Food for Life

María Isabel Ariza

Queens

María Ariza is a passionate health advocate based in Queens whose journey began over a decade ago, when she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. While medication helped manage her condition, the side effects were challenging. Seeking a more natural approach, María turned to a plant-based diet that brought life-changing results. Her joint pain and inflammation significantly decreased, greatly improving her quality of life. In 2020, during the pandemic, María joined a plant-based nutrition program that deepened her commitment to this lifestyle. Since then, she has made it her mission to share what she’s learned, especially in underserved communities, through cooking classes and demonstrations that promote chronic disease prevention. María is a licensed Food for Life instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and serves as a mentor and culinary educator with PPMNY. She also works with a nonprofit organization dedicated to community well-being. María enjoys hiking, swimming, and experimenting in the kitchen — where her passion for healing through food continues to grow.

Rhotochia Atkins-Jones

Brooklyn

Rhotochia Atkins-Jones serves as a peer mentor and ambassador for Plant Powered Metro New York and is a licensed Food for Life instructor through the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. After experiencing a range of health issues such as asthma, high blood pressure, pre-diabetes, inflammation, obesity, and migraines for years, Rhotochia decided to explore the benefits of a plant-based diet. Since making the switch in 2021, which included participating in PPMNY’s 21-Day Jumpstart, she has experienced a range of positive impacts on her health and well-being, including a boost in energy, mental clarity, and overall emotional stability. She is now passionate about lighting other people’s candles so they can lead healthier lives. As an advocate for plant-based living, Rhotochia is committed to educating others on the benefits and often shares recipes, cooking tips, and resources to help with the transition. She continues to be a trusted resource for individuals in the faith-based community seeking advice and guidance on this important topic, and she is always looking for ways to inspire and educate others to start their wellness journey. Rhotochia is a retired executive administrative assistant from the NYPD who now runs a speaking and coaching business.

Rich Bassin

Suffolk County

Rich Bassin is a licensed Food for Life instructor through the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. Until his forties, Rich ate the traditional American “meat and potatoes” diet. In his late forties, his wife Denise introduced him to the Ornish diet to lower his 200+ cholesterol. Later, after flirting with the keto diet, Rich adopted a whole food, plant based lifestyle which normalized his blood pressure, brought his total cholesterol under 150, and his LDL down to 81. Since then, Rich has never looked back. Through plant based cooking, he discovered his passion for the kitchen. He has become fascinated at how plant based meals can be so flavorful. Currently, Rich is a high school math teacher on Long Island and has a math tutoring business on the side. Prior to becoming a math teacher, he had a career in show business where he performed in Broadway (Miss Saigon) and hopes to continue his passion for theater after he retires from teaching. In addition to fitness, he loves to watch the New York Jets and ballroom dance with his wife.

Brandy Cochrane

Bronx

Brandy Cochrane is a culinary educator for PPMNY, a licensed Food for Life Instructor through the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, and a chef, recipe developer, and author. She is also the co-founder of Plant Candy, a food company committed to getting you just as excited about plants as you are about candy. Her fascination with plant-based living came after reading The China Study and converting one of her grandma’s cake recipes with butter beans and dates. Once she saw that it worked, she went down a rabbit hole exploring ways to leverage the textures of plants and building in familiar flavor profiles to create food that anyone could enjoy. A graduate of Rouxbe’s Plant-Based Culinary Program, Brandy has used her knowledge to introduce this healing lifestyle in a way that’s fun, accessible, and creative. Her cookbook, Plant Candy Gathering, shares simple recipes that can be enjoyed by the plant-committed and plant-curious alike. Her latest book, The Plant-Based Handbook, which simplifies the benefits and resources for sustaining a plant-based lifestyle, was released in 2024. Brandy wants to create a narrative that a splash of creativity, a dash of openness, and a lot of spice can make plant-based living enjoyable and fun!

