Chef Kevin Dunn graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York and has worked in several four-star restaurants throughout the United States. Kevin has spent the last seven years at the prestigious New England Culinary Institute in Vermont where he fostered his vegetarian cuisine. He is presently in the process of writing a vegan cookbook which he believes will change many of the misconceptions of vegetarian cuisine.  Kevin joined the nationally renowned Hospitality Education Department at Grand Rapids Community College in August of 2003. His responsibilities are for the direction of the Advanced Food Production Class which operates the Heritage restaurant, a fine dining restaurant run by the students. The menu of the Heritage is an eclectic blend of classic cuisine and vegetarian alternative

Chef Abbie Jaye - AJ is the Executive Chef for Exsalus Health & Wellness Center CA  (www.exsalus.com) and the Executive Vegan and Raw Pastry Chef at Sante both in Los Angeles, Ca. She never uses any processed ingredients in any of her creations.  AJ has followed a plant-based diet for over 32 years and for the last 10 years has taught at several culinary schools throughout Los Angeles.  She has prepared food for many celebrities and television shows. She has worked with the Black Women Wellness organization and the Braille Institute. AJ was featured in the documentary "Point of View" as well as several television shows including "Dog Whisperer".  She will soon be featured in "Obsessed" which will premiere on A & E in the fall. AJ can be reached at www.chefajshealthkitchen.com.

Fran Costigan, a veteran teacher, consultant, and recipe developer, is the author of Great Good Dairy Free Desserts Naturally and More Great Good Dairy-Free Desserts Naturally. A graduate of the New York Restaurant School, the Professional Program at the Natural Gourmet Institute for Food & Health and a former pastry chef at several NYC establishments including the famed Angelica Kitchen, Fran's background gives her a unique perspective from which to create absolutely delicious naturally sweetened, wholesome vegan desserts that have inspired even hardcore sweet seekers to explore more healthful options. Her website is: francostigan.com.

Emily Webber  In 2002, Emily discovered veganism and, along with it, a whole new world of flavor. From 2004-2008 she was the Supervisor of Salud!, Cooking & Lifestyle School at Whole Foods Market Sacramento.  She has written for VegNews Magazine and Veggie Life Magazine.  In 2008, Emily chose to be a stay-at-home Mom to her now 2-year old son.  Cooking healthful meals for her picky toddler has been her biggest culinary challenge to date. When not running off to the playground with her son, you’ll find Emily teaching the occasional cooking class at Williams-Sonoma, The Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op or Whole Foods Market.  Most often, however, she’s in the kitchen, testing her latest recipes.  Emily lives in Sacramento, California with her family.

Jill Nussinow, RD, MA is a vegetarian cooking teacher, a Registered Dietitian and a freelance writer with a Master’s Degree in Nutrition and Dietetics. She has taught cooking classes that focus on healthful, seasonal, and organically grown foods since 1985.  Jill is also a freelance writer whose work has appeared in The Sonoma County Press Democrat, Cooking Light, Vegetarian Times, and Healthline. She has a cookbook—The Veggie Queen: Vegetables Get the Royal Treatment, and a new DVD—Pressure Cooking: A Fresh Look, Delicious Dishes in Minutes.

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, a long-time vegan and animal activist, through vegan cooking classes, articles and essays, lectures and workshops, her popular "Food for Thought" podcast and blog, a cooking DVD, and her new cookbook The Joy of Vegan Baking: Compassionate Cooks' Traditional Treats & Sinful Sweets, she raises awareness about the cruelties of the "animal food" industry. She founded Compassionate Cooks http://www.compassionatecooks.com web site. Colleen has appeared on the Food Network, she is a columnist for VegNews Magazine and a contributor to KQED radio.

Mary McDougall is a nurse, homemaker, and co-author of 8 National-Best Selling Books.  She lectures nationwide on the practical methods of turning the kitchen into a health-builder for the whole family.  Over the past 25 years she has been caring for people with diet and lifestyle medicine and has created over 3,000 health-supporting recipes.

Dr. John McDougall's national recognition as a nutrition expert earned him a position in the Great Nutrition Debate 2000 presented by the USDA.  He is a board certified internist, author of ten national best-selling books, host of the nationally syndicated television show “McDougall, MD,” Medical Director of the McDougall Program in Santa Rosa, California and Advanced Prevention Technologies -- caring for people at Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Minnesota.  Over the past 30 years he has been caring for people with diet and lifestyle medicine.