WFPB TEAM
We are the game-changing force behind a better planet for all.
Who We Are.
We are a community of challengers of the status quo, warriors of truth, and pioneers of world change. We are all working together for our common goal: A disease-free, knowledgeable, and sustainable global community.
THE LEADERS [ BOARD OF DIRECTORS ]
Founder and President
Margarita Restrepo
Chief Compliance Officer
David Albrecht
Director of Operations
Sig Hernandez
Michele Lastella
Founder and President
Margarita Restrepo
The founder and editor-in-chief of the award winning publication Naked Food magazine, founder of the International Association of Reversive Medicine, and the founder of WFPB.ORG, a non-profit organization that empowers human and planetary health through a plant-based lifestyle.Margarita is the author of the evidence-based Universal Guideline for Human and Planetary Health available in over 5 different languages, and the author of four whole food, plant-based Culinary Medicine cookbooks. She has brought the plant-based movement into the limelight in the United States, Canada, and Latin America through a stylish and practical approach to cohesive / wholistic education pioneering human and planetary health and sustainability as a whole.
Chief Compliance Officer
David Albrecht
David Albrecht is an accomplished and well respected senior executive with great experience as a team leader, managing multi-disciplinary teams.The co-owner of multiple vegan businesses, David is also an expert on tax law and compliance, and worked for several years as an analyst for the IRS.
Director of Operations
Sig Hernandez
Sigfrido Hernández developed a passion for the animals, the land and the ocean but it wasn’t until later in life that he understood the powerful connection between food choices, human and environmental health, and the tragic fate of billions of animals. In 2006 he co-founded The Food Pharmacy to help educate the community on the best nutritional and lifestyle choices for a sustainable and healthy future for all species. His expertise is in project management, work process development, scheduling and productivity improvements. Sig holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University, a M.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Maryland and an Environmental Engineering course work from the University of Florida.
Michele Lastella
Michele Lastella is a filmmaker and sustainability expert, co-author of Naked Food Magazine’s Master Plants Cookbook. He is the founder of Sustainable Media, a multimedia company focused on uncovering information through investigative research. Michele is a Reiki Master and a producer of biodynamic wine and olives. Michele is working to bring the whole food, plant-based message to Italian speakers and is the director of WFPB.ORG Europe. He is a graduate from the National Academy Of Dramatic Art in Italy, a theater and film writer, and a professor at the New York Film Academy.
THE PIONEERS [ BOARD OF ADVISORS ]
Advisor
T. Colin Campbell, PhD.
Caldwell B. Esselstyn, MD.
Advisor
John McDougall, MD.
Advisor
Dean Ornish, MD.
Advisor
T. Colin Campbell, PhD.
Dr. T. Colin Campbell, is a scientist known worldwide by many as the “father of science” of the fast-growing nutritional plant-based movement thanks to being one of the pioneers in education and research in nutrition. His legacy, The China Study, is one of the most comprehensive studies ever conducted on health and nutrition. Through his immense work, Dr. Campbell has inspired thousands of leaders and patients around the world to change their lifestyles and implement clinical and public health programs to not only prevent but successfully reverse chronic degenerative diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, arthritis among others.
T. Colin Campbell PhD., is the Professor Emeritus of Nutritional Biochemistry at Cornell University, author of over 300 research papers, co-author of Whole: Rethinking The Science Of Nutrition, and the international best-seller The China Study.
Caldwell B. Esselstyn, MD., is a trained surgeon from the Cleveland Clinic and the St. George’s Hospital in London, author of the book Prevent & Reverse Hearth Disease,and director of the cardiovascular prevention and reversal program at The Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute.
John McDougall, MD., is a board-certified internist, author of 11 national best-selling books including The Starch Solution, host of the television show “McDougall M.D.,” and medical director of the 10-day, live-in McDougall Program.
Dean Ornish MD is the president and founder of the nonprofit Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, California, as well as Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco.Dr. Ornish is the author of six books, all national bestsellers.He is a revolutionary thought leader in healthcare and medicine, proving through 35 years of research studies that comprehensive lifestyle changes can improve chronic conditions and transform lives.