Louise Cohen-Silver, PhD

Washington

Louise Cohen-Silver is a plant-based nutrition educator based in Seattle. A lifelong animal lover and vegetarian for 50+ years, Louise was first introduced to the vegan lifestyle as a means to achieve and maintain a 40-pound weight loss and thus lower her BMI, cholesterol, blood pressure, and arthritic inflammation. She has since earned her Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate through the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies and has trained to become a Food for Life instructor and a Vegan Lifestyle Coach & Educator through Main Street Vegan Academy. She specializes in connecting the dots between inflammation, health, and nutrition. With a Master’s in Deaf Education and a PhD in Counseling, she builds upon a decades-long teaching career with individualized cooking classes for both deaf and hearing individuals and interactive virtual classes for plant-based and “plant-curious” individuals of all ages. Her goal is to share the weight management, health, and ethical benefits of eating plants with simple recipes to embrace the lifestyle deliciously.

Stephanie Cornejal

Queens

Stephanie Cornejal serves as an organizer and Lifestyle Mentor with a special focus on the Latino community. She started on the path to lifestyle change at the age of 13 when she became a vegetarian, at the time because of animal cruelty. Since then it’s become about so much more: In college, she took various courses in Health and Wellness and was inspired to change her diet to be healthier as well as vegan. She also participated in various internships where she was able to introduce healthy meals to various populations. Stephanie is inspired to show the Latinx community the power that food has to change and prevent disease — and that change can taste great! In 2024, she became a licensed Food for Life instructor through the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. She has a degree in Psychology and is currently working on the Foundations of Public Health Practice Specialization through Imperial College London, the first step towards a Master’s in Public Health. Alongside her volunteer role with PPMNY, Stephanie works in Human Resources because she is passionate about helping people, and in the long-term she would like to help people more holistically to live their healthiest lives. She enjoys traveling, running, reading, and cooking and is based in Queens.

Laurie Courage

Maryland

Laurie Courage presents Food for Life nutrition and cooking classes for PPMNY while also working as a health educator, coach, and chef through her business, Encouraging Greens. She has helped hundreds of people on the brink of a health crisis restore their health by helping them understand what and how to eat and to make lifestyle changes that last. Laurie was never a foodie. Her family tree had a legacy of those lost too young or living with many chronic conditions. By her early 50s, she decided to take back control of her health by learning what and how to eat. Laurie holds a certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies, she is a licensed Food for Life instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a Starch Solution Certification Course Graduate from Dr. McDougall’s Health and Medical Center, and is a certified Diet and Lifestyle Intervention Practitioner. Laurie has also completed several courses in the Nutrition Educator Program through the Wellness Forum Institute for Health Studies, is a graduate of the Rouxbe Professional Plant-Based Chef Certification Program, and is a certified Health and Wellness Coach with over 20 years of coaching and mentoring experience. She is also a Whole Kids Foundation Healthy Teachers Program instructor, a Whole Food Plant-Based Certified Provider via WFPB.org, a certified Professional Never Binge Again Coach, and is also a member of the American College for Lifestyle Medicine. Laurie loves to share how each of us can find the good, better, and best ways to take back our health and fit this lifestyle change into our life rather than the other way around.

Lynn Diamond

Manhattan

Lynn Diamond, JD, serves as our Associate Network Director & Director of Strategic Initiatives, overseeing our Food for Life and Plant Powered Plates programs, among others. She read Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s book Eat to Live in 2012, went whole food, plant-based “cold turkey,” and within weeks reversed her high blood pressure. The WFPB lifestyle enabled her to easily lose 25 pounds and maintain a healthier weight. She teamed up with Lianna in 2018 to bring the message to the wider community that a whole food, plant-based diet leads to better health. Lynn is part of the founding team of PPMNY. She is a licensed Food for Life instructor through the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. She recently retired after working as an attorney in private practice and previously had a career in marketing and journalism.

Sherry Jarrett, DHEd, MSEd, CWP

Brooklyn

Dr. Sherry Jarrett is PPMNY’s Network Training Organizer, overseeing our mentorship program and contributing to many aspects of the Plant Powered Jumpstarts. Dr. Jarrett, a former teaching professor and leader in higher education for 18 years, has uniquely blended her experience in Early Childhood Teacher Education and Health Education. She served as Early Childhood Teacher Education Chair, First Year Studies Program Director, and as Public and Community Health and Professional Internship professor. Concurrently, she consulted with schools and communities in developing and mentoring teachers, and in health and wellness programming. Dr. Jarrett’s credentials include a doctorate in Health Education from A.T. Still University, a Masters of Education Early Childhood Education from the City College of the City University of New York, a B.S. in Elementary Education and Psychology from Nyack College, and a certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies and eCornell. She is also a Certified Wellness Practitioner through the National Wellness Institute, a licensed Food for Life instructor through the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, and a member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.

