future where our values align harmoniously with what lies on our plates.

Bio

Cory Davis is a professional agrologist with a wealth of experience in natural resource management, a field he has been dedicated to since 2012. He is a passionate advocate for animal welfare and environmental stewardship, bringing a unique and integrated perspective to sustainable practices and their impact on human health and well-being.

Cory holds an MBA from Vancouver Island University and an MSc in International Management from the University of Hertfordshire. His educational background is extensive and diverse, including studies in Environmental Science at Royal Roads University, Integrated Environmental Planning at Selkirk College, and Social Sciences at Okanagan College. He has also completed a program in Canadian Outdoor Leadership at Strathcona Park Lodge. He is currently pursuing Adult Education at Vancouver Community College.

Based in British Columbia, Cory has co-authored the book Plant-Powered Protein with Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina. This book delves into the science and fallacies surrounding plant-based protein, providing evidence-based insights and practical advice for those looking to adopt a plant-based diet.

Beyond the Lens: The Power of Undercover Investigations
Erin Wing, Deputy Director of Investigations at Animal Outlook

Erin's investigations and her advocacy work sheds light on the interconnection of human and animal exploitation that occurs on farms in the animal agriculture system. She sincerely shares personal accounts from her compelling background to illustrate the dangers speciesism poses to all sentient beings on the planet. Her work has been featured in The Washington Post, The Guardian, and The New York Times.

Bio

Erin Wing is currently serving as the Deputy Director of Investigations at Animal Outlook, a nonprofit animal advocacy organization based in Washington, DC and Los Angeles, CA. She has also previously worked as an undercover investigator. Over the course of 2 years, she went on to complete 4 investigations in the dairy, chicken, and aquaculture industries, including the first-ever undercover expose of salmon aquaculture in the U.S.

Decrease the Meat in Fast and Easy Dishes
Linda Tyler, Author and Instructor

Come see how to decrease your meat footprint and still enjoy delicious meals.

Linda will demonstrate easy ways to replace meat in favorite dishes, like burrito bowls, pastas, sandwiches, and stir-fries. We’ll learn:

  • How to make delicious substitutes for taco filling and chicken pieces

  • How to use these substitutes in fast and easy meal preparations

  • How to personalize these substitutes so that they work for you

Bio

Linda Tyler is a Portland-based cooking instructor, cookbook author, and food photographer. Her Plant-Based Anti-Inflammatory Cookbook focuses on superstar foods that can help calm chronic inflammation. Linda teaches cooking classes for Portland Community College, including one-on-one plant-based lifestyle sessions, and is on the video review team for nutritionfacts.org.  Her website is graciousvegan.com

Versatile Kitchen Staples
Deb Kay, Plant-Based Cooking Instructor

Thinking of adding more plant-based options to your menu but not sure how to make it interesting for yourself and others? What should we cook? Will my family eat it? In this demonstration, we’ll prepare some basic, simple dishes that the whole family will enjoy and that don’t take all day to prepare. I’ll talk about some kitchen staples to have on hand and discuss how to use a recipe as a template to create your own variations of vegan dishes to suit your taste and available ingredients. Included in this demo are recipes and generous samples. All samples are vegan and gluten-free.

Bio

Deb is a certified Vegan Fusion Instructor who has been teaching vegan cooking in the Northwest since 2011. She has trained with award-winning vegan chefs Mark Reinfeld, owner of Vegan Fusion and author of nine cookbooks including the 30-Minute Vegan Series, and Chef Al Chase, owner of the Institute of Culinary Awakening. “We aren’t strangers once we’ve shared a meal together,” says Deb.

Comfort Food
Chuck Underwood, Author and Instructor

Bio

Chuck Underwood is a plant-based influencer and an avid vegan cook, blogger, author, and YouTuber. Chuck began experimenting with plant-based cooking in 2008 and is a graduate of T. Colin Campbell’s Plant-Based Nutrition Course. Brand New Vegan is unique in that it focuses on helping people make the transition easier by providing comfort-food recipes people already know and love. Chuck currently lives in the suburbs of Portland, OR.


Panel Discussion

Ready to make an impact with your daily choices?

Join our four amazing panelists who will share tips and insights on how to shop, dine, travel, and live with kindness toward people, animals, and the planet.