Phone:+1 (877) 888-3091
THE GAME CHANGERS [ BOARD OF ADVISORS ]
Ann Crile Esselstyn
Advisor
Will Tuttle, PhD.
Advisor
Pamela Popper, ND., PhD.
Advisor
John Robbins
Advisor
Saray Stancic, MD.
Advisor
Doug Lisle, PhD.
Jane Esselstyn, RN.
Culinary Medicine
Chef Del Sroufe
Advisor
Heather McDougall
Advisor
Ocean Robbins
Brian Hart, M.Ed.
Advisor
Kathy Freston
Advisor
Michael Greger, MD.
Advisor
Monica Aggarwal, MD.
Education Advisor
Claudia Diaz
Culinary Medicine
Chef Ramses Bravo
Evelisse Capo, Pharm D.
Advisor
Michael Klaper, MD
Advisor
Nelson Campbell
Advisor
Ana Negrón, MD.
Advisor
Ted Crawford, MD.
Culinary Medicine
Kim Campbell
Ashwani Garg, MD.
Ann Crile Esselstyn
Ann Crile Esselstyn is a relentlessly energetic and creative advocate for the plant-based, whole-food way of life. She is the author of the recipe section of Dr. Esselstyn’s bestselling book, Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease, and co-author of The Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease Cookbook with her daughter, Jane.
Ann never stops looking for ways to bring that important agenda to delicious life, devising ever more practical and powerful ways to shop, cook, and engage even the most reluctant eaters in the plant-perfect diet. She is a graduate of Smith College and holds a Masters in Education from Wheelock College. Ann taught English and History for 27 years at Laurel School in Cleveland, Ohio, where she received the Hostatler Award for Outstanding Teaching.
Advisor
Will Tuttle, PhD.
Dr. Will Tuttle, visionary educator and musician, is the author of the international best-seller, The World Peace Diet. A former Zen monk and recipient of the Courage of Conscience Award,he is cofounder ofThe Worldwide Prayer Circle for Animalsand is a vegan since 1980.
Advisor
Pamela Popper, ND., PhD.
Dr. Pam Popper is a naturopath, an internationally recognized expert on nutrition, medicine and health, and the Executive Director of The Wellness Forum. Dr. Popper is the author of several books; her most recent is Solving America’s Healthcare Crisis. She is the Founder of The Wellness Forum Foundation, which offers programming in schools designed to improve children’s health through better nutrition.
Dr. Pam Popper is a straight-talking professional who is not afraid to criticize national health organizations, government agencies, medical professionals, pharmaceutical companies, agricultural organizations and manufacturing companies, many of whom have agendas and priorities that interfere with distributing truthful information and promoting public health.
John Robbins is the awarded author of nine bestsellers that have been translated into 26 languages. His books include The Food Revolution, Diet For A New America, and most recently, No Happy Cows: Dispatches from the Frontlines of the Food Revolution.
Advisor
Saray Stancic, MD.
Saray Stancic, MD., is a board certified physician and the founder of Stancic Health and Wellness, LLC where she practices Lifestyle Medicine. Dr. Stancic is currently producing a documentary film, Code Blue: Redefining the Practice of Medicine, which will highlight the practice of Lifestyle Medicine to prevent, treat, and manage chronic illnesses. In doing so, she has been traveling coast-to-coast over the past several months, interviewing prominent leaders in Lifestyle Medicine.
Doug Lisle, PhD., is the Director of Research for The TrueNorth Health Center, and the psychologist for the McDougall Wellness Program.He is also the pioneer psychologist of Esteem Dynamics.
Jane Esselstyn, RN., is the co-author of The Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease Cookbook,The Engine 2 Cookbook, and the creator of the recipe sections of #1 NYTimes bestseller, Plant-Strong and The Engine 2 Seven Day Rescue, by Rip Esselstyn. Her annual conference, Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease and Autoimmune Disease for Women, focuses on the power of a plant-based approach to eliminate this #1 killer of women and other preventable, lifestyle related diseases.
