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Food for Life Training Speakers

Jennifer Adelman, MS

Jennifer Adelman

Jen brings several years of marketing and project management experience to her role as Nutrition Marketing Coordinator with PCRM. She earned a master’s degree in nutrition education from American University, and previously, a bachelor’s degree in business management from Gettysburg College. She also has a certification in plant-based nutrition from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies at Cornell University. 

Jen fervently believes that whole plant foods are the remedy for a lot of problems. When she’s not grocery shopping or trying new recipes, she is most likely adventuring with her family, power walking, or singing along with the local rooster.

Neal Barnard, MD, FACC

Neal Barnard

Neal Barnard, MD, FACC, is an Adjunct Professor of Medicine at the George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C., and President of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

Dr. Barnard has led numerous research studies investigating the effects of diet on diabetes, body weight, and chronic pain, including a groundbreaking study of dietary interventions in type 2 diabetes, funded by the National Institutes of Health, that paved the way for viewing type 2 diabetes as a potentially reversible condition for many patients. Dr. Barnard has authored more than 100 scientific publications and 20 books for medical and lay readers, and is the editor in chief of the Nutrition Guide for Clinicians, a textbook made available to all U.S. medical students.

As president of the Physicians Committee, Dr. Barnard leads programs advocating for preventive medicine, good nutrition, and higher ethical standards in research. His research contributed to the acceptance of plant-based diets in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. In 2015, he was named a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology. In 2016, he founded the Barnard Medical Center in Washington, D.C., as a model for making nutrition a routine part of all medical care.   

Working with the Medical Society of the District of Columbia and the American Medical Association, Dr. Barnard has authored key resolutions, now part of AMA policy, calling for a new focus on prevention and nutrition in federal policies and in medical practice. In 2018, he received the Medical Society of the District of Columbia’s Distinguished Service Award. He has hosted four PBS television programs on nutrition and health.

Originally from Fargo, North Dakota, Dr. Barnard received his MD degree at the George Washington University School of Medicine and completed his residency at the same institution. He practiced at St. Vincent’s Hospital in New York before returning to Washington to found the Physicians Committee.

Follow Dr. Barnard on Twitter @DrNealBarnard, Facebook @NealBarnardMD and Instagram @DrNealBarnard.

Columbus Batiste

Columbus Batiste

Columbus Batiste, MD FACC FSCAI is the Chief of Cardiology for Kaiser Permanente Riverside and Moreno Valley Medical Centers, and was co-founder in 2011 and continues as Director of the Integrative Cardiovascular Disease Program at Kaiser Permanente Riverside. He earned his Doctorate in Medicine at Loma Linda University Medical School, and is a board-certified Internist, Cardiologist, and Interventional Cardiologist. He also serves as an Assistant Clinical Professor at University of California Riverside School of Medicine, and as Medical Director of Southern California Permanente Medical Group Regional Home-Based Cardiac Rehab. He received the Kaiser Permanente Physician Exceptional Contribution Award in 2017 and the NAACP Community Health Service Award in 2016.

Though Dr. Batiste has performed nearly 2,000 coronary interventions and hundreds of pacemaker implantations, he became profoundly convinced that cardiovascular disease, as well as stroke, hypertension and diabetes are preventable conditions, and he also saw that these major causes of death in the United States disproportionately affected African Americans. He came to be known as the “Healthy Heart Doc,” and has long been a strong advocate for the use of plant-based diets, exercise and stress reduction as key lifestyle components for health promotion and patient empowerment. He says that his sole goal is to educate so that “each one can teach one” about the power of health-promoting foods in the form of plant-based natural food sources, combined with activity, sleep, and gratitude, in striving for a Healthy Heart Nation.

Chuck Carroll

Chuck Carroll

Chuck Carroll is truly “The Weight Loss Champion” and host of the Physicians Committee’s wildly popular podcast, The Exam Room™.

At his heaviest, Chuck weighed 420 pounds and had amassed a 66-inch waist while requiring a size 6XL shirt. At just 5-foot-6, his tiny frame struggled to support his enormous figure. 

A severe food addiction continued to fuel an unhealthy lifestyle. 