Rebecca Johnson

Manhattan

As Partnerships Manager, Rebecca Johnson leads our restaurant initiatives, culinary education programs, and programming that highlights African heritage and foodways. She cultivates relationships with faith-based organizations, government leaders, and schools to advance plant-based nutrition and works as a plant-based chef and chef instructor. In her previous position, she contributed to expanding and enhancing plant-based options within the NYC Department of Education’s Office of Food and Nutrition Services, working with food service staff, children, and families. Her personal journey of overcoming health challenges through adopting a whole food, plant-based diet inspired Rebecca to deepen her expertise, eventually earning a certification in Plant-Based Nutrition from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies and eCornell. She is also a licensed Food for Life instructor through the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. Rebecca continues to share her knowledge by teaching plant-based cooking classes and performing live and virtual demonstrations for nonprofit organizations and educational institutions. Rebecca is a native of Philadelphia who lives in the village of Harlem in Manhattan.

Robert P. Klein

Fairfield County, CT

Robert P. Klein has been a Lifestyle Mentor for PPMNY since 2020 and is a licensed Food for Life instructor through the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. He found this way of eating in 2017 shortly after being diagnosed with testicular cancer. After two invasive surgeries, which took almost 6 months to recover from, just to be able to walk and move without pain, he started looking for a way to take control of his health. He found his way to a whole food, plant-based lifestyle and never looked back!

Rob has since completed six half marathons, twelve 10K races, three Ironman 70.3s, an ultra marathon, and in 2022, a full Ironman at Lake Placid, New York. He attributes his athletic accomplishments to his commitment to a plant-based lifestyle. Learning to eat a plant-dominant diet changed everything about Rob’s life for the better. He has more energy than ever and is able to recover from very strenuous workouts with very little effort, all thanks to eating a high carb, low fat, plant-based diet. He has also been cancer free since 2017.

Rob has worked in Information Technology for over 20 years. He has been the Director of Information Technology at CUNY Guttman Community College since 2012. He is a moderator in the Food Education group for Whole Communities, an online community program run by the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies.

Linda Kolton

Fairfield County, CT

As a professionally trained plant-based chef, cookbook author, culinary health coach, and licensed Food for Life instructor, Chef Linda Kolton’s mission is to help people put more plants on their plates by understanding the benefits and delights of plant-based eating. As a culinary educator for PPMNY and the owner of Kolton Culinary Consulting, Chef Linda helps individuals and businesses learn about the life-changing benefits of plant-powered nutrition. Through classes, coaching, and recipe development, she’ll meet you where you are to educate, inspire, and support you in deliciously, joyfully, and confidently achieving your healthy lifestyle goals.

Vivian Lee

Queens

Vivian Lee is our Culinary Empowerment Coordinator, organizing engaging cooking and nutrition programs for communities across the region. She’s passionate about helping others embrace whole food, plant-based eating and low-waste living, drawing inspiration from her own health journey. After adopting a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, Vivian experienced improved mood, energy, and skin health. Eliminating dairy even cleared the eczema she had since childhood.

Her deep dive into plant-based nutrition began with reading The China Study by T. Colin Campbell, PhD. With newfound knowledge and energy, she later pushed her physical limits by training for the first Vegan Bodybuilding Competition in 2018.

Vivian holds a Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies, is a certified Vegan Lifestyle Coach and Educator through Main Street Vegan Academy, and is a licensed Food for Life instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. Based in Astoria, Queens, she’s especially passionate about inspiring younger audiences to see plants as powerful tools for lifelong health and disease prevention.

Carole Levy

New Mexico

Carole Levy has loved art and food since she was a young girl cooking with her grandmother. Her first professional culinary experience was in a vegetarian restaurant where she built a foundation for eating healthfully. After many years of working with top chefs in restaurants and bakeries, she opened a café in San Francisco and incorporated a culinary job training program as part of its mission. While her career shifted away from food to creative advertising for the film industry, she never lost her passion for cooking. In early 2019 she participated in PPMNY’s 21-Day Jumpstart Program and shifted her 23 years of vegetarian eating to a whole food, plant-based, SOS-free lifestyle — eliminating dairy, salt, oil, and sugar. Since then she’s earned a certificate from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies and eCornell, and is a licensed Food for Life instructor through the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. Carole’s greatest ambition is to inspire people to take chances in the kitchen by teaching individuals to cook without fear, be open to creativity, and embrace more health-minded, nutrient-dense food combinations.