Seyka Rose Mejeur

Moderator

Seyka is an animal lover and foodie who has traveled the world to show it can be done vegan. She and her husband, Brian, went on a 21 country Vegan Voyage interviewing top vegan chefs from around the world, making plant based meals while on the go, and sharing the wild adventure on the JNN Vegan News Network, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Seyka has hosted plant based online cooking shows, including some with Jane Unchained. Seyka hosted a blog, ForGoodnessSeyks, which had recipes, plant based stories, and guest authors for 6 years. Seyka can also be seen as a guest on the Amazon Prime vegan show New Day, New Chef. Though her content creation has massively slowed, to almost a stop, as Seyka has two young kids and is the CEO of a demanding business, she’s thrilled to join us at NWVeg. 

Owner & Operator, For Goodness Seyks & AdAstra Talent Acquisition
seykamejeur@gmail.com
www.ForGoodnessSeyks.com/blog

Eunice Reyes

Eunice Reyes, is the dynamic creator behind the award-winning YouTube series Rated V for Vegan and a pioneer in the world of vegan travel. Eunice combines her passion for plant-based cuisine with a zest for global exploration.

Winner of two Taste Awards for Best Reality Series, and Breakout Foodie of the year, she invites us on her culinary adventures, proving that being vegan is a delicious way to see the world. Eunice shares insights from her journeys, favorite dishes and travel spots to share how fun a vegan lifestyle can be.

info@ratedvfood.com
www.ratedvfood.com
Instagram
youtube.com/ratedv

Heather Zeitzwolfe 

Heather Zeitzwolfe, known as the "Savvy Frugal Vegan," is a passionate speaker, coach, emcee, and activist dedicated to helping others live a compassionate, plant-based lifestyle on a budget. With a mission to inspire one million people to embrace a kinder, more sustainable way of living, she empowers individuals to rethink their diets, ethics, and environmental impact. Through her podcast, YouTube channel, social media platforms, and coaching programs, Heather shares practical tips, real-world guidance, and business strategies that help people thrive financially and ethically. Whether you’re looking to live healthier, save money, or grow a values-driven business, Heather offers expert insights and inspiration to support your journey. Discover more at SavvyFrugalVegan.com.

Savvy Frugal Vegan
Speaker, Coach, Activist
Compassionate and Budget-Friendly Plant-Based Lifestyle!
Savvyfrugalvegan.com
heather@SavvyFrugalVegan.com

Savvy Frugal Vegan | Podcast
 YouTube | Facebook | Instagram

​​Chelsea V Davis 

In partnership with Northwest VEG / Compassionate Living Festival

Chelsea Davis is the dynamic founder of the Vegan Night Market in Portland, OR, an event that brings together local plant-based businesses and the vegan community in a vibrant and inclusive space. Passionate about creating platforms for compassionate living, Chelsea co-founded the Animal Rights Collective Portland (ARCPDX) and is dedicated to promoting ethical and sustainable lifestyles through her work. As a community builder and advocate for animals, Chelsea’s work in the Portland vegan scene has inspired countless people to explore plant-based living while supporting local businesses.

Event Coordinator & Activist, Vegan Night Market©️ - Largest
Vegan Festival in PNW!
 Co-Founder International @veganearthdaymarch


Veggies Do It Better LLC
VeganNightMarket.org
Facebook | Instagram | Eventbrite

Julie Sinistore, PhD

Dr. Julie Sinistore has been vegan for 24 years and first turned to vegetarianism 28 years ago, after reading Frances Moore Lappe's Diet for a Small Planet. In her current position as a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Vice President and consultant with WSP, a professional services firm, she analyzes the environmental burdens and benefits of the production, use, transportation, and disposal of goods and services like agricultural products, but also electronics and construction products. Julie also taught courses on Life Cycle Thinking and Sustainable Product Design in the mechanical engineering department at UC-Berkeley.

juliesinistore@gmail.com

About NW VEG

Northwest VEG is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Portland, OR and Vancouver, WA.

Founded in 2003, we are dedicated to bringing awareness to the power of a plant-based, vegan lifestyle and helping support people in their transition toward making healthier, more sustainable, and compassionate food choices. 

We welcome everyone and encourage you to explore the issues at your own pace!

Our purpose is to:

  • Build, support, and maintain community in a fun environment

  • Build, connect, and network in the larger community

  • Provide education and outreach

  • Be a responsible, effective, and transparent organization

  • Provide expertise and serve as a resource to the community on vegan and plant-based issues

  • Create positive change and make the world a better place to live, for all beings

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