2010 Presenters (list is currently being updated)
Marlisa Brown, MS, RD, CDE, CDN
Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator, Chef
Marlisa Brown is an international speaker, with over twenty five years culinary experience and has made numerous television appearances including 5 years of appearances on “International Healthy Cooking” for The American Heart Association. Marlisa has a graduate degree in nutrition and a bachelor’s degree in marketing from C.W. Post/Long Island University and has also studied at the Culinary Institute of America.
Marlisa is president of Total Wellness Inc., a private nutrition consulting company specializing in, culinary programs, corporate wellness, diabetes, weight loss, preventive medicine, medical nutrition therapy and sports nutrition. Some of her corporate contacts include work with the NY Jets, Kennedy Space Center, Pratt and Whitney, Honeywell, Hofstra & Adelphi Universities Lilco, Guardian Life, Brookhaven National Labs, Goldman Sachs, Dean Witter Reynolds, Pall Corp, Bank of New York, Sony, Liz Claiborne, and Ethicon.
Marlisa has just completed her new book Gluten-Free Hassle Free and has contributed to many publications including, Salute, Scholastic, Shape, Food Service Management, Newsday, Parenting Magazine, Weight Training for Dummies, and Sports Nutrition Medicine and Rehabilitation. She has also written many programs including, Richard Simmons Food Mover Program, cookbooks, recipe cards and web site, Kathy Smiths’ Project You II for Diabetes, Jorge Cruises’ The 3-Hour Diet Cookbook, Leslie Sansones’Walk Away the Pounds and the Turbo cooker.
Jen Cafferty
Gluten Free Life and Food Coach and Founder of the Gluten Free Cooking Expo
As founder of the Gluten Free Cooking Expo and President of Gluten Free Life with Jen, Jen Cafferty is a nationally recognized expert on cooking and living gluten free (GF). She considers it her personal mission to help others who follow a GF diet learn delicious, nutritious and convenient ways to live a happy and healthy GF life. Cafferty, her husband and two children follow a GF diet due to a variety of health concerns, so she has first-hand experience with eating, living and thriving without gluten.
Cafferty founded the Gluten Free Cooking Expo in 2008 to introduce Chicago area attendees to some of the leading culinary and health experts in the GF field. In only three years, the Gluten Free Cooking Expo has grown to reach over 700 attendees throughout the United States and Canada. Cafferty and her team of notable chefs, cookbook authors and nutritionists present cooking demonstrations and educational sessions. In addition, the two day event includes a Vendor Fair with over 60 GF companies from across the country.
Through her award-winning website (www.gfreelife.com) and culinary classes, Cafferty teaches others how to prepare healthy and delicious GF meals at home and educates them about the wide variety of GF ingredients that are readily available today in grocery and natural food stores. As a GF dieter herself, Cafferty is a knowledgeable resource on both shopping for GF foods and dining out with dietary restrictions. She consults with numerous food retailers and restaurants to ensure that they are offering the most delicious and safest GF products for their customers
Pamela Giusto-Sorrells
Pamela Giusto-Sorrells believes that food is an avenue to happiness. As the Founder and President of Pamela’s Products (www.pamelasproducts.com), one of the first dedicated gluten-free companies, Pamela has made it her mission to create decadent desserts and savory foods that everyone can enjoy.
A third generation natural products professional, Pamela founded her company in 1988 with a focus on fresh and wholesome ingredients, combined to meet gluten-free dietary needs and formulated to taste as good as or better than the wheat alternatives. To this day, Pamela personally develops each of the products that bears her name, and is constantly creating new recipes, often based on customers’ inquiries and needs.
To the delight of customers seeking wheat-free cookies the whole family would actually crave, Pamela’s Products originally offered Peanut Butter, Old-Fashioned Oatmeal Raisin Walnut, and Ginger Cookies. From the historic quarters of the Ukiah Brewing and Ice Company, set in the picturesque Ukiah Valley, Pamela’s Products now proudly offers more than two dozen products ranging from biscotti to cake mixes, and now a new ready-to-eat cake line – each one crafted to tasty perfection using methods that ensure gluten-free integrity.
As the company celebrates its 21st year, Pamela Giusto-Sorrells is still at the heart of the business that continues to lead the way in bringing home-baked goodness, convenient indulgence, and an ever-expanding array of delicious gluten-free choices to market.
