2008 Expo Presenters
We were pleased to have the following presenters at the 2008 Expo.
George Eisman, RD (NY)
10:30am - 11:30am {Room B}
Dairy Products and Their Correlation to Cancer
George Eisman has been a Registered Dietition since 1978. He is the founder of the Association of Vegetarian Dietitians and Nutrition Educators, and co-founder and first Chairman-Elect of the Vegetarian Nutrition Practice Group of the American Dietetic Association. He has worked as a dietitian at Miami Children’s Hospital and Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, and at Wesley Woods Nursing Home in Atlanta, before serving as a Public Health Nutritionist for the State Health Departments of Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina. He has taught nutrition at the college and university level for over 20 years, having served as a faculty member at Florida State University, Broward Community College and Miami-Dade Community College. He is the author of The Most Noble Diet; Don’t Let Your Diet Add to Your Cancer Risk, and A Basic Course in Vegetarian and Vegan Nutrition. In 1993 he was inducted into the Vegetarian Hall of Fame by the North American Vegetarian Society.
Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr. (OH)
11:30am - 12:30pm {Room B}
Ending Heart Disease
A retired Cleveland clinical surgeon, Dr. Esselstyn conducted a 20 year study of coronary artery disease using diet and lifestyle modification. In 1991 he organized the first national Conference on the Elimination of Coronary Artery Disease. Dr. Esselstyn also chaired a follow-up conference, the Summit on Cholesterol and Coronary Disease. In April 2005 he became the first recipient of the Benjamin Spock Award for Compassion in Medicine. His newly released book Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease relates to results of his 20 year study on curing heart disease with diet.
Ann Crile Esselstyn, MSEd (OH)
12:30pm - 1:00pm {Room B}
Heart Healthy Recipes
Ann Crile Esselstyn graduated from Smith College and received a Masters in Education from Wheelock College. She taught English and some history for 27 years. Through the years she juggled 4 chlldren, teaching, and figuring out plant-based, oil free ways to cook. She stopped teaching in 2000 and focused on creating the recipes to prevent and reverse heart disease.
Brenda Davis, RD (Canada)
1:00pm - 2:30pm {Room B}
Defeating Diabetes...Lessons from the Marshall Islands
Brenda Davis, registered dietitian and nutritionist, is a leader in her field and an internationally acclaimed speaker. She has worked as a public health nutritionist, clinical nutrition specialist, nutrition consultant, academic nutrition instructor and a research dietitian. She is a past chair of the Vegetarian Nutrition Diabetic Practice Group of the American Diabetic Association. Brenda was the 2007 inductee into the Vegetarian Hall of Fame. Brenda has co-authored six books - the best-sellers, Becoming Vegetarian, The New Becoming Vegetarian, Becoming Vegan and Defeating Diabetes, Dairy-free and Delicious, and the newly released, Raw Revolution Diet. Brenda has been a featured speaker nutrition, diabetic, medical and health conferences throughout the world. She is currently working on two book projects, and on a diabetes intervention research project in Majuro, Marshall Islands. Brenda spent 8 months in Majuro in 2006 and returns for 4-6 week periods 2 or 3 times a year. Brenda lives in Kelowna, British Columbia with her husband Paul. She has two grown children, Leena and Cory.
Jeff Novick, MS, RD, L/N (CA) (FL)
2:30pm - 3:45pm {Room B}
Health Food vs Healthy Food: How can You Really Tell the Difference?
Jeff Novick is truly a unique dietitian and nutritionist. With over 24 years of experience in nutrition, health, fitness and natural living, he offers expert health advice distilled into powerful, easy-to-understand language on a variety of current topics. He holds both undergraduate and graduate degrees from Indiana State University in nutrition with minors in Exercise Science. Jeff serves as the Director of Health Education for the National Health Association and as the nutritionist/dietitian for the prestigious McDougall Program in Santa Rosa, California. For almost a decade, Jeff served as the Director of Nutrition at the world-renowned Pritikin Center in Aventura, Florida. Jeff has also taught nutrition classes at Indiana State University, Indiana University Medical School and the University of Miami Medical School. While in Indiana, he created and taught the Nutrition Education Initiative, a preventive medicine curriculum for medical doctors, residents, and medical students.