Chef Del Sroufe is a member of The Wellness Forum and the co-owner and chef at Wellness Forum Foods. After a lifetime of yo-yo dieting, he has lost over 200 pounds on a low fat, plant-based diet. Sroufe is the author of three cookbooks, The China Study Quick and Easy Cookbook, Better Than Vegan and the bestseller, Forks Over Knives—The Cookbook. Visit ChefDelSroufe.com
Advisor
Heather McDougall
Heather is the CEO of Dr. McDougall’s Health & Medical Center. She has managed every aspect of the McDougall Program since it moved to Santa Rosa in 2002. Her involvement in the business includes Program Director, overseeing the McDougall website and McDougall Facebook page, day-to-day business operations, recipe development and advertising.
Website:www.drmcdougall.com
Advisor
Ocean Robbins
Ocean Robbins is co-founder & CEO of the 450,000 member Food Revolution Network. He has hosted more than 800,000 people in his online Food Revolution Summits, and he’s facilitated organized and facilitated hundreds of live seminars, gatherings and events for more than 200,000 leaders from 65 nations. Ocean serves as adjunct professor for Chapman University, and is a recipient of the national Jefferson Award for Outstanding Public Service, the Freedom’s Flame Award, the Harmon Wilkinson Award, and many other honors. He is author of The Power of Partnership, and co-author of Voices of the Food Revolution and Choices For Our Future.
Email:support@foodrevolution.org.
Brian Hart, M.Ed.
Brian Hart, M.Ed. is a highly experienced educator with over twenty-five years in the field as a teacher, administrator, consultant, and advocate for school change in both the public and private sectors. Brian specializes in working with organizations to help them create immersive, hands-on, experiential programs designed to transform thinking and build problem-solving skills. He is a former Outward Bound instructor, wilderness EMT, plant-based chef, middle school principal, and carpenter. When not educating others about the benefits of whole food, plant-based nutrition, Brian is a committed ultra-endurance athlete with four Ironman finishes to his name, among other run, bike, and ski events. Brian graduated from Dickinson College with a BA in History. He earned his M.Ed. in teaching and curriculum design from Ursuline College. Brian also holds a Rouxbe Plant-Based Cooking Certification and a Montessori Adolescent Educators endorsement.
Advisor
Kathy Freston
Kathy Freston is a bestselling author with a focus on healthy eating and conscious living. She is the New York Times bestselling author of The Lean, Veganist, Quantum Wellness, The Book of Veganish and her latest, Clean Protein. A media favorite, Kathy has appeared frequently on national television, including Ellen, The Dr.Oz Show, Charlie Rose, Good Morning America, The Talk, The Martha Stewart Show, Extra and Oprah.
A founding member and Fellow of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, Michael Greger, MD, is a physician, New York Times bestselling author, and internationally recognized speaker on nutrition, food safety, and public health issues. He has lectured at the Conference on World Affairs, testified before Congress, and was invited as an expert witness in the defense of Oprah Winfrey in the infamous “meat defamation” trial. In 2017, Dr. Greger was honored with the ACLM Lifestyle Medicine Trailblazer Award. He is a graduate of Cornell University School of Agriculture and Tufts University School of Medicine. His latest book How Not to Die became an instant New York Times Best Seller. He has videos on more than 2,000 health topics freely available at NutritionFacts.org, with new videos and articles uploaded every day. All proceeds he receives from his books, DVDs, and speaking engagements is all donated to charity.
Advisor
Monica Aggarwal, MD.
Board certified in cardiology, echocardiography and nuclear cardiology, assistant professor of medicine in the University of Florida Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, and a fellow of the American College of Cardiology (ACC), where she is a member of the nutrition council working on nutrition policies for the nation. Dr. Aggarwal is also the author of the book “Finding Balance: Empower Yourself with Tools to Combat Stress and Illness,” which outlines 10 prescriptions to help guide people to better health.
Education Advisor
Claudia Diaz
Claudia is the founder and visionary behind the Montessori British School (MBS), a prestigious, highly regarded, and most important schools in Colombia. She is also an innovator for a state-of-the-art academic curriculum that goes beyond academic content. Claudia is a whole plant-based eater who understands the importance of nutrition in action. She actively develops programs aimed at improving student’s eating habits through education. Claudia earned a professional degree in Architecture from Universidad Javeriana, a Master’s in City Planning from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), a Master’s in Education from the University of Alabama, and a Master’s in Business Administration from Kellogg’s Business Executive Program.