Fearing that his life was spiraling out of control and nearing an end, he opted to undergo weight loss surgery. In just over a year, Chuck shed 265 pounds by conquering food addiction and devoting himself to a healthier lifestyle. His life took a twist in 2017 when he adopted a plant-based diet at the urging of WWE Superstar Austin Aries, which kicked his health into overdrive! 

Since the launch of The Exam Room™, the show has reached No. 1 in 79 countries among all podcasts in the nutrition genre, according to podcast rankings service Chartable. Prior to the podcast, Chuck was the personality on radio station BIG 100.3 (WBIG-FM) in Washington, D.C., a reporter for the all-news CBS station in Washington, D.C., and the anchor of national newscasts at NBC News Radio in Washington, D.C. 

Emily Colon

Emily Colon

For over a decade, Emily has worked in the full spectrum of video production, with experience in directing, producing, shooting, and editing. With an undergraduate degree in film and television from NYU, Emily has spent the last 15 years refining her video editing and motion graphic skills, creating content for broadcast TV, web, print, digital signage, live theater, and documentary. In 2018, she joined the Physicians Committee and currently serves as the video production specialist, overseeing video production and content creation, helping to spread the organization’s message. She is fluent in asset management systems, post-production workflows, and software solutions to best facilitate video content creation.

In 2011, Emily happened upon video of Physicians Committee President Dr. Neal Barnard giving a presentation on the dangers of cheese and decided to upgrade her vegetarian diet for a whole food, plant-diet. When she isn’t cutting up video footage, she can be found cutting up veggies and experimenting in the kitchen.

Lilian Correa, MPH, RDN, DipACLM

Lilian Correa, MPH, RDN, DipACLM

Lily Correa earned a Master of Public Health degree with a concentration in Nutrition from Loma Linda University, and she is credentialed as a Diplomate in Lifestyle Medicine by the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. In recent years, she has served as Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for Bellevue Hospital’s renowned innovative Plant-Based Lifestyle Medicine Program in New York City. She also studied health-promoting culinary arts at New York’s Natural Gourmet Institute.

As a speaker and author, Lily shares her practical experience about supporting healthful lifestyle behavior change. She co-authored two peer-reviewed journal articles in 2020: “Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus with a Whole-Food, Plant-Based Diet,” in the International Journal of Disease Reversal and Prevention, and “Successful Implementation of Healthful Nutrition Initiatives in Hospitals” in the American Journal of Medicine. For years, she has volunteered as a broadcaster of Nutrition Tips for the Hispanic listening community of La Mega Boston Radio in Worcester, Mass. She is passionate about plant-based nutrition and firmly believes that the kitchen is the greatest tool for promoting optimal health and wellness. She strives to help people live their fullest lives, one plate at a time.

Brenda Davis, RD

Brenda Davis, RD

Brenda Davis is a registered dietitian, one of the world’s leading plant-based pioneers, and an internationally acclaimed speaker. Brenda 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/co-authored 13 books with nearly a million copies in print in 15 languages. Her latest book, Plant-Powered Protein, was published in April 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 American Dietetic Association. Brenda was the lead dietitian in a diabetes intervention research project in the Marshall Islands. On her last trip, in November 2017, she developed a nutrition education curriculum for kindergarten through grade six and trained teachers in all public schools. Brenda was the seventh recipient of the Plantrician Project’s Luminary Award.

Anthony Dissen, MPH, MA, RDN, CPH

Anthony Dissen, MPH, MA, RDN, CPH

Anthony Dissen, MPH, MA, RDN, CPH, is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist focusing in public health, plant-based nutrition, and lifestyle medicine. Anthony is currently a professor at Stockton University in Galloway, NJ, in the School of Health Sciences, and in 2018, Anthony was thrilled to join the telemedicine company WellStart Health, Inc, as their Vice President of Nutrition. Anthony has earned a Master of Arts degree in Holistic Health Studies at Georgian Court University, a Master of Public Health Degree from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, with a focus in Public Health Nutrition, and completed the Certificate Program in Plant-Based Nutrition through Cornell University in 2015. Currently, he is a doctoral student in the EdD in Organizational Leadership program at Stockton University. Anthony is a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and is a member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the New Jersey Public Health Association, and the New Jersey Society for Public Health Education. Anthony has also been able to share his scholarly work at a number of conferences including the Food and Nutrition Conference & Exposition, American College of Sports Medicine Greater New York Area Annual Conference, the Jersey Society for Public Health Education Annual Meeting, the American Public Health Association Annual Meeting, and the Association of Schools of Allied Health Professionals Annual Conference. 

