Conference Schedule & Speakers

Our next online conference is taking place 1 November for World Vegan Day.

Our theme is Hospitality & Tourism trends & predictions.

All times are listed in Eastern Time!

10:00 - 10:10: Welcome

10:10 - 10:25: Session 1: Barriers and Opportunities: Insights from Veganuary participants that can help your business capitalise on the growing plant-based market with Toni Vernelli, International Head of Policy & Communications at Veganuary

10:30 - 10:45: Session 2: Haute Cuisine to Spa Cuisine: A culinary evolution of nutritional strategies for plant-based menus with Chef Matthew Thompson, Chief Culinary Officer at Phoenix3

10:50 - 11:05 Session 3: Pioneering Sustainability: An exclusive interview with conservationist Peter Eastwood, the founder of Sashwa River of Stars, South Africa’s first plant-forward luxury safari lodge

11:05 - 11:25: Session 4: Food Trends and Predictions: Exploring the next big shifts in global dining, from plant-based innovation to sustainability-driven menu evolution with Sophie Downie, Market Research Specialist at Vegan Hospitality and Founder of La Provegan

11:30 - 11:45: Session 5: A deep dive into the world of vegan wines, an interview with Frances Gonzalez, founder of Vegan Wines and VegFest Puerto Rico

11:50 - 12:05 Session 6: Vegan Menu Engineering in Higher Education: Strategies for integrating plant-based menu design into hospitality university curriculums with Jennifer Elfenbein, Hospitality Management Program Chair at Grand Canyon University

12:10-12:20: Session 7: Why Certifications Will Define the Future of Hospitality with Hayley Cooper, COO of Vegan Hospitality and Founder of Wild Dreams Hospitality

12:20 - 12:30: Closing

Meet Our Speakers

Toni Vernelli is the International Head of Policy and Communications at Veganuary. The daughter of a butcher from a small town in Northern Canada, Toni gave up meat in her teens when she learned that we could live and be healthy without it. Now vegan for more than 30 years, she believes passionately that we need a mass shift towards plant-based eating and is proud to be part of organisation fueling this change. She also holds a PhD in Animal Behaviour. In her presentation, Toni will share data from Veganuary’s participant surveys and provide insights to businesses that are ready to capitalise on the growing plant-based market.

Chef Matthew Thompson, MBA, PCIII, CEC, CCA, GRAE, is a passionate chef and hospitality executive known for developing high-performing teams and driving culinary innovation. As Chief Culinary Officer at Phoenix3, he has championed sustainable, health-focused dining for over 25 years. Chef Matthew is recognized for his expertise in ethnic cuisine, creative menu development, and plant-based advocacy. He holds certifications from the Culinary Institute of America and the American Culinary Federation and has been honored with the Sustainable Pioneer Award from Long Island University. A regular speaker at national sustainability conferences, Chef Matthew works closely with industry leaders to promote plant-based diets and responsible sourcing. He is also a member of the Food Solutions New England Network Leadership Institute and serves on the Network Advisory Council for Farm to Institution New England.

Peter Eastwood is the founder of Tanglewood Foundation and co-owner of Sashwa, South Africa’s first plant forward safari lodge. Peter grew up in Wellington, New Zealand. He carved out a career in Textiles before wanting to start his own business. Choosing the home brew industry as his niche. Peter started with a small store in Wellington then grew by aquisition and merger building one of the largest companies in its niche in the world. Peter went vegan overnight in 2015 after learning of the sustainability of a plant-based diet. He experienced huge health benefits before truly understanding the pain and suffering caused by animal exploitation. After selling his company and exiting the business in September 2019 he has spent the majority of his time either enjoying the African continent or working in conservation.?He founded Koru Camp, a community based, fully immersive education camp in the Greater Kruger National Park. His latest venture is creating a wholeness Retreat on the same property as a social enterprise to help fund the community efforts.?

Sophie Downie is a Certified Vegan Hospitality Consultant with 8 years of customer service experience, including restaurant employment and acting as a business advisor for a large Europe-based corporation. Sophie is the founder of La Provegan, her local vegan consultancy in France, where her mission is to help the French Hospitality Industry continue their traditional level of classical excellence and culinary leadership while catering to the growing vegan market. Sophie has organised and facilitated vegan cooking workshops at Ikea Bordeaux, created training content for French Universities, and provided trainings and strategy sessions to multiple restaurants and chefs. She has a degree in Applied Foreign Languages and speaks fluent English and French. As market research specialist for Vegan Hospitality, she supports the hospitality community in staying up to date on the latest market research in the vegan hospitality sector, and organizes content creation that supports our thought leadership in the industry.

Frances Gonzalez is the founder of Vegan Wines and Vegfest Puerto Rico. She is also an eco-hostess offering eco-friendly events, food and drink gatherings, farm tours, vacation rentals, wedding venues, and sustainable agriculture workshops at her farm event venue in Hudson Valley, New York. As a dedicated advocate for ethical and sustainable winemaking, she proudly lead Vegan Wines, a company devoted to sourcing premium, animal-free wines crafted with care and integrity. At Vegan Wines, they emphasize transparency and sustainability at every stage, from the vineyard to the bottle, ensuring that their wines reflect a commitment to the environment and compassion for animals. Diverse offerings include exclusive wine club memberships, thoughtfully curated plant-based dinner pairings, luxurious vacation getaways, and comprehensive wine distribution services. Additionally, through Little Logan’s Farm, Frances practice sveganic farming, cultivating vegan-friendly produce with respect for nature and all living beings. This holistic approach underscores her mission to create meaningful experiences while supporting a more ethical and sustainable world.

Jennifer Elfenbein has been involved in higher education for nearly 15 years and currently serves as the Chair of the Hospitality Management Department at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona. She also had a long career with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts before becoming an educator. Jennifer earned a Ph.D. in Organizational Systems with a Specialization in Humane Education from Saybrook University and an MS in Hospitality Administration from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She has enjoyed a plant-based lifestyle for most of her adult life and is dedicated to teaching the next generation of hospitality leaders about responsible practices in hospitality.?

Hayley Cooper is the COO of Vegan Hospitality, a Certified Vegan Hospitality Consultant and Industry Leader with 25 years of professional experience in hospitality management. She is based in Greater Kruger in South Africa where she co-manages a luxury 5 star safari lodge. She is also the founder & CEO of Wild Dreams, a successful & well-established hospitality business offering recruitment, training & consulting services all over Africa. Hayley is an accomplished professional speaker, community leader, and coach. Her work is driven by her passion for animal rescue and rehabilitation.

Meredith Marin is the Founder and CEO of Vegan Hospitality. She is originally from the U.S. and is currently based in Aruba.?As a hospitality consultant and industry leader specializing in vegan hospitality and tourism, she has created numerous vegan menus for restaurants and hotels and has provided vegan guest services training for hospitality professionals from chefs and managers to front desk and concierge staff at popular resorts including Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, Holiday Inn, and more. Meredith has a master’s degree in social work and uses her community organizing and mindfulness skills to offer a unique lens through which she works with consulting clients, focusing on community assessment as market research and teaching empathy between hospitality professionals and their vegan guests. With her work beginning on the touristic Caribbean Island of Aruba, Meredith is known within the industry as a pioneer in bringing vegan consulting to the hospitality world. At this conference, she will act as moderator as well as interviewer for Session 5.

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