T. Colin Campbell, PhD (NY)
3:45pm - 4:45pm {Room B}
The Extraordinary Health Value of Plant Based Nutrition
T. Colin Campbell, who was trained at Cornell (M.S., Ph.D.) and MIT (Research Associate) in nutrition, biochemistry and toxicology, spent 10 years on the faculty of Virginia Tech's Department of Biochemistry and Nutrition before returning to the Division of Nutritional Sciences at Cornell in 1975 where he presently is Jacob Gould Schurman Professor Emeritus. His principal scientific interests, which began with his graduate training in the late 1950's, has been on the effects of nutritional status on long term health, particularly on the causation of cancer. He has conducted original research both in laboratory experiments and in large-scale human studies; has received over 70 grant-years of peer-reviewed research funding, has served on several grant review panels of multiple funding agencies, has lectured extensively, and has authored over 300 research papers. His recent book: The China Study; Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-Term Health (2005)* has been translated into 10 languages. It is the most comprehensive study of nutrition ever conducted.
Amie Hamlin (NY)
11:00am - 11:30am {Room A}
School Food Problems and Solutions
Amie Hamlin is Executive Director of the NY Coalition for Healthy School Food. Responsible for resolutions passed unanimously in NYS Legislature and NYS PTA, asking that plant-based entrees be served daily; founder of
Club Veg. The New York Coalition for Healthy School Food is a statewide nonprofit that works to improve the health and well-being of New York's students by advocating for healthy plant-based foods, comprehensive nutrition policy, and education to create food- and health-literate students. Healthy foods and exercise are both important lifestyle choices that go hand in hand to make a healthy person with a strong mind, strong body, and strong spirit.
Jon Koga (NY)
11:30am-12:30pm {Room A}
Exercise Your Body and Mind: Combining Kickboxing and Yoga with Jon Koga
Jon Koga has been a high-profile personality in the Tri-State fitness industry for over 20 years, as a personal trainer, certified kickboxing instructor, certified yoga instructor, and owner of the 20,000 sq ft "Koga Fitness Center". He is also a widely recognized spokesman for personal fitness, special needs fitness, obesity fitness, senior fitness and the often overlooked area of children’s fitness. As a trained and established instructor in kickboxing and yoga, and as a trainer who understands the human need for physical and emotional fitness, Jon realized the two programs could complement one another. Jon's wealth of experience, his finely tuned presentation skills, and high energy enthusiasm makes him the ideal person to introduce to the world the "Koga Workout".
Mark J. Nelson, MD (NY)
12:30pm - 1:30pm {Room A}
Winning the War Against Obesity: Habits of Health that Reverse Disease and Create Optimal Health
Dr. Nelson attended New York University in New York City and received his medical degree at Case Western Reserve University Medical School in Cleveland, Ohio. He completed a Masters in Public Health at Harvard/Columbia University in 1988, and his Cardiology Fellowship at Harlem Hospital Center in New York City in 1991. Dr. Nelson is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Cardiology and has a Masters in Public Health. He is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology and is on staff at the Albany Medical Center and Albany Memorial Hospital in Albany, NY. He gives talks to children and adults about preventing and reversing heart disease and the importance of healthy nutrition and exercise. Dr. Nelson's cardiology specialties include general cardiovascular disease with a special interest in preventing and reversing heart disease. He specializes in women and heart disease, treating obesity, coronary risk factor modification through heart healthy nutrition and exercise counseling and preventing heart disease in children and adolescents.
Harold Brown (NY)
1:30pm - 2:30pm {Room A}
Our Water in Crises
Farmer Brown was born and raised on a cattle farm in south central Michigan and spent over half his life in agriculture including three years in the dairy industry. Harold is featured in the Tribe of Heart documentary, Peaceable Kingdom, the Journey Home. His story is one of transformation from animal farmer to vegan animal advocate. He also works as an advocate for sustainable independent family farms, environmental justice, social justice, and peace through non-violence.
Chef Kelly Serbonich (NY)
3:00pm - 4:00pm {Room A}
Rawesomely Simple: Raw Vegan Wraps, Nut Pate’, Crackers and More!
Join Raw & Living Foods Chef, Kelly Serbonich, as she demonstrates one of the basic procedures used in living foods preparation: making a nut pate. See how you can turn this basic knowledge into a wrap, crackers, crust, stuffing and more! Learn the benefits of living and raw foods and leave inspired! Co-author of the book Healthful Cuisine, Kelly cooks at the infamous Moosewood Restaurant in Ithaca, NY. She holds a Master's Degree in Holistic Nutrition.
Chrissy Budzinski
Performing, throughout the day, in the lobby.
A native of Titusville, PA, Chrissy started playing guitar when she was twelve - writing her first song at fifteen. Most of her music "speaks of things [she has] experienced or seen, so hearing [her] music gives the listener some insight into [her] life." Chrissy's style of music ranges from beautiful, heartfelt ballads to upbeat and outrageous songs. Her warm, clear voice and awesome guitar skills combine to create a performance that you are unlikely to forget! Check out Chrissy's myspace page to learn about her upcoming CD release parties.