Jill Erickson

Jill Erickson

Jill Erickson is a Food For Life Instructor and certified Plant Based Nutrition Educator. Jill’s health journey began in 2009 when her mom battled colon cancer, which led Jill slowly into the Whole Foods Plant Based lifestyle.  But it wasn’t until her husband’s 100% LAD blockage and miraculous survival in 2016 that Jill awakened fully to the scientific evidence of food and its effects on our health. Jill and husband Joel have been WFPBNO since January 2017, no turning back! Jill’s passion to inform, educate, and coach others in the simple truth that food can be both delicious and health promoting led her to start Rooted Green Wellness, which includes teaching Food For Life classes in the Minneapolis/Saint Paul area of Minnesota.

Lois E. Frank, PhD

Lois E. Frank, PhD

Lois Frank, PhD has more than 25 years developing a unique multifaceted expertise in the cuisines, ancestral foods and lifeways of diverse Native American nations throughout the continent, drawing upon many influences: a lifetime of practical experience as a chef; rigorous research skills enhanced by graduate school training as a culinary anthropologist and historian; creative talents as a photographer; awareness of the Kiowa heritage from her mother’s side of her family; and undying curiosity leading to immersing herself in more and more Native communities and cultures. Her landmark book Foods of the Southwest Indian Nations, was winner of the James Beard Americana award. 

Dr. Frank completed a Master of Arts degree in Cultural Anthropology and a PhD in Culinary Anthropology at the University of New Mexico. Dr. Frank has published more than 15 culinary posters, more than 18 cookbooks, and, in collaboration with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a nationally distributed video and recipe booklet titled “Power to Heal Diabetes: Food for Life in Indian Country.” She received certification as a Lifestyle Coach for the National Diabetes Prevention Program, from the Diabetes Training and Technical Assistance Center at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health. She has made conference presentations on the subject matter of “Ancestral Diets for Modern-Day Native Americans: Reclaiming Health and Healing Diabetes.”

In 2007, Dr. Frank launched a Native American Cuisine catering company, Red Mesa Cuisine.

Kristi Funk, MD, FACS

Dr. Kristi Funk

Kristi Funk, MD, is board-certified breast cancer surgeon and physician, bestselling author, international keynote speaker and women’s health advocate. Dr. Funk practices as a breast cancer surgeon at the Pink Lotus Breast Center in Los Angeles, where she excels as an expert in minimally invasive diagnostic and treatment methods for all types of breast disease. She has helped thousands of women through breast cancer treatment, including well-known celebrities, like Angelina Jolie and Sheryl Crow. As an ambassador and avid contributor to the Pink Lotus Power Up community, Dr. Funk hosts the Cancer-Kicking! PowWow podcast, the Cancer-Kicking! Kitchen, and frequently authors Breast Cancer 101 blogs and provides instructional videos on breast health. Her extensive nutritional science research caused her to expand the passion for her medical practice with the life-empowering Cancer-Kicking! Summit which teaches women (and men) how to maximally reduce their chances of facing cancer or any other controllable killer disease.

Katya Galbis, LD, DipACLM

Katya Galbis, LD, DipACLM

Katya was born and raised in Mexico. She received her bachelor’s degree in nutrition science from The Autonomous Metropolitan University of Mexico City. After graduating, she became a licensed dietitian in the state of Florida, where she currently resides. She has a certification in Lifestyle Medicine by the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, certification in vegetarian nutrition by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and a plant-based nutrition certificate from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies and Cornell University. She is super excited about becoming a Food for Life instructor with PCRM. She is an international member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and has worked in both clinical and community settings. Her passion lies within the plant-based nutrition arena targeting and educating Spanish-speaking people on the benefits of a healthy plant-based diet. Katya loves to share recipes, experiences, lifestyle tips, and nutrition information on her website (Veggisima.com) and on different social media platforms. Katya enjoys reading and spending time with her family.

