San Diego Veg Festival on Sunday, April 26th, 2015. Celebrate a Spring Abundance! www.sandiegovegfest.com

1. SAN DIEGO VEG FESTIVAL
2015: Spring Abundance
www.sandiegovegfest.com

3. ScheduleWelcome
10: 00 AM Festival Director Linda Le & Guest Emcee Emily Valdez , ABC 10News Reporter
Keynote Speaker “How to Become Young and Healthy in One Easy Lesson”
10:10 AM Dr. Shawn Miller, DC
“Transformation Through the 80/10/10 Diet”
10:45 AM Yovana “Rawvana” Mendoza, Raw Vegan Certified Health Coach
“Raising Healthy and Happy Vegan Children”
11:20 AM Sid Garza Hillman, Nutritionist, Author of Approaching the Natural: A Health Manifesto
“The Path to a Vegetarian World: The Roles We Can Each Play”
12:00 PM Matt Ball, VegFund
“Live Juicing Demo with Local San Diego Contestants” at Demo Stage
12:30 PM Laura Chiraya Fox, Pure Living Expo
Holistic Health Panel: Discussion about Plant-Based Living
12:45 PM Sarah Alam, Vibrant Eats. Prana Gogia, Siddhi Medicine. Dr. Saman Soheily, ND, Spark Health
”Change Your Brand, Change Your Life: A Guide to Vegan Beauty Products”
2:15 PM Rachelle Rodriguez, Arbonne International
“Planetary Stewardship: Food, Ecology and Your Personal Earth Footprint as a Food Eater”
3:00 PM Laura Chiraya Fox, Pure Living Expo
“Contemplate, Evaluate, Educate: How to Help as Many Animals as Possible”
3:40 PM Jon Bockman, Animal Charity Evaluators
Documentary: “Foie Gras and the Ethics of Feeding: The Politics of Food”
4:20 PM Munchies, VICE Media
*all speakers are at Main Stage unless otherwise stated*

4. Active Bodies Schedule
Opening Activity: “Body Self Awareness” (Inside Active Bodies Room)
10:10 AM Patricia Maldonado, Centro Cultural de la Raza
“Stop Drop and Yoga” (Inside Active Bodies Room)
11:10 AM Lindsey May, Executive Director and Co-Creator & Dave
Kemp, Music Director and Co-Creator of Plant Powered Kids
Spring Celebration: Eggless Hunt
All Day: Families visit each booth to collect toy eggs stuffed with prizes
and redemptions. Hosted by San Diego Veg Festival

9. Emily Valdez, Guest Emcee
Emily Valdez is a reporter at San Diego's 10News (ABC). Emily is vegan and lives a cruelty-free lifestyle.
She first became a vegetarian and started buying cruelty-free in 1990 while in college in Orange County.
During her career she reported in the Central Valley where there are scores of dairy and egg production
farms. What she saw first hand that was happening to the cows and birds solidified her decision to ditch
the eggs and dairy forever.
While recently living and reporting in Cleveland, Ohio, Emily was active with Cleveland's Veg Fest as an
emcee. Emily is delighted to be back home in Southern California.
She is thrilled to be part of San Diego's Veg Fest.
Follow her on Twitter at: @10NewsValdez

10. Patricia Maldonado, “Body Self Awareness”, Festival Opening Activity
at Active Bodies Room
Patricia Maldonado received a M.A. in Performance Studies, from NYU and a B.A. in Dance from UC
Riverside. Patricia currently performs interpretative/ritual improvisation and teaches Body Self Awareness
dance classes at the Centro Cultural de la Raza in Balboa Park in San Diego, CA. Her training started at the
Guatemalan School of Modem Dance where she worked as a professional dancer/choreographer with
the Ballet Moderno y Folklorico de Guatemala Company. During her years in the company, she performed
in events such as the New York Shakespeare Festival-Latino 1986 at the Public Theater in New York, the
Hispanic Festivals in Miami, and in different events in Washington DC. During her professional dance career,
she was invited as a guest choreographer at the Ballet Guatemala Company.
Patricia has been plant-based most of her life and is an avid green juice fan. She grew up in Guatemala
yet her family has had a very intimate connection to the Hindu spiritual path. Her father followed the
teachings of Hindu master Swami Prema Devananda Maharishi. Since the age of 16, Patricia has practiced
transcendental meditation. Her mom and sisters followed the teachings of various gurus from India. She has
become more disciplined in her vegan lifestyle over the last decade.

