RIP ESSELSTYN

FOUNDER OF PLANTSTRONG

Rip Esselstyn is the #1 NYT best-selling author of four books, and founder and CEO of PLANTSTRONG Foods. When Rip discovered that several of his firefighter colleagues were medical time bombs, he changed their food and rescued their health. Through his lectures and his best-selling books, Rip spreads the word about eating strong food. If Rip can save an entire Texas fire brigade, imagine what he can do for you and your family!

JANE ESSELSTYN, RN

AUTHOR

Jane Esselstyn is an avid and inventive designer of plant-based recipes and the co-author of The Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease Cookbook and the NYT best-selling Be a Plant-Based Woman Warrior with her next-door neighbor and mom, Ann. And she created the recipe section of #1 New York Times Best Seller, Plant-Strong by her brother, Rip. 

Jane brings remarkable clarity, compassion, and humor to the table and presents a no-nonsense approach to raising plantstrong kids.

DR. KLAPER

PHYSICIAN

Dr Klaper is a gifted clinician, author, and an internationally-recognized teacher & speaker on diet & health. In addition to his clinical practice and private consultations with patients, he's a passionate and devoted educator of physicians and other healthcare professionals about the importance of nutrition in clinical practice & integrative medicine. 

DR. DOUG LISLE

AUTHOR

Doug Lisle is an evolutionary psychologist and co-author of The Pleasure Trap: Mastering the Hidden Force that Undermines Health and Happiness.  He and his colleagues have developed a revolutionary method for approaching life challenges and improving self-confidence and self-esteem.  They describe their approach as Esteem Dynamics.

DR. BRIAN ASBILL

CARDIOLOGIST

Dr. Asbill is board certified in  Cardiovascular Diseases, Clinical Lipidology, and Lifestyle Medicine and served as a cardiologist at Asheville Cardiology Associates (Asheville NC), where he was also the Director of the Lipid Clinic.  He was the Medical Director of Preventative Cardiology for Mission Health Complete Health Improvement Program (CHIP), an intensive therapeutic lifestyle change program offered through Lifestyle Medicine Institute for the prevention, management, and reversal of vascular disease. 

DR. ELIZABETH WININGS

NURSE PRACTITIONER

Dr. Winings specializes in the relationship between diet, lifestyle, and mental health. Elizabeth Winings, DNP, APRN is ANCC Board Certified as a Family Mental Health-Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. She also has advanced training in Plant-Based nutrition, completing her doctoral internship in nutrition and lifestyle medicine at the True North Health Center in Santa Rosa, CA. She is a Diplomat of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and an Assistant Professor of Nursing at Jacksonville University.

BRIAN HART

EDUCATOR

Brian 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.

ALESE JONES

YOGA INSTRUCTOR

Alese’s teaching is grounded in over twenty-five years of experience in asana practice and ten years in meditation. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts for dance from New York University. 

Alese’s skilled approach and intuitive abilities make her classes rewarding and challenging, allowing her students to deepen a practice of self-discovery and to explore their full potential. She believes that all aspects of fitness need to be addressed to create a strong, physical foundation where the mind can find rest and the spirit can be joyous.

KRISTEN TURNER

FORMER WORLD CHAMPION TRIATHLETE & COUNSELOR

Kristen has been coaching athletes for over 30 years. She has a master’s degree in counseling from the University of Texas and spent years at the university as an Academic Advisor in the Dean’sOffice of the College of Education, and working with Men’s and Women’s athletics as an academic mentor. She currently practices as a licensed professional counselor at the Austin Stone Counseling Center.

DARLENE STAHELI

CULINARY DIRECTOR

Darlene is a Health and Wellness Coach through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. She's also trained in Macrobiotic, Ayurvedic, Vegan, Vegetarian, Raw and Living foods through the Natural Epicurean Academy of Culinary Arts, is a certified Food For Life instructor for PCRM, and recently became a Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach. In addition, she is a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach. Darlene leads the culinary teams at our retreats to make sure all meals adhere to our very specific nutritional guidelines (and still taste amazing!).

JOHN FITZGERALD

CERTIFIED HEALTH COACH

John manages the PLANTSTRONG Coaching program and the supply chain for PLANTSTRONG Foods.

He earned his Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies at Cornell University and is certified in plant-based cooking from Forks Over Knives (Roxube).

ADAM SUD

SPEAKER

Adam Sud is a behavioral wellness & nutrition expert, international speaker, and the founder and CEO of Plant Based for Positive Change, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing research and understanding of how nutrition impacts mental health and addiction.

LAURIE KORTOWICH

EVENT DIRECTOR

Laurie is the director of marketing, events, and e-commerce for all things PLANTSTRONG. She plans and coordinates retreats as a way to foster community and to provide education and engagement for people looking to level up with their plant-based lifestyle.