Dustin Harder

Dustin Harder

Dustin Harder is a chef, host, and cookbook author. He currently serves as the Culinary Specialist with PCRM. Before his time at PCRM, he worked as a private chef in NYC and Atlanta, as well as in menu development with various brands including By Chloe, Arden’s Garden, and Kitchen Therapy. His first cookbook, “The Simply Vegan Cookbook” is on the Forbes list of Best Vegan Cookbooks. Dustin has been featured in Eating Well, VegNews, Vegan Lifestyle Magazine, Chowhound, Vegetarian Times, and Paste Magazine, and appeared on Food Network’s Girl Scout Baking Championship. You can watch his original series The Vegan Roadie on YouTube, AppleTV, and Roku. His podcast, “Keep on Cookin’,” is available anywhere you listen to podcasts and you can find him on Instagram at @theveganroadie.

Lorin Harik, MS

Lorin Harik

In 2005, Lorin stumbled into a job as Dr. Barnard’s Assistant. She could not believe her great fortune of finding an entire office of vegans! She was fascinated by the science of nutrition and soon returned to school to complete a Master’s Degree in Health, Exercise Science and Nutrition from Colorado State University. She combined her lifelong love of dance and exercise with her newfound love of nutrition in a successful career in corporate wellness. After having children, Lorin’s passion for promoting plant-based eating became even higher priority and she reconnected with PCRM to help with various projects. She became a Food For Life Instructor in 2019 and now serves as the Food For Life Program Manager. Lorin lives with her family in Denver and loves to snowboard, hike, and make excessive amounts of vegan food.

Anna Herby, DHSc, RD, CDCES

Ann Herby

Anna Herby, DHSc, RD, CDCES, is the nutrition education program manager for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting preventive medicine, especially better nutrition, and higher standards in research. She is a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator with a doctorate in health sciences.

Dr. Herby chose to specialize in plant-based nutrition out of her own curiosity about the vegetarian diet she decided to follow at the age of 10 years. After learning more about the topic, she discovered that a plant-based diet is the most powerful way to reverse and prevent chronic diseases. Seeing patients lose weight, improve energy levels, and reduce their needs for medications inspired her to learn as much as possible about plant-based nutrition.

Prior to joining the Physicians Committee, she worked as a clinical dietitian and Food for Life instructor at Adventist Health Howard Memorial Hospital in Willits, Calif. Dr. Herby received her Master of Science in nutrition from Bastyr University in Seattle and went on to earn a Doctor of Health Sciences from the University of Bridgeport. 

Rebecca Johnson

Rebecca Johnson

Rebecca Johnson is a plant-based health-supportive chef and food activist who develops nutrition and culinary programs for nonprofit organizations and private clients in New Jersey, Philadelphia, and four out of five New York City boroughs. After resolving life-disrupting health problems through a change to a plant-based diet, Rebecca started Plant Rich Life. The wellness brand inspires and teaches people how to cook and eat the plant-based way.

Shireen Kassam, MD

Shireen Kassam, MD

Shireen Kassam is a consultant hematologist and honorary senior lecturer at King’s College Hospital, London, with a specialist interest in the treatment of patients with lymphoma (cancer of the lymphatic system). She is also passionate about promoting plant-based nutrition for the prevention and reversal of chronic diseases and for maintaining optimal health after treatment for cancer.

Dr. Kassam qualified as a medical doctor in 2000, initially training in general medicine and gaining membership of the Royal College of Physicians in 2003. She then specialized in hematology and achieved fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists in 2008. During training, she took time out to undertake a PhD at the University of London in 2011. Her research investigated the role of selenium, an essential macronutrient, in sensitizing cancer cells to chemotherapy.

Shireen discovered the power of nutrition for the prevention and treatment of disease in 2013 and since then has been following a plant-based diet.

Mark Kennedy, Esq.

Mark Kennedy, Esq.

Mark Kennedy is Vice President of Legal Affairs for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a nationwide organization of physicians and laypersons that promotes preventive medicine, especially good nutrition, and addresses controversies in modern medicine, including ethical issues in research.

As vice president of legal affairs, Mr. Kennedy directs the Physicians Committee’s advocacy litigation, which challenges industry and government when they encourage the consumption of animal products and other unhealthy foods. Mr. Kennedy oversees the Physicians Committee’s efforts to use the legal system to promote vegan diets as well as alternatives to the use of animals in medical research and education.