She was also part of the Singularity Program that takes place in Silicon Valley for Exponential Technology; she has enrolled in culinary courses at “El Gato Dumas”; has studied Sustainable Agriculture at the National Gourmet Institute of New York, and high definition photography and filmmaking at the New York Film Academy. She is a certified Coach from the ICT (International Coaching Community), and was admitted for a Fellowship at Columbia University for the Klingenstein Heads Program. Claudia is also the recipient of one of the country’s most prestigious awards, the “La Cruz José Acevedo y Gomez,” given to outstanding human beings that contribute to the development of society in a meaningful way.
Culinary Medicine
Chef Ramses Bravo
Chef Bravo is a professional whole food plant-based chef and the author of many best-selling books including the Bravo! cookbook, as well as Bravo Express!. He teaches adults and children how to cook absolutely delicious WFPB meals without sugar, salt, and oil. He is the executive chef for True North Health Center since 2007 and the leading Chef for the Culinary Medicine program for WFPB.ORG.
Evelisse Capo, Pharm D.
Dr. Capó is a certified instructor for PCRM’s Food for Life and CHIP (Complete Heath Improvement) programs. Dr. Capó collaborated with the GEICO Workplace Nutrition Study coordinated by the Washington Center for Clinical Research. She practices as a health and nutrition coach in her consulting practice The Food Pharmacy located in Sarasota, FL. Dr. Capó also practices as an Instructor and Spanish Outreach Coordinator for the T. Colin Campbell for Nutrition Studies. She has been able to accomplish these endeavors with the love and support of her husband and four plant-strong children.
Michael A. Klaper, M.D. is a graduate of the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Chicago. He received postgraduate training in internal medicine, surgery, anesthesiology, and orthopedics at University of British Columbia teaching hospitals in Vancouver and obstetrics at the University of California at San Francisco. He has practiced acute care medicine in Hawaii, Canada, California, Florida and New Zealand.
Far more fulfilling to him is his current practice, focusing on health-promoting food and lifestyle choices to help people prevent the need for hospitalization and surgery. He has authored numerous articles on plant-based nutrition and is authoring a book on using plant-based medicine to arrest and reverse disease.
A long-time radio host and a pilot, Dr. Klaper has served as nutrition advisor to NASA’s programs for space colonists on the Moon and Mars and on the Nutrition Task Force of the American Medical Students Association.
Dr. Klaper has been featured in several films focused on health and sustainable living, including the award winning “Diet For A New America”, “What the Health”, and “Cowspiracy.”
To improve his own health, and to minimize suffering of sentient beings, Dr. Klaper adopted a plant-based diet in 1981. He makes the latest information on health and nutrition available through his website, DoctorKlaper.com, where visitors can find the numerous videos and DVDs he has produced, as well subscribe to his free newsletter, “Medicine Capsule.”
Advisor
Nelson Campbell
Nelson Campbell founded PlantPure, Inc. and its nonprofit arm, PlantPure Communities, to lead a grassroots movement to promote the health benefits of plant-based nutrition. He is the Executive Producer, Director, and Co-Writer of the documentary film PlantPure Nation, and the pioneer of the Healing America campaign.
Board certified in family medicine, Ana M. Negrón, M.D. has made cooking an integral part of her practice. By transitioning her patients to a whole food plant-based diet she helps reduce inflammation at the root of their illness.
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Negrón has a solo nutrition practice near Philadelphia. She volunteers at a free clinic for the uninsured, and teaches young physicians how a whole foods plant-based diet can prevent, help treat, and even reverse chronic disease. Sunstone Press published her recent book, Nourishing the Body and Recovering Health: The Positive Science of Food—an antidote to our reliance on pharmaceuticals.