Danielle Medina

Delaware

Danielle Medina is actively growing the whole food, plant-based community. After years of painful gastrointestinal issues and acne flare-ups, she discovered the healing power of food. In 2021, Danielle received a month of support from a PPMNY mentor and experienced transformative health improvements, inspiring her to support others as a PPMNY mentor and organizer. She holds a B.S. in Food Science and Nutrition, a Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies, and is a licensed Food for Life instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. Danielle is also a longtime fitness and yoga instructor, bringing over 20 years of experience to her work. Through her business, Fit N Play Mama LLC, Danielle offers family-friendly cooking classes and wellness programs rooted in joy and simplicity. She especially loves sharing the kitchen with her daughter and showing families how to prepare meals that nourish both body and spirit.

Luis Moral

Bergen County, NJ

Luis Moral is a Lifestyle Mentor for PPMNY and a licensed Food for Life instructor through the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, supporting classes in both English and Spanish. He is a dedicated educator, business owner, and advocate for healthy living. With over 15 years of experience as a business owner, Luis is also a certified project manager and a former professor of economics. His personal journey with plant-based nutrition transformed his health, empowering him to achieve his dream of running marathons and giving him peace of mind in reducing his risk of disease, particularly cancer, which runs in his family. Luis also volunteers with his running club, North Jersey Masters, where he helps beginners take their first steps into running. Currently, Luis is working toward certifications as a Health and Wellness Coach and a running coach, further expanding his ability to guide others on their journey to better health.

Karina Pearse

Flemington, NJ

Karina Pearse serves as our Virtual Engagement Manager, organizing PPMNY’s virtual events and livestreams. Her health journey started in 2004 after reading The China Study by Dr. T. Colin Campbell. She made changes in her diet and saw immediate results: no more aches and pains, more energy, lower cholesterol, better skin, better sleep, and improved digestion. She hoped that reducing dairy and adding more plant foods would also free her three children from asthma, food allergies, and frequent colds and sinus infections. Inspired by the fast changes that occurred, Karina continued efforts to protect her family from the heart disease and diabetes that her grandparents had by redesigning her family’s favorite meals in a healthier way. In 2010, Karina joined the marketing team at Whole Foods Market and organized their Health Starts Here program and Wellness Club, training with Drs. Alona Pulde and Matthew Lederman, and dietitian Jeff Novick. She became certified in Plant-Based Nutrition from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies and is a licensed Food for Life instructor through the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. She later joined Ethos Health in marketing and patient care, and became a national board-certified Health and Wellness Coach. Karina has an MS in organizational development. She joined PPMNY’s team in 2022 and also runs Princeton Eats Plants, an active monthly community meet-up. Karina lives in Hunterdon County, NJ, and enjoys cooking, biking, and exploring.

Aifra Ruiz

Manhattan

Aifra Ruiz serves as PPMNY’s Hispanic Health Empowerment Organizer and is the founder of Healthy con Plantas, a wellness platform that empowers the Spanish-speaking community to discover the power of food as medicine. As a culinary educator, fitness coach, and licensed Food for Life instructor through the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, Aifra brings energy, culture, and compassion to everything she does. Her mission is to make whole food, plant-based living fun, practical, and accessible, especially for communities with chronic illness. Whether she’s leading a cooking demo, a wellness challenge like Reto Salud a Base de Plantas, or hosting a community event, Aifra creates culturally-relevant experiences that connect people with vibrant, plant-based meals rooted in Latin flavor. After transforming her health in 2012 through plant-based nutrition, Aifra became passionate about sharing this lifestyle with others, particularly in underserved communities. Her approach is grounded in joy, storytelling, and empowerment. She is also dedicated to helping families learn how to prepare nourishing meals that are simple, affordable, and full of sabor — flavor!