Mr. Kennedy’s early caseload included a consumer fraud lawsuit against Atkins Nutritionals for promoting a high-fat, high-meat diet; a suit against the drug company Merck for negligently relying on animal testing to market the dangerous drug Vioxx; lawsuits seeking to halt false claims that dairy consumption aids in weight loss and to require dairy producers to print lactose intolerance warnings on milk cartons; and an action to end the University of California’s unlawful use of state funds for animal experiments that violate the federal Animal Welfare Act.

Recent cases have targeted processed meat manufacturers for not warning consumers about cancer risks; restaurant chains for failing to warn consumers about carcinogens in grilled chicken products; California’s public school system for serving processed meats to children; and two federal agencies for improprieties in the development of the 2010 and 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Mr. Kennedy uses open government laws—including public records litigation in state and federal courts—to advance the Physicians Committee’s work. He also drafts petitions to federal agencies, oversees corporate governance matters for the organization and its affiliates, and appeared in the 2017 documentary What the Health.

Mr. Kennedy received a Bachelor of Science in computer science from the University of Virginia. He graduated cum laude from Washington and Lee University School of Law, where he served as the executive editor of the Washington and Lee Race and Ethnic Ancestry Law Journal and received the Virginia State Bar’s Oliver White Hill Law Student Pro Bono Award. Prior to joining the Physicians Committee, Mr. Kennedy worked for Equal Justice Works, a nonprofit that promotes legal careers in public service.

Mr. Kennedy is a member of the New York and District of Columbia Bars and has been admitted to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.

Stephanie McBurnett, RD

Stephanie McBurnett, RD

Stephanie McBurnett, RD, is the Nutrition Educator for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. As a registered dietitian, she has a slight obsession with vegetables and nutrition science. She is a passionate and driven mother to two young girls, a Navy wife, and a lover of all things food, fitness, and fun.

Karen A. Mills, JD, RDN, LD

Karen A. Mills, JD, RDN, LD

Karen A. Mills JD RDN LD is a dietitian and the founder of The Healthy Culture LLC. Karen draws from her background in acute care and as a lecturer on food pathways of diverse cultures to provide resources that empower people to develop their unique Healthy Culture, a sustainable approach to nutrition that considers family traditions, culture, health concerns, and budget. In addition to individual counseling, Karen writes, speaks, and develops plant-forward recipes. When she’s not hard at work at her home office in Oregon, you can find Karen hiking or eating her way around the world.

Ana Negrón, MD

Ana Negrón

Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Ana M. Negrón is a bilingual board-certified family physician and author of the book Nourishing the Body and Recovering Health: The Positive Science of Food. She is a frequent lecturer on issues of nutrition and health.

Dr. Negrón is a diplomate of the ABFM and a member of the Society of Graduated Physicians from the UPR School of Medicine. She earned the eCornell certificate in plant-based nutrition, serves on the medical advisory board of the Physicians Committee, and is a senior faculty member at the Crozer Family Practice Residency. She is on the speaker’s bureau of the American Vegan Society and serves on the boards of Casa Vegana de la Comunidad and the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies.

In her consultation practice, she helps patients transition to a whole food, plant-based diet, lowering inflammation and the need for many medications. Vegan for 30 years, Dr. Negrón educates and empowers us to recover health by returning to our roots.

Ugo Nwadike, Esq.

Ugo Nwadike, Esq.

Ugo Nwadike is associate general counsel for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. He participates in legal advocacy pursued by the Physicians Committee, including litigation, legislation, and other legal efforts to move forward the mission of the organization. He maintains the highest levels of corporate governance; negotiates and reviews contracts, vendor agreements, and other legal agreements vital to the Physicians Committee’s success; and ensures that it complies with federal, state and local lobbying requirements.

Mr. Nwadike earned a Bachelor of Science in computer science with a minor in Mathematics from the University of Miami and a Juris Doctorate from St. Thomas University School of Law in Florida, where he was a member of the Intercultural Human Rights Law Review and participated in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. Prior to joining the Physicians Committee, Mr. Nwadike worked for Washington, D.C., law firms including Covington & Burling LLP, where he advised several tax-exempt nonprofit organizations.

Dean Ornish, MD

Dean Ornish, MD

Dr. Ornish is the founder and president of the nonprofit Preventive Medicine Research Institute and clinical professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, and at the University of California, San Diego. He received his medical degree from the Baylor College of Medicine. He was a clinical fellow in medicine at Harvard Medical School and completed an internship and residence in internal medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital.