11. Plant Powered Kids, “Stop Drop and Yoga” at Active Bodies Room
Plant Powered Kids is comprised of Lindsey May, who is the Executive Director and Co-Creator,
alongside Dave Kemp, who is the Music Director and Co-Creator. The vision of Plant Powered Kids is
to provide a platform for the community that supports a healthy lifestyle and supports family through
veg-friendly cooking workshops, music+movement classes, and cultural enrichment events and
programs . PPK strives to provide an atmosphere that welcomes families to share tools that empower
their lives. PPK is passionate about hosting events that cater to the whole family while empowering
them to reach out into the community to provide service and education. The Music+Movement
program is their favorite. PPK has such a passion to share the gift of live music and yoga/dance.
The intention for Music+Movement is to provide an experience that isn't offered traditionally in schools
or yoga studios. It consists of live music and a storytelling yoga sequence to enrich the creative
energy and spark inward navigation all while being silly and definitely not quiet! The children are
instructed to balance silly, playful, and creative energy with meditative, mellow, and quiet practice.
PPK believes that the spirit of the child and the spirit of Yoga movement can bring families together in
the practice of Yoga both on and off the mat.

12. Dr. Shawn Miller, D.C. “How to Become Young and Healthy in One Easy Lesson”
Dr. Shawn started his journey into health, healing and spirituality at the age of 15. He has authored three books,
spent eighteen years in private practice, and spoken internationally. Dr. Shawn did his undergraduate work at San
Diego State University, completing his degree in biology, and receiving his Doctorate in Chiropractic from the Los
Angeles College of Chiropractic in 1991 where he graduated with honors, after serving as president of the
Technique and Philosophy Clubs.
He is the founder; owner and operator of the Vitality Health Center, where he had practiced for 16 years
developing specialized techniques in facilitating health, healing and growth in his patients. He has written
numerous articles for the Chiropractic Journal, dealing with natural healing, motivational thoughts and articles
dealing with physical, mental and emotional well-being. Many of his patients have included very special and
influential people, especially in the ‘health world’ Including Jack LaLanne, Patricia Bragg, David Wolfe, Dr. David
Carmos, Viktoras Kulvinskas and even an Olympic Gold medalist.
He was ordained as an Essene minister and in 2002 became an Essene Bishop. In 2008, he was made co-arch
bishop of the Essence Spiritual Community, the one started by Edmond Szekely over 70 years ago.

13. Matt Ball, “The Path to a Vegetarian World: The Roles We Can Each Play”
For over two decades, Matt has been a globally-recognized authority on pragmatic animal advocacy,
factory farming, vegetarian diets, and applied ethics. He currently serves as Senior Advisor for VegFund,
a global veg advocacy organization, funding activists who pursue cutting-edge outreach. Matt co-
founded Vegan Outreach and served as the group’s Executive Director for more than 20 years.
Matt’s vision and experience built the organization into a leading animal advocacy charity, with many
thousands of active members around the world. He has presented at and written for diverse forums
over the past quarter century, and he is the author of many essays and several books, including: The
Animal Activist’s Handbook (2007) and The Accidental Activist (2014). In 2005, he was inducted into the
Animal Rights Hall of Fame.
Before working full-time for the animals, Matt was a Research Fellow in the Department of Biology at
the University of Pittsburgh, while working on a Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Carnegie
Mellon University. Prior to that, Matt was a Department of Energy Global Change Fellow, during which
time he earned an M.S. in Engineering and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University and an M.S. in
the Department of Forest Ecology at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Matt lives in Tucson,
AZ with his wife Anne Green, Director of Operations for Our Hen House. Their daughter Ellen, a lifelong
vegan, attends Pomona College in Claremont, CA.

