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You are here: Home / Speakers – 2017

Speakers – 2017

Below is the 2017 Festival LineUp.

KEEGAN KUHN

Documentary Filmmaker
Keegan Kuhn - b&w photo
First Spark Media logo
red and white WHAT THE HEALTH logo

Keegan Kuhn is the award-winning co-director of the documentary film Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret and What the Health. He is the owner of First Spark Media, a digital film production company tailored to creating films for social justice. Kuhn’s skills as a director, producer, cinematographer, editor, animator and composer have been utilized in film subjects as diverse as modern Alaskan homesteading, gender inequality, animal rescues, Buddhism, endurance sports and environmental destruction. He is motivated by a deep desire to shed light on untold stories of the most downtrodden in our society, and to raise awareness through greater visibility of social justice issues.

Kuhn is the owner of the camera accessory company First Spark Gear and creator of the educational music project True Nature. He lives with his partner Shani in the East Bay of San Francisco, California.

About Keegan’s talk

“The Diet Conspiracy: Burying Science for Profit”

If a plant-based diet really reverses heart disease and helps avoid cancer why aren’t we hearing more about it in the public conversation? Keegan’s talk will present the hidden links between government, big food companies, pharmaceutical companies, and non-profit organizations focused on community health advice. An investigative look into how they are connected through legislation, budget, and the spread of disinformation. This is what happens when health care becomes a business where the players are influenced by making a profit or expanding their budget rather than robust community health.

LEILANI MüNTER

Eco Athlete
Leilani Münter in race car suit carrying helmet
leilani.green - website of Leilani Münter

“Never underestimate a vegan hippie chick with a race car.”

Leilani Münter is a biology graduate, race car driver and environmental activist. Discovery’s Planet Green named her the #1 eco athlete in the world, ELLE Magazine awarded her their Genius Award, and Sports Illustrated named her one of the top ten female race car drivers in the world. Since 2007, Leilani has been adopting an acre of rainforest for every race she runs. She uses her race car to spread environmental awareness among 75 million race fans in the US. Leilani sits on the board of the Oceanic Preservation Society and the advisory board of The Solutions Project. She is featured in the 2015 documentary “Racing Extinction.” Leilani is vegan. Her personal car is an electric Tesla Model S which she charges with solar power.
About Leilani’s talk

“The Benefits of Plant Based Living for People, Planet and Animals”

Leilani Münter shares the unique story of how she went from biology graduate to professional race car driver and environmental activist. With 7.5 billion people on the planet, we must be aware of how our day-to-day lifestyle decisions create huge environmental impacts on our planet. Find out why eliminating meat and dairy from your diet is one of the single most impactful actions you can take to make a positive difference for the planet, your health, and the animals, three times a day.

CARMELA WOLF, M.S.O.M, L.A.C.

Wellness Manager, Down to Earth Natural & Organic
Carmela Wolf with Down to Earth sign in background
Down to Earth Organic and Natural
For decades Carmela Wolf has shared her knowledge and success of using food as medicine. She has a Masters of Science Degree in Oriental Medicine and postgraduate studies in Nutritional Science, and serves as Down to Earth’s Wellness Department Manager and Nutritionist on Staff.  Carmela lectures frequently for the company’s community outreach and has been interviewed on local news and radio as well as national health magazines for her nutritional and natural products expertise. In 2003 Carmela was invited to be part of Celebrity Cruise Lines’ Enrichment Program, lecturing about nutrition and holistic health to enthusiastic audiences while developing and co-founding “Acupuncture at Sea.” In years of private practice, she has treated and consulted thousands of patients throughout the U.S. and around the world. Carmela has always been passionate about making the point that a healthy diet and lifestyle can be utterly delicious and enjoyable.
About Carmela’s talk

“Eating the Rainbow:
How to Use Whole Foods to Optimize Your Health”

Why you want to eat a variety of foods and how each food color group contributes to your health. This talk will help you get inspired to cook with a wider variety of fruits and vegetables in your daily meals. Teach a way to eat based on the colors is an easy method you can learn that will ensure that you get all the nutrients you need. Each color effects specific systems and this talk will help you understand the science behind why eating a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables every day will optimize your health.

Scott Stensrud

Executive Director, Blue Zones Project – Hawaii
Scott Stensrud - Blue Zones Project - Hawaii
Blue Zones Logo
Scott Stensrud, originally from Minnesota, is a 27-year resident of Hawaii. Most weekends, you can find him on the soccer field coaching or refereeing kids ranging from 4 to 18 years old with the Leeward Region of the American Youth Soccer Association where he is a long time board member. Scott has served on the Liliha and Waianae Neighborhood boards in the past and was also a volunteer with the Boy Scouts of America. Previous to being part of Blue Zones Project Scott held multiple positions at Hawaii Pacific University for more than 25 years, including Special Assistant to the President and Vice President for Enrollment Management.
About Scott’s talk

“Live Longer, Better, Healthier and Happier with Blue Zones Project”

Discover the secrets of the Blue Zones – the regions of the world with the highest concentrations of centenarians (people who live to be 100 years or older). These areas share nine common traits, called the Power 9, that contribute to longevity. Learn about how the Power 9 is at work in your community and walk away inspired to live longer, better! For more information on the Power 9, visit Hawaii.bluezonesproject.com!

Dr. Irminne Van Dyken, MD

General Surgeon, Queens Medical Center

Dr. Irminne Van Dyken, MD

The Queens Medical Center, Honolulu, Hawaii logo

Born in the Netherlands and raised in Montana, Dr. Irminne Van Dyken is a general surgeon in practice at the Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu. She is a member of the American Society of Breast Surgeons, the Society of Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons and the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Van Dyken is a passionate advocate of a whole foods, plant-based diet, seeing it as a way to prevent and treat many common maladies in Hawaii and the world.
About Irminne’s Talk

“10 Ways A Vegan Diet Will Help You Avoid My Scalpel”

In this entertaining presentation, Dr. Van Dyken shares her experiences as a surgeon treating many of these preventable and reversible diseases, and explains why the Standard American Diet is the biggest threat to American health today.

 

Mahalo to our Speaker Patron!

Aqua Aston Hospitality logoThanks to Lotus Honolulu at Diamond Head managed by Aqua-Aston Hospitality, for their gracious hospitality in hosting accommodations for VegFest’s out of town speakers. Quietly tucked away on Waikiki’s Gold Coast just outside of the main stretch of Kalakaua Avenue, The Lotus offers a peaceful Zen-like getaway nestled between Diamond Head and Waikiki Beach. It’s an ideal location for travelers who want an intimate oasis away from the hustle and bustle of Waikiki, yet don’t want to be far from the action and excitement.

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