For 40 years, he has directed clinical research demonstrating, for the first time, that comprehensive lifestyle changes may begin to reverse even severe coronary heart disease, without drugs or surgery. He directed the first randomized controlled trial demonstrating that comprehensive lifestyle changes may slow, stop, or reverse the progression of early-stage prostate cancer. His research showed that comprehensive lifestyle changes affect gene expression, “turning on” disease-preventing genes and “turning off” genes that promote cancer and heart disease.

He is the author of seven bestselling books, the most recent of which is UnDo It! (co-authored with Anne Ornish). The “Ornish diet” has been rated #1 for Heart Health” by a panel of experts at U.S. News & World Report for 11 years (2011-2022).

Jennifer Paul-Quinn, MPH, RDN

Jennifer Paul, MPH, RDN

Jennifer Paul, MPH, RDN is a registered dietitian with a Master of Public Health in Nutrition from Loma Linda University. She previously worked as the nutrition program coordinator for the Physicians Committee and is now a second-year medical student at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. She is passionate about diet-related racial health disparities, culturally tailored nutrition counseling, and advocating for healthful, plant-based meals in underserved communities.

Ana Perez

Ana Perez

Ana joined and began her career at Saladmaster in 2010. In her current role as product marketing manager, she is responsible for leading and managing the planning, development, and implementation of new products within the Saladmaster product portfolio. Ana has a passion for product development and seeing products come to life, and she is committed to supporting the company’s vision of leading the movement back to healthy, home cooking.

Noah Praamsma, MS, RDN

Noah Praamsma, MS, RDN

Noah Praamsma, MS, RDN, is a nutrition education coordinator with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. A native Vermonter, he does his best to act locally and think globally in both his personal and professional life.

Noah completed his undergraduate degree in biology/premedicine at Calvin University. During this time, he developed a passion for plant-based nutrition and preventive medicine, as well as the ethical treatment of animals and environmental sustainability. He went on to earn a Master of Science in Dietetics with a focus on community nutrition and sustainable food systems from the University of Vermont.

Noah excitedly pursues opportunities to share his holistic and plant-forward perspective. His growing interest in nutrition policy led him to move to Washington, D.C., last year. In his free time, you’ll find him running through the woods east of the Anacostia River or participating in his local Northeast D.C. church community.

Dawnyel Pryor

Dawnyel Pryor

Dawnyel Pryor has devoted her entire professional career to helping to save lives and has over 20 years of nonprofit experience. In 2008, she joined the Physicians Committee and currently serves as the Director of Community Education. In this role Dawnyel is responsible for marketing and branding the Food for Life nutrition and cooking class program, the program licensing training, and the licensed instructors and institutions. She oversees the Food for Life program’s strategic direction, corporate partnerships, program design, and the supervision of the 300 licensed instructors and institutions. She also leads culturally competent content creation and partnership development.

Before joining the Physician Committee Dawnyel’s career includes positions at the American Institute for Cancer Research, Children's Defense Fund, and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. 

Dawnyel is also dedicated to philanthropic efforts that support various causes from curing breast cancer to advocating for children with autism spectrum disorder. After losing her sister to ovarian cancer, Dawnyel founded and chaired of the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance’s District of Columbia Junior Advisory Committee. She also served on the board of directors for the Ovarian and Gynecological Cancer Coalition of Greater Washington/Rhonda’s Club. Dawnyel holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Howard University. In her spare time, Dawnyel enjoys hiking with her two children and husband. 

Lianna Levine Reisner, MSOD

Lianna Levine Reisner, MSOD

Liana Levine Reisner is building a multicultural movement for health as president and network director of Plant Powered Metro New York, an organization she co-founded in 2019 to empower local communities to address health concerns through evidence-based plant-based nutrition. She holds a master’s degree from Case Western Reserve University in positive organization development and change and a certificate in plant-based nutrition from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies.