14. Sid Garza-Hillman, “Raising Healthy and Happy Vegan Children”
Sid Garza-Hillman, the Small Step AdvocateTM is the author of “Approaching the Natural: A Health
Manifesto,” and host of the popular Approaching the Natural Podcast. He graduated from UCLA with
a B.A. in Philosophy, and for over a decade after college, worked as a musician and actor with a
growing interest in nutrition. Sid is a Certified Nutritionist and Health Coach, working with private clients
all over the country through his private practice. He is also the Nutritionist and Programs Director at the
Wellness Center at the Stanford Inn, North America’s only vegan eco-resort.
Approaching the Natural Podcast: www.sidgarzahilman.com/podcasts/
Sid on Twitter/Instagram: @sidgarzahillman
Sid on Facebook: www.facebook.com/sidgarzahillman
YouTube Channel: Sid Garza-Hillman

15. Chef Sarah Alam, “The Five Modalities of Plant-Based Eating”
Sarah is the chef and health educator of Vibrant Eats in San Diego, California. Sarah holds a Bachelor’s
degree in Health Sciences and received her professional culinary training at The Natural Epicurean
Academy of Culinary Arts, one of the only plant-based culinary schools in the country. Like the majority
of people, Sarah grew up eating the Standard American Diet and considered highly processed and
refined foods filled with fat, chemicals, and sugar to be staples in her everyday life.
Since starting her plant-based journey five years ago, she has discovered the tremendous benefits that
whole foods can have on health and vitality. She continues to inspire others to incorporate more
vibrant whole foods into their diet to achieve optimal health. She also hopes to help current and future
generations from falling victim to the leading causes of preventable death.

16. Prana Gogia, “The Role of Ayurvedic Spices in Plant-Based Diet”
Prana Gogia is a practitioner and teacher of Siddha Ayurveda and Siddha Cranio-sacral Work. Born in India, he
has spent over thirty years studying and practicing healing work as the young age of seven in the lineage of the
Siddha tradition. He has traveled extensively through the Himalayan regions of Tibet, Nepal, and India, to learn
meditative and healing practices. His family’s Ayurvedic physician (Vaidya) taught me about diagnosis and
herbal medicines. His grandmother taught him about prakurti (constitution), vikruti (imbalances) therapeutic
treatments to harmonize subtle and physical aspects for maintaining health and well-being. His Siddha-teacher
taught him about philosophy and alchemical practices of Sidhha-Yogini tradition.
In the US, he studied with Dr. Lad at The Ayurvedic Institute and at The National Institute of Ayurvedic Medicine to
integrate various aspects of Ayurveda with western clinical practices. Prana is certified in Visionary Cranio-sacral
Work by Hugh Milne. He recently completed his graduate studies in Traditional Chinese Medicine at the Pacific
College of Oriental Medicine and will soon be a licensed, board certified acupuncturist.

17. Laura Chiraya Fox, “Planetary Stewardship: Food, Ecology and
Your Personal Earth Footprint as a Food Eater”
Author of “Love’s Whisperings: A Treatise on Authentic Spiritual Development” and other titles, Chiraya is a
visionary leader, mentor, seer, essential oils aficionado, spiritual healer and vision coach. She has a personal
vision and mission fueled by a passion for helping people in our spiritual maturation process through
techniques and tools of “subtle activism.” Founder, Executive Director and CEO of the premier
Consciousness, Health and High Vibe Food event, Pure Living Expo, she also founded the Best of Raw
Awards in 2008, the Anchor The Dream Experience in 2005, the 13 Tribes Model now being expressed at
Panacea Life School, and the Visionary Culture Experience in 2009. Formerly the radio host at Visionary
Culture Radio, she is the Founder and Executive Producer of Raw Living Radio.
Her passion extends to the territory of improving health through the addition of more raw, organic, and
local, plant foods to the diet. Healing her body of a variety of ailments through a plant based aw foods diet
starting in 2001, Chiraya has also taught raw gourmet food preparation and is the author of several recipe
books. She has studied and practiced a very large array of healing modalities since her teens.