Ted Crawford was born, raised, and educated in Iowa and used to take five prescription medications for his own array of health issues. After adopting a plant-based lifestyle and reversing his health problems seven years ago, he began advocating this way of living to his patients. Dr. Crawford is a board certified family practice physician who believes that most of our health problems are caused by what we choose to put into our bodies. He also believes that even if you have been treating your body horribly for years, you can reverse most, if not all, of the deleterious effects you have caused by poor lifestyle choices. Dr. Crawford practices family medicine in Tucson, AZ. He is featured in the film “Eating You Alive”.
Culinary Medicine
Kim Campbell
Kim Campbell is the author of two cookbooks, PlantPure Nation & PlantPure Kitchen, where she developed over 250 recipes using whole food, plant-based ingredients, and no processed oils. Kim has been a plant-based cook for 25 years, experimenting and preparing meals for her family and friends.
Kim graduated from Cornell University with a BS in Human Service Studies, with a concentration in Nutrition and Child Development. She later received a teaching certificate and went on to teach in various grades, from kindergarten to high school. She also raised three children with her husband, often teaching in their schools.
Kim’s passion has always been recipe development and culinary education, especially for families and children. She has taught cooking classes in her local community and now through PlantPure, Inc. She currently directs recipe development and culinary education for the Company. You can watch her educational videos through PlantPureTV.com. In addition to this work, Kim will soon launch a continuing stream of educational videos, and is creating a second cookbook to be published later this year.
Ashwani Garg, MD.
Ashwani Garg, MD is a family physician based in Lincolnwood, IL. Dr. Garg completed a degree in biomedical engineering and medical school from Northwestern University, after which he attended family medicine residency at Hinsdale Hospital. He was in private practice for 15 years and was inspired by the movie “Forks over Knives” and CNN’s “The Last Heart Attack” to adopt a plant-based diet and to work with his patients on healthy lifestyle changes. He is a founding member of the International Association of Reversive Medicine and he is WFPB certified. He is board-certified in lifestyle medicine in addition to having completed a certificate in plant-based nutrition, and has adopted an integrative approach to his medical care for all ages, birth and up.
THE CHALLENGERS [ USA TEAM ]
WFPB Certification
Toni Abbruzzese
Content Editor
Denise DeSerio
Naked Food Español & Fulfillment Director
Augusto Restrepo
Marketing
Lyda Durango
Stephanie Richardson
Matthew Sikora
Content and Team Organizer
Teresa Olea
Babu Subbaraman, PhD.
WFPB Certification
Toni Abbruzzese
Toni is the Certification Director for WFPB.ORG. She has spent her entire 22-year career in the fields of product development, marketing, supply chain and operations of consumer packaged goods, particularly cosmetics, skin care and nutrition products. She is the principal of Inventive Product Group, a firm that takes concepts and ideas into finished products through positioning and product development. Toni holds a degree in Business with an emphasis on Marketing and International Business from California State University. She has also earned a Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate from The T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies.
Content Editor
Denise DeSerio
Denise DeSerio is the Senior Copy Editor for Naked Food Magazine. She also assists with editing Naked Food’s media and cookbooks including the Master Plants Cookbook. Denise is an avid proponent of the plant-based lifestyle and has served as Executive Director of her local animal rights group. She has an Associate Degree in Commercial Art and also contributes her knowledge and experience with restaurant menu-writing and her love of cooking good, healthful food.
Augusto is a retired chemical engineer. He is the copy editor for Naked Food en Español and he is an expert in Spanish translation and grammar.Augusto’s grandfather actually participated in the building of the original Spanish Dictionary from the Royal Academy of Language in Spain. Augusto is also the Fulfillment Director for both Naked Food magazine and WFPB.ORG.
Marketing
Lyda Durango
Lyda is a PR, Marketing, and Communications professional with an expertise in event marketing, digital marketing, social media, tactical and strategic planning, and media relations. She is an animal advocate and activist for animal rights, and the founder of a digital magazine focused on animal protection. Her vision of marketing and advertising is that they should be utilized to further planetary health and compassion toward all beings.
