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Raleigh Spring Veg Fest | Presenters

SCHEDULE

Featuring expert doctors, researchers, and activists to discuss timely topics such as health, diet, animal welfare, and the environment.
  • 10:00am to 11am Mike and Denise Young | aPlantBasedDiet.org NON-PROFIT UPDATE + LONGEVITY HABITS & ECO VILLAGES
  • 11am to 11:45am - Priti Manmode | SECRETS TO STRESS FREE LIVING
  • 11:45am to 12:30pm - Chef Hadassah Patterson | THE STORY OF NC INDIGENOUS PRODUCE ON YOUR PLATE
  • 12:30pm to 1:30pm - Talena Chavis | CATCHING AND REHOMING LOCAL SNAKES
  • 1:30pm to 2pm - Colleen Kane | THE ULTIMATE CASE FOR VEGANISM
  • 2pm to 3pm - Mike and Denise Young | HOW TO GO PLANT BASED IN 14 DAYS

Note: Schedule Below Subject To Change.

Mike and Denise Young | NON-PROFIT UPDATE + LONGEVITY HABITS

Mike Young is the Founder of aPlantBasedDiet.org 501(c)(3) Non-Profit, TriangleGrapeVine.org and FloridaGrapeVine.org. aPlantBasedDiet.org has a website full of food and recipe resources, a YouTube Channel, local community groups, and live in person outdoor festival events up and down the US East Coast. He’s the type of person that’s continually in search of improvement and doing the best he can do with everything. Mike has always been a forward thinker, and this has propelled him into leading a whole foods plant based lifestyle. He believes there’s nothing more important to do today than spread the good news of this lifestyle since everyone and everything benefits! Mike can be found perpetually on social media. Mike is also a Lifestyle Nutritionist @ ForeverYoungNutritionCoaching.com with a passion for human health. Author of the vBook “Live to 150” available FREE here: http://LiveTo150.org

Denise began her non-profit leadership work as the President of her COA. She leads projects and analyses financial data as a Senior Systems Analyst at Freddie MAC. Denise began her Plant-based journey after Mike encouraged her to read The China Study in 2017. Denise lost her beloved Aunt and Grandmother to diabetes and watched several family members struggle with breast cancer. She’s committed to educating people about a healthy lifestyle that doesn’t exploit animals and is better for the environment. Since switching to a Whole Foods Plant Based diet, Denise has lost 20 pounds, has resumed running and recently won first place in her age group in a competitive 5K!

Colleen Kane | The Ultimate Case for Veganism in 20 Minutes

Colleen Kane is a vegan activist and blogger who writes research-backed articles about how veganism promotes social justice, health justice and climate justice on her blog, veganspired.org. As an occupational therapist, she is passionate about the power of a plant-based diet as an element of lifestyle medicine to optimize health and wellbeing. As a lifelong appreciator of animals, she finds that veganism is a natural expression of compassion. Finally, as a millennial with an acute awareness of the climate crisis, she is motivated by the singular power of veganism to preserve a livable future on our planet. Colleen earnestly shares the message that veganism is abundance: abundant compassion, abundant health, the preservation of our only home, and the prevailing of our values.

11-1 PM | Angela & Will

Angela DiPaolo is a violinist and music educator. William Woltz worked for years in classical radio but holds an abiding passion for the music of Buck Owens and Billie Holiday. Together, Angela & Will bring their vocal harmonies and instrumental skills to bear on a growing body of original tunes plus interesting songs from the American landscape, making for a compelling and entertaining musical experience. They are based in Wake Forest, NC.

Chef Hadassah Patterson

The Story of NC Indigenous Produce on Your Plate

Chef Hadassah Patterson is an Afro-Indigenous chef with Tuscarora/Haudenosaunee, Saponi, and other NC region tribal backgrounds. She has cooked in every type of kitchen from short-order food trucks to AAA Five Diamond Awarded fine dining establishments, including directing non-profit food programming. She’s an experienced national writer and brand ambassador, holding degrees in both Culinary and Hospitality Management. She offers private chef services and commercial multimedia content, is a working actress shooting a pilot on Indigenous cuisine: ORIGINS — The Culinary Heritage of the Southeast Woodlands. 
 

Priti Manmode

Secrets to Stress-free living

Priti Manmode is a certified Breathwork and Meditation expert with the Art of Living foundation and has been associated with the foundation for over 18 years. She teaches various Breathing techniques and Meditation programs with the foundation. She is also a 500 hours certified yoga instructor. And has taught people from diverse backgrounds – Entrepreneurs, Doctors, Political and Business leaders, Students, Teachers, etc. By Profession, she is a Consultant in IT.
 

Talena Chavis | Humane Snake Removal

everything you ever wanted to know about snakes but were afraid to ask or just plain afraid.

Talena Chavis was born and raised in North Carolina. She grew up in Raleigh and graduated from Carolina University with a B.A. in Journalism. After college she performed stand-up comedy on the amateur circuit for three years. In 2005 she and her husband Dan co-founded a non-profit animal rescue:  AniMall Pet Adoption and Outreach Center. For more than decade AniMall was the catalyst for thousands of animals finding forever homes.

Talena also has an unusual job: she’s a snake catcher! Yes, you read that right. As a Certified Wildlife Damage Control Agent Talena humanely (and safely) captures venomous and non-venomous snakes and removes them. She has been featured in the News and Observer and interviewed by ABC11 News regarding copperheads. In addition to removal, Talena offers a FREE snake identification service by tex 919-867-0173. She resides in Cary with her husband and their family of pets.

Colleen Kane

The Ultimate Case for Veganism
Colleen Kane is a vegan activist and blogger who writes research-backed articles about how veganism promotes social justice, health justice and climate justice on her blog, veganspired.org. As an occupational therapist, she is passionate about the power of a plant-based diet as an element of lifestyle medicine to optimize health and wellbeing. As a lifelong appreciator of animals, she finds that veganism is a natural expression of compassion. Finally, as a millennial with an acute awareness of the climate crisis, she is motivated by the singular power of veganism to preserve a livable future on our planet. Colleen earnestly shares the message that veganism is abundance: abundant compassion, abundant health, the preservation of our only home, and the prevailing of our values.

Talena also has an unusual job: she’s a snake catcher! Yes, you read that right. As a Certified Wildlife Damage Control Agent Talena humanely (and safely) captures venomous and non-venomous snakes and removes them. She has been featured in the News and Observer and interviewed by ABC11 News regarding copperheads. In addition to removal, Talena offers a FREE snake identification service by tex 919-867-0173. She resides in Cary with her husband and their family of pets.