18. Dr. Saman Soheily, ND, “Should We be Worried about Dietary Cholesterol?”
Dr. Saman Soheily received his Naturopathic Medical Degree (ND) from the Southwest College
of Naturopathic Medicine in Arizona where his clinical training encompassed a wide range of
medical conditions. Dr. Soheily’s main focus is in treating pain with regenerative injection
therapy as well as using lifestyle medicine and natural therapies to treat cardiovascular disease,
diabetes, autoimmune disease, and gastrointestinal concerns. Using evidence-based therapies
to help others thrive and live an abundant life full of potential is his passion.
Dr. Soheily has been plant based for over a year and loves it. He was first introduced to the
lifestyle after discussions with a friend who showed him the strong research supporting the diet.
For weeks he immersed myself in reading studies and came out very impressed by the amount of
evidence and results people obtained, so he decided to give it a shot and hasn't looked back
since then.

19. Rachelle Rodriguez, “Change Your Brand, Change Your Life: A Guide to Vegan
Beauty Products”
Regional Vice President, Independent Consultant for Arbonne International She has been working with
Arbonne for 2 and a half years. Her motto is “change your brand, change your life”. She is passionate about
changing the health and wealth of families, one person at a time. Rachelle has always had a passion to be fit
and healthy, paying great attention to the products that go onto her skin and into her body. She searched
long and hard to find safe products only to find them having to ship from other countries. Therefore, she was
highly impressed with the Arbonne products, when first introduced by her makeup artist when she got married.
She only used the best, she used Arbonne and Rachelle could tell the results quite immediately and they were
life changing.
Rachelle worked in corporate America as a Senior Human Resources Specialist prior to her Arbonne business.
She grew tired of having not enough time, money or freedom in her life. So she decided to not only use the
safe Arbonne products but to also make money off of using and referring them by sharing these products with
other people. She found quite immediately that her passion grew to not only educate others about a purer,
safer choice, but to also share these products and the business to help others become healthier on the inside
and out and wealthier.

20. Jon Bockman, “Contemplate, Evaluate, Educate: How to Help as Many Animals as Possible”
Jon brings to ACE a decade of start-up and leadership skills as well as first-hand experience from a
variety of animal advocacy fields. Before joining ACE, he was the founder and Executive Director of
a 501c3, Justice For Animals. In 2012, Jon implemented international online campaigns to expose
factory farm practices to millions of Mandarin, Hindi, and Russian-speaking Facebook users, at the
cost of less than 5 cents per view. Jon’s earlier accomplishments include starting a vegan food
company, managing wildlife rehabilitation centers, and working as a humane investigator. Jon has
a degree in psychology and English, supplemented by completing the Executive Scholars Non-Profit
program at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Business.
www.animalcharityevaluators.org

21. Yovana “Rawvana” Mendoza, “Transformation Through the 80/10/10 Diet”
Yovana is a Mexican-American born in San Diego, California. She has lived in various parts of the world including
Paris, France for three years where she earned a bachelor's degree in International Business at Schiller
International University. She also lived in Mexico City for a year, and now lives in gorgeous San Diego.
After years of feeling toxic, anxious, depressed, and without passion, Yovana found raw foods in January of 2013.
She went to a place specialized in detoxifying the body. She was there for two weeks, eating raw foods, juicing,
and learning about this new way of eating, she was amazed! After two weeks of being there, she felt like a new
person, with energy, enthusiasm, clarity, emotional stability, and heightened consciousness.
Yovana has made it her objective to spread the message of health using all avenues possible using her bilingual
influence in Spanish and English. She has taken various courses on raw foods, such as the Science of Raw Food
Nutrition with Drs. Rick and Karin Dina at Living Light Institute. In summer of 2014, she will have graduated as a
Certified Health Coach from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. She is also undergoing the Certified Lifestyle
Coaching program with the author of The 80/10/10 Diet, Dr. Douglas Graham.