Stephanie Richardson
Stephanie has served as the Horticulturist and Landscape Designer for the City of Midland, Michigan for over thirteen years. In addition, she oversees the city’s largest community gardens, ensuring that they remain organic and sustainable. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Horticulture from Michigan State University. Stephanie is passionate about protecting wildlife and natural spaces, and serves on the board of her local conservancy. She has also spent many years engaged in volunteerism throughout the community.
Stephanie’s passions are rooted in organic gardening and regenerative horticulture. This has led her to operate her own consulting, education and landscape business, Urban Gardener. Through her business she helps individuals and businesses create and maintain sustainable landscapes and edible wellness gardens. Stephanie’s personal mission is to grow healthy in mind, body and spirit and to cultivate a state of wellbeing with the hope of leading and inspiring others along the way.
In her spare time, Stephanie enjoys exploring nature, foraging and learning about wild edibles and medicinal plants, hiking, kayaking, traveling and meeting new people. She is a loving mother, wife and amateur chef who helps her family live a plant-based lifestyle. Through her own personal health journey, Stephanie has acquired a wealth of knowledge and a deep understanding of the value of a plant-based diet and looks forward to sharing these benefits with others.
Matthew Sikora
Matthew Sikora is a passionate vegan educator since 2011. While teaching Computer Science at the United States Naval Academy, he created a club called “The Green Classroom” which focused on sustainable living and veganism. Matthew recently moved to Mississippi and was elected to serve on the board of Jackson, Mississippi’s Rainbow All Organic Food Co-op in 2016. Matthew has been in Computer Science and Information Technology for the past 13 years. He enjoys regular vegan tabling at street fairs and giving talks at schools.
Content and Team Organizer
Teresa Olea
Teresa Heitmiller Olea, aka “Mrs. Olea” taught elementary school for 30 years, with the last 20 being in Special Education. She graduated from CSU Sacramento with a bachelors in Liberal Studies, Teaching Credential, and a Masters in Special Education. She’s been cooking and baking since she was in elementary school and it remains her passion.
Teresa has been WFPB since 2011. Loving animals and working for their best care is a beautiful bonus of this lifestyle. Teresa is married to Derek and they have two grown children.
Babu Subbaraman, PhD.
Babu is a Ph.D. and a Post-Doctorate Research Fellow from Great Britain and has worked in industry and universities in Europe and the United States for 35 years. After his retirement as a Lecturer, Admissions Tutor,Chemical Engineer, andPerformance and Development senior consultant, he became a learning facilitator in the College of Business Administration in Central Michigan University.
Babu was involved with UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) ever since his student days and worked on projects to help less fortunate children while inspiring students to volunteer. He was awarded the Honorary Life Membership of the Student Body for contributions to the welfare of students.Babu is currently very active with the Plant Based Nutrition Support Group in Midland, Michigan with his wife, Susan Subbaraman, and manages the online support groups worldwide for WFPB.ORG.
THE WARRIORS [ UK TEAM ]
WFPB.ORG UK
Mahesh Shah, MD.
Angela Gipson
Chris Pollard
Eleni Kirtsya
Gizem Kilinc
WFPB.ORG UK
Mahesh Shah, MD.
Dr. Shah is a General Practitioner and nutritional therapist based in London and the Director of Reversive Medicine for WFPB.ORG in the UK. He studied at the Hull York Medical School (Yorkshire, England) and gained his qualification with the Royal College of General Practitioners in 2015. He attained his nutrition qualification with the College of Naturopathic Medicine. He is a passionate whole food, plant-based nutrition advocate, providing talks and education for health professionals and the general public.
Dr. Shah is dedicated to helping people transform their lives through good health and inner happiness. He feels deeply connected and dedicated to the wellbeing of our wonderful planet Earth, and sees human and planetary health as being interconnected – one cannot be without the other. Thus by looking after both, humanity can live in harmony with the environment and build a cleaner and brighter future for all.
Angela is a qualified Nutritional Therapist with a diploma in Nutritional Therapy from the College of Naturopathic Medicine (CNM), she is registered with the British Association for Applied Nutrition and Nutritional Therapies (BANT), which is the professional body for nutritional therapists. She is also a member of the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC). She is also a mental health instructor and a qualified Sleep Trainer. She successfully helps several clients suffering with anxiety and sleep problems.
