Patti Yost

Patti Yost is a licensed Food for Life Instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), a Certified Plant-Based Nutrition Specialist, Health and Wellness Coach in training, Founder of Plant Powered Initiative, and President of Plant Powered Peoria, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting healthy, compassionate, and sustainable living.

Patti has been vegan since 2006, but her journey to optimal health took an unexpected turn. Like many people, she discovered that simply eliminating animal products does not automatically lead to better health. Years of relying on heavily processed convenience foods eventually left her overweight, with high blood pressure, chronic fatigue, exercise-induced asthma, and on the verge of being diagnosed as pre-diabetic.

Determined to reclaim her health, Patti enrolled in the Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate Program through eCornell and the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies, completing the program in 2022. What began as a personal health journey quickly evolved into a passion for nutrition education and lifestyle medicine.

Since embracing a whole food, plant-based lifestyle, Patti has lost more than 50 pounds, normalized her blood pressure, improved her cardiovascular fitness, and transformed her relationship with food. Today, she enjoys running, hiking, paddleboarding, and helping others discover the life-changing benefits of healthy eating.

With more than 20 years of experience as a kitchen designer, Patti has helped create hundreds of beautiful kitchens. Along the way, she came to an important realization: a gorgeous kitchen can certainly make you smile, but it's what you stock in the cabinets, pantry, and refrigerator that has the power to change your life.

As she continues her education toward becoming a Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach, Patti still spends 40 hours each week in her flooring and cabinetry career while pursuing her passion for health education. She is the founder of Plant Powered Initiative, a wellness-focused platform through which she teaches Food for Life classes, hosts cooking demonstrations and wellness retreats, and develops programs designed to help individuals create lasting lifestyle changes through evidence-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine.

Patti is also the founder and president of Plant Powered Peoria, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting healthy, compassionate, and sustainable living through educational programs, community events, advocacy initiatives, and opportunities for connection in her community.

Drawing from both personal experience and science-based nutrition education, Patti's mission is simple: to help people take control of their health, one meal at a time. Whether you're looking to prevent chronic disease, improve your energy, lose weight, support a cancer survivor, or simply learn how to prepare delicious plant-based meals, Patti is passionate about helping you build a healthier future.