Madison Vegan Fest’s mission is to bring people together to enjoy delicious vegan food, hear from engaging speakers, and explore ways to live more compassionately and sustainably.
Join us in celebrating compassionate living with our exhibitor’s for Madison Vegan Fest! With over 40 exhibitors, there's something for everyone to discover. Explore the lineup and prepare to be inspired by the possibilities of vegan living
Speakers:
12:15 pm-1:15pm - Keynote: John oberg
Topic: Creating a kinder World for Animals
KEYNOTE: John oberg
John Oberg is an animal advocate dedicated to making the world a kinder place for animals by utilizing the power of social media. A vegan since 2009 and full-time animal activist since 2012, he became an independent animal advocate in 2018 funded through individual donations, focusing on amplifying pro-animal content in the digital space. Previously, he served as Director of New Media for The Humane League and as Director of Communications for Vegan Outreach. In his decade of experience in social media advocacy, he has made over 100 media appearances, has accumulated 250,000 followers, his posts have been seen over one billion times, and he has heard directly from thousands of people who've been influenced by his work.
11:15 am-12:15 pm - DINO SARMA-WEIERMAN, Author of Alternative Vegan
Topic: Cooking for Omnivores - Holiday Edition
Dino Sarma-Weierman has been a vegan since 2005 after he heard on a vegan podcast “if you’re vegetarian for animal rights issues, you should just go vegan, because it’s easier and more consistent” and did so within a month of hearing that message. He lives in New Jersey, where his apartment is the hub for all his LGBTQ+ friends (who have become family by this point), where everyone gets together to cook and eat lovely vegan foods.
His cookbook Alternative Vegan features food that’s generally accessible to folk regardless of their income or dietary needs. He cooks with whatever is available, and wants you to do so too! He worked as a chef for about 7 years in a restaurant in downtown New York City.
11:15 am-12:15 pm - TASHA MIRONE
Topic: Cooking for Omnivores - Holiday Edition
Tasha Mirone is a vegan of 14 years, owns her own pet care business for 20 years and worked in animal rescue for 10 years.
She currently lives in Austin, TX where she is passionate about playing Pokemon Go and exploring new places, the weirder the better. She enjoys haggling for good deals around the globe and loves trying food and/or wine that’s a little off the beaten path.
1:15 pm-2:15 pm - THOMAS GOODMAN, President of Plant Dining Partnerships
Topic: Speaking Up for Animals with your Wallet
Thomas has been a lifelong admirer of animals, was raised vegetarian from birth and later became a professional advocate for change in 2014. He has since worked in various initiatives such as corporate outreach, federal state and regulatory advocacy, promotion of Meatless Mondays, leafleting across North America, public speaking, campaigning, community organizing, and more for the animal protection movement.
2:15 pm-3:15 pm - KRISTIN SCHRANK, Animal Advocacy Lawyer
Topic: Advocacy and the justice system—how do they interact
Animal lover and advocate since birth, attorney by profession. Attorney Kristin Schrank grew up in Southeastern Wisconsin where she continues to live with 4 rescues: two cats, a Chihuahua mix, and a three-legged American Staffordshire Terrier.
After graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Political Science, Ms. Schrank attended Marquette University Law School (MULS). While at MULS, Ms. Schrank participated in the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund. While working as an attorney both in the public and private sector, Ms. Schrank has continued to advocate on behalf of animals.
As a prosecutor, Ms. Schrank received a meritorious service award from the Department of Natural Resources for her work on cases involving violations of laws involving wildlife. While working in private practice, Ms. Schrank has worked with individuals and organizations that have sought to introduce new legislation aimed at protecting animals.
3:15 pm-4:15 pm - COLE ADAM, RD, Vegan Dietitian
Topic: How to Thrive on a Vegan Diet
Cole Adam is a registered dietitian and Madison native. He earned his degree in nutrition science from the University of Wisconsin - Madison, and has over a decade of work experience as a clinical dietitian. Having personally been vegan for 13 years (and counting), Cole has a thorough understanding of the health benefits and potential shortcomings of a vegan diet.
He is passionate about helping people thrive on healthy vegan diets, as well as the environmental and animal welfare benefits associated with this way of eating.
4:15 pm-5:00 pm - ANN TRINH
Topic: Difficult Conversations
Ann Trinh is a seasoned sales professional who brings over 13 years of experience navigating high-stakes negotiations and coaching others to do the same. She is currently the National Channel Manager for Quest Software where she was previously a Regional Sales Manager.
Ann is also an actress, director, and filmmaker, having performed in numerous independent films, 48-Hour Film Festivals, and commercials.
Through her work in sales and film, Ann has developed expertise in helping people remain open to dialogue, nurturing others while challenging their views, and tailoring communication to resonate with target audiences by focusing on empathy and storytelling.
She is excited to use this expertise to empower others to engage in dialogues that lead the way towards a more compassionate world.
4:15 pm-5:00 pm - AARON YARMEL, Associate Director of the Center for Ethics and Human Values at The Ohio State University
Topic: Difficult Conversations
In addition to overseeing all CEHV programs, Aaron leads its efforts on dialogue facilitation and skill building, outreach, and the ETHOS Fellows program as part of the University's Shared Values Initiative.
Outside of his role with CEHV, he is the Founding Director of Philosophy Counseling and Consulting: an organization that offers dialogue facilitation training and philosophical counseling in the Logic-Based Therapy tradition. Aaron regularly offers workshops in dialogue facilitation through these organizations and in collaboration with the Philosophy, Learning, and Teaching Organization (PLATO) and the Institute for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children.
Aaron is passionate about advocating for animal rights and has been a vegan for 13 years. He frequently gives talks and workshops about animal ethics, social movement theory, and dialogue facilitation at activist conferences, universities, and festivals. Aaron is currently training to run his second marathon and is an accomplished classical musician who has performed with a variety of orchestras and music festivals in the United States and Europe.