Angela is also a fitness instructor who is always been fascinated by nutrition and the impact it has on the body. It was only after losing her otherwise fit and healthy parents to cancer that she wanted to investigate in depth the role nutrition plays in our physical and mental health. She became a vegetarian at age 20 and became vegan in 2016. She works in a prep school as a school matron and trains the school staff in first aid and mental health.
Chris Pollard
Chris is a Marine Engineer by trade. He currently works in the offshore marine industry as a freelance contractor on subsea construction ships operating in a variety of mechanical engineering roles. A job Chris loves as he is his own boss and gets to travel all over the world, meeting lots of people of different nationalities, and having lots of adventures.
Chris has lived a plant based lifestyle for almost five years now after watching a documentary on alternative healing and suddenly became very fascinated with it. Chris hopes to retire from the career he loves however in the near future to work full time within his passion, which is plant based nutrition. Chris has some project ideas which he is working on which will bring plant based education, and access to fresh plant based foods to the local community in his hometown in the United Kingdom. He believes the positive change will be welcomed with long lasting good vibrations.
He is honored to be part of WFPB and is very excited to bring his passion to the team in the UK and around the world.
Eleni Kirtsya
Eleni is a professional software developer with a great passion toward traveling, exploring different cultures and cooking. She is committed to yoga and meditation, and educating the new generations on values, principles such as empathy in order to create a better world. She believes veganism is the way through which humans can coexist with our fellow Earthlings at peace and maintain the wellbeing of our Earth and ourselves.
Gizem Kilinc
Gizem is an Optometry student. She has been plant-based for 5 years now and have never felt more energized and vibrant! She initially turned plant-based for her health and had only wanted to try it out for 30 days. She loved it so much that decided to do it for life. During that month, she learnt about animal cruelty and the environmental impact of animal agriculture and decided to no longer consume animal products. Following a whole food, plant-based diet has allowed her to effortlessly lose weight, and has significantly helped improve her psoriasis, which she have struggled with since early childhood. It has also helped her improve her mental health and physical wellbeing. She also runs a YouTube channel where she documents her journey towards a healthy lifestyle through weight loss and healthful recipes while having an ethical stance against the abuse of animals.
Having been overweight for most of her life, she is extremely passionate about leading a healthy life by eating whole and nutritious foods. She wants to challenge the idea that healthy, whole foods are bland and boring and hopes to inspire others to improve their health and live a long, vibrant life.
THE WARRIORS [ LATIN AMERICA TEAM ]
WFPB.ORG Colombia
Diana Esguerra, MD.
Culinary Medicine (Colombia Director)
Chef Niyireth Gil
Juliana Sussmann
Culinary Medicine (Young Children Leader)
Chef Liev Orozco
WFPB.ORG Colombia
Diana Esguerra, MD.
Diana Inés Esguerra, MD., is the Reversive Medicine Director for WFPB.ORG Colombia. She is a surgeon from the National University of Colombia, specialized in Emergency and Intensive Care, as well as alternative therapies. She has dedicated herself to clinical practice with therapeutic success for more than 20 years, having as fundamental basis whole food, plant-based nutrition for the prevention and reversal of chronic diseases. Dr. Esguerra is an expert in the practice of traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, and quantum medicine, among others. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Colombian Vegetarian Society and of the Association of Medical Researchers in Alternative Therapies (ASMIT).
Culinary Medicine (Colombia Director)
Chef Niyireth Gil
Niyireth is the Director of Culinary Medicine in Colombia for WFPB.ORG. She is also a recipe developer of authentic WFPB Latin American cuisine for Naked Food Magazine. She is an internationally-trained chef with extensive experience in whole food, plant-based baking as well in culinary-related aromatherapy and reflexology. She is also an expert in culinary sustainability including recycling, green product management, and composting.
She is a cooking instructor in community kitchens helping children, seniors, and animals while educating everyone about ethical and coherent consumption of food and products. Niyireth is adamant about serving others as the main purpose of life by promoting positive learning around the world.