Vanessa Sossa Sánchez

Brooklyn

Vanessa Sossa Sánchez serves as a culinary educator for PPMNY and is a licensed Food for Life instructor through the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. She was born in Bogotá, Colombia. Vanessa grew up believing in the power of food as medicine and discovered vegetarianism through the Hare Krishnas in Bogotá. Volunteering at their farm, she learned about plant-based cooking and decolonizing consumption habits. While studying psychology in 2016, she connected nutrition to mental health and became an advocate for food justice and animal rights. Launching Alegria Vegana during the coronavirus pandemic, she educates people to get involved in their own kitchens and supports individuals transitioning to a vegan lifestyle. Now in New York, she’s expanded her project with La Bakeria, a bakery specializing in plant-based Colombian treats. Vanessa’s main goal is to inspire people to take charge of their food choices and make decisions that promote their health, benefit animals, and protect the planet.

Maddie Sobel

Fairfield County, CT

Maddie Sobel is a food and nutrition educator and wellness coach. Her specialties include cancer prevention and survival, weight loss, corporate wellness, and diabetes management through plant based diets. Maddie’s work includes supporting schools, corporations, and other institutional food services in redesigning their food offerings to be inclusive of health-promoting options and dietary restrictions. Maddie volunteers with projects in Connecticut with Plant Powered Metro New York and is a licensed Food for Life instructor through the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

Anthony Spino

Manhattan

Anthony Spino is the volunteer coordinator of our Plant Powered Lifestyle Mentorship program, matching our trained mentors to work with community members on lifestyle change. He is also a licensed Food for Life instructor through the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. Anthony grew up in the Midwest and learned to cook in his family’s Italian restaurant, Anthony’s, in Kansas City. He went to culinary school at Johnson County Community College. He moved to New York in his early 30’s as he was shifting away from the traditional American diet. After years of struggling to find a healthy vegan diet, he found Plant Powered Metro New York, learning from others in the community as well as the leading plant-based doctors. He went back into the kitchen and learned how to cook without milk, egg, cheese, and butter from some of the best vegetarian and vegan chefs in New York City.

Anthony has a certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies, and he is a chef for Wellness in The Schools, an organization that has partnered with New York City Public Schools to bring scratch-made, plant-forward and less processed meals to students across the city. He also continues to serve vegan versions of his family’s recipes in New York through his catering business, Anthony’s Eastside.

Jim Spellos

Queens

After experiencing a tremendous health transformation through whole food, plant-based nutrition, Jim Spellos supports our team with his expertise in technology and data systems, especially in the production of virtual events, addressing data security, and researching or adopting new tools to support our internal operations. He is also a licensed Food for Life instructor through the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. Jim is the President of Meeting U., a company specializing in helping people become more productive and comfortable with technology. Jim delivers over 100 seminars annually on how to use technology more efficiently, and how it is altering the nature of business. He is certified as a Microsoft Office Specialist. He was a faculty member at New York University, teaching in the School of Professional and Continuing Studies for over 25 years and was honored with both their Award for Teaching Excellence and their Outstanding Service Award. Jim serves on the Board of Directors for Rock and Wrap It Up, an anti-poverty, anti-hunger think tank, which supports food recovery for over 43,000 agencies in North America by recovering excess food from events and facilities. He co-created their Whole Earth Calculator app which helps organizations identify the quantity of food donated and carbon footprint reduced in helping to recover excess food from events. Jim is also an accomplished musician and songwriter and released his first solo recording, Stroke of Genius, at the end of 2019.

jspellos@gmail.com

Ludmilla Wikkeling Scott, DrPH, MPH

Central Florida

Dr. Ludmilla Wikkeling Scott is a Public Health and Policy Expert who spent the last 20+ years cracking the code to a life of abundant health, inside and out, underscored by her belief that “to whom much is given, much is required.” Her passion is to educate the masses on whole food, plant-based lifestyle and create healthier communities. Dr. Ludmilla pursued her calling to create healthier communities after she lost her father due to complications from cholesterol medication, a devastating event, especially since her father had no other chronic disease issues. Turning her grief into celebrating her father’s life, she honors his legacy by raising awareness of a whole food, plant-based lifestyle to reduce chronic disease, especially among 50+ communities. Dr. Ludmilla holds a Master and Doctor of Public Health from Morgan State University and is a licensed Food for Life Instructor of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and received her Certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies. She is married to Bryant Scott, an Air Force Veteran, and the proud mom of one daughter Maria-Del-Mar.