Karen Smith, RD, CDCES

Karen Smith, RD, CDCES

Karen Smith, RD, CDCES has over 16 years of experience as a registered dietitian in various settings including public health, community nutrition programming, and clinical practice. In 2014 Karen began researching plant-based nutrition and adopted a fully plant-based diet. She has been a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist since 2017, is a member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, a certified Food for Life instructor, and passionate about providing evidence-based nutrition education and resources to help individuals prevent and reverse chronic disease. Karen completed a 12-week coach training program through WellStart Coach in 2019, and enjoys empowering others to achieve their goals and realize their capabilities and potential.

Donna Steele

Donna Steele

Donna Steele is a video and communications specialist and social media manager for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. She has been in the production industry for over 15 years and loves helping people reach their audiences through social media. Donna lives in New York, NY with her husband and two fur children, Zazu and Bagel.

Bryant Terry

Bryant Terry

Bryant Terry draws inspiration from his ancestors, motivating us to strive for a more healthful, just, and sustainable world. Fast Company named him one of 9 People Who Are Changing the Future of Food. In the area of food activism, Terry’s mentor Alice Waters says, “Bryant Terry knows that good food should be an everyday right and not a privilege.” From 2015 to 2022, Terry served as the inaugural Chef-in-Residence at the Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) in San Francisco. In this role, he curated public programming at the intersection of food, farming, health, activism, art, and culture.

Mr. Terry is the founder and editor-in-chief of 4 Color Books, and is himself an author, having written six acclaimed titles. His latest book, Black Food, was hailed as the most critical acclaimed American cookbook of 2021 and was awarded the Art of Eating Prize. He is also the author of Vegetable Kingdom, Afro-Vegan, and Vegan Soul Kitchen: Fresh, Healthy, and Creative African-American Cuisine. He is currently pursuing a degree in the MFA program at UC Berkeley, was educated in the culinary arts at the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts, and holds an MA in History from NYU. He resides and works in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife and their two daughters.

Caroline Trapp, DNP, ANP-BC, CDCES, DipACLM, FAANP

Caroline Trapp, DNP, ANP-BC, CDCES, DipACLM, FAANP

Caroline Trapp has committed herself to finding a better path forward for diabetes treatment. Dr. Trapp became a certified diabetes educator in 1994 and an adult primary care Nurse Practitioner in 1998. She obtained her Master’s degree in Community Health Nursing from the University of Pennsylvania. Additionally, she earned her BSN and post-Master’s certification in Adult Primary Care from the University of Michigan, where she has served as an adjunct clinical faculty member since 2007. She also served for many years as Director of Diabetes Education and Care for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. Dr. Trapp created and implemented many innovative diabetes education programs for patients and health care professionals. She has also lectured nationally on the topics of diabetes prevention, treatment, and reversal, with a particular focus on plant-based nutrition interventions.

Walter Whitewater

Walter Whitewater

Chef Walter Whitewater is a native of Pinon, Arizona, and is from the Diné (Navajo) Nation. He grew up in a traditional family and began cooking as a young boy after seeing people cooking at some of the traditional ceremonies his family attended. He began cooking professionally in 1992 in Santa Fe, New Mexico, at Cafe Escalera and has since cooked at a number of diverse restaurants, expanding his culinary skills and knowledge of global cuisines.

Walter was the culinary advisor for Foods of the Southwest Indian Nations, a James Beard Award-winning cookbook written by Lois Frank, PhD, highlighting the foods and ways of life of Southwest Native American tribes. He’s also worked as a food stylist for various cookbooks, editorial and advertisements. Walter teaches cooking classes at the Santa Fe School of Cooking, showcasing Native American Foods of the Southwest. He’s a chef at Lois’s Native American catering and food company, Red Mesa Cuisine.

Kim A. Williams, Sr, MD, MACC, FAHA, MASNC, FESC

Kim Williams, MD

Dr. Williams is chief of the division of cardiology at Rush University and specializes in cardiology, prevention, and cardiac imaging. His current professional focus is on preventive cardiology, specializing in synthesizing data on cardiovascular risk and mortality due to nutrition.

He has served on numerous national committees and boards including serving as the President of the American College of Cardiology, President of the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Association of Black Cardiologists. He is also the founder of the Urban Cardiology Initiative in Detroit, Michigan to reduce ethnic heart care disparities, and continues community-based efforts in Chicago at Rush. He has become a nationally and internationally recognized speaker, including more than 200 publications, online resources, movies and lectures on the topic of cardio nutrition.