Juliana Sussmann
Juliana has professional degrees in Public Communication, Advertising, and Journalism. Bazzinga, her adopted dog, changed her life; it was love at first sight. It was at that time that she felt that helping others will be her purpose. She has volunteered with different animal organizations as well as with Techo’s education process for vulnerable communities. Every time she visited Ciudad Bolivar, a very vulnerable community in Bogota, she brought back a dog for recovery and adoption.
Juliana works in the development of digital strategies for brands with purpose such as plant-based, cruelty-free, and vegan. She wants to inspire others to consider ther impact in this planet to achieve a more conscious and compassionate world.
Culinary Medicine (Young Children Leader)
Chef Liev Orozco
Liev is the leader in Culinary Medicine for young children for WFPB.ORG in Spanish and is been named the youngest chef in the world. At 4 years old, Liev cooks and develops his own recipes thanks to the influence of his equally conscious, plant-based, and vegan mother.
Liev knows all the fruits and vegetables by name and his favorite are raisins, mangosteen, and sprouts. Liev goes to kindergarden and lives in Bogota, Colombia.
THE GLOBAL AMBASSADORS
Torre Washington
Global Ambassador
Derek Tresize
Global Ambassador
Tally Spear
Global Ambassador
Matt Frazier
Global Ambassador
Xiomara Xibillé
Torre Washington
Torre Washington is a professional bodybuilder, National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Coach, sprinter, and animal lover. From a young age, he became fascinated by the human body and began sculpting his own body with a dumbbell and a bench.
Torre has won numerous bodybuilding awards, including from Musclemania Pro, the Arnold Classic, the World Natural Bodybuilding Federation, IFPA PRO, the National Physique Committee, and SNBF. In 2013, he won 1st Place at the Musclemania Universe Open Bodybuilding Competition.
Global Ambassador
Derek Tresize
Derek is a four-time natural bodybuilding champion as well as a WNBF and NFF Pro Men’s Physique Athlete. He is also an A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer, Corrective Exercise Specialist, is certified in Plant-Based Nutrition, and holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology. Derek and his wife are the team behind Vegan Muscle and Fitness, where they have shared their training and nutrition tips, recipes and more since 2009. Owners of Richmond, Virginia’s only plant-based personal training studio, Root Force Personal Training, the pair seeks to promote a fit and active plant-powered lifestyle and shatter the perception that strength and athleticism can’t be achieved with a plant-based diet.
Tally Spear is an acoustic folk / pop singer songwriter based in London, UK.
Global Ambassador
Matt Frazier
Matt is an author, entrepreneur, and vegan ultramarathoner, best known as the founder of the No Meat Athlete movement. Matt’s work has been featured in books including Rich Roll’s Finding Ultra, Brendan Brazier’s Thrive Foods, Seth Godin’s What to Do When It’s Your Turn, and Heather Crosby’s YumUniverse; print magazines such as Runner’s World, Trail Runner, and Canadian Running; and online publications including the Huffington Post, Forbes, Business Insider, WebMD, Shape, and Competitor. His books have been published in five languages and sold more than 80,000 copies around the world, and Sports Illustrated named The No Meat Athlete Cookbookone of its 7 Best Health & Wellness Books of 2017. Matt lives in Asheville, North Carolina, with his wife and two children.
Global Ambassador
Xiomara Xibillé
Lecturer, writer, columnist and international consultant on issues of Integral Wellbeing, Self Development, Feminine Empowerment and Exponential Leadership.
Yoga teacher with training in Raja Yoga, Kundalini Yoga and Soul Flow. Certified as a trainer in Ayurveda and Integrative Health at the California College of Ayurveda. Certified in Plant-based Nutrition and Detoxification at The School of Plant Nutrition’s, Fred Busch. Certified Therapist in Raw Food from the Ann Wigmore Institute of Natural Health.
Author of the book Estar Bien, wellness practices for a life in balance, of the Grijalbo Vital stamp from Editorial Penguin Random House. Columnist of Integral Wellbeing for Consciousness Magazine, European digital magazine. Producer and director of the radio program Estar Bien con Xiomy on Radio Online Colombia. Presenter and producer of Estar Bien program in TV format with Telepacifico.
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