Kim Koeller
International Gluten Free Business Consultant
As President and Founder of GlutenFree Passport®, Kim Koeller is an internationally acclaimed speaker, global consultant and award-winning co-author of the Let’s Eat Out! Your Passport to Living Gluten and Allergy Free book series. This series is the winner of the Best Language Guide Award and finalist for Best Health & Diet Book, Best Health & Wellness Book, Best Travel Guide and Best First Book Non-Fiction Awards.
As an international business consultant, Kim has spent the last 20-plus years eating 80% of her meals in restaurants around the world while managing over a dozen food related allergies/sensitivities and celiac disease. She has traveled over 1.5 million miles across the globe, dined in 25+ countries while living 4 continents.
Kim earned her MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management and is fluent in the French language. She also has been a guest speaker at national and international celiac and food allergy conferences worldwide including London, Sydney, Auckland, Toronto and throughout the US.
Cynthia Kupper, RD, CD
Cynthia Kupper is the Executive Director of the Gluten Intolerance Group of North America (GIG), a national non-profit organization supporting persons with gluten intolerances. As a clinical dietitian, she speaks internationally on celiac disease and the gluten-free diet at government and regulatory agency meetings, to the food and hospitality industries, health care professionals, and patient organizations.
As part of her work with GIG, she initiated programs working with restaurants to provide gluten-free dining options, and the food industry in providing third-party gluten-free certification.
She has also published a number of papers in peer-review journals, and authored a continuing education manual for dietitians.
Anne Roland Lee, MSEd, RD, LD
Anne Lee has recently joined Schär USA as the Director of Nutritional Services. Previously she was the nutritionist at the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University. She is an adjunct professor at University of New Mexico in the Nutrition Department. Anne is involved in consumer education, research, as well as pursuing a doctoral degree. Her research has resulted in published articles on the effect of a gluten-free diet on the quality of life, nutritional adequacy of the gluten free diet, and the economic impact of a gluten free diet. She has authored a chapter in a nutrition text and co-authored a chapter in a gastroenterology text on celiac disease.
Anne has developed numerous educational materials on the gluten free diet for both patients and professionals. Anne has published articles on the effect of a gluten-free diet on the quality of life, nutritional adequacy, and the economic impact of a gluten free diet. Anne is a member of the American Dietetic Association, and has been a member of the Evidence Analysis Library project on celiac disease and has been a reviewer for the On Line Nutrition Care Manual.
Cybele Pascal
Allergen-Free Cookbook Author
Cybele Pascal is a food writer and the author of the bestselling Allergen-Free Baker’s Handbook, and the Whole Foods Allergy Cookbook. She has been a guest on The Martha Stewart Show, the Food Network, the Today show, ABC News, Good Morning America Health, and NPR. She is a regular contributor to Living Without; the magazine for people with allergies and food sensitivities, and her recipes have appeared in many national publications, including Good Housekeeping, Allergic Living, and NY Parent. She has also written regular columns for Oxygen Media, AOL, and Lime.com. In addition to her culinary work, Cybele is also an award-winning playwright. Pascal is the proud mother of two sons, Lennon and Montgomery. She lives in Los Angeles with her food-allergic family: husband Adam, sons Lennon and Monte, and their dogs, Izzie and Carly (who also has food allergies). For more information, visit www.cybelepascal.com.
Kathryne Pirtle
Kathryne Pirtle is a world-class clarinetist whose career nearly ended because of performance difficulties caused by celiac disease, acid reflux, chronic inflammation and other health problems. Performance without Pain, written with Sally Fallon, President of the Weston A. Price Foundation and John Turner, DC tells the story of her trials and recovery. As a health educator, she has given more than 50 workshops around the country with Dr. John Turner and appeared on numerous radio and television shows. She has been published in the International Musician, International Clarinet, Advance Magazine (a publication for Physical Therapy) and Wise Traditions and writes a blog on her website www.performancewithoutpain.com about issues relating to building health with nutrient-dense foods. She has also just published an e-book called Acid Reflux, A National Epidemic and Precursor to Chronic Illness—Achieving Lasting Healing with Nutrient-Dense Foods.
Pirtle is executive director of the Orion Ensemble, which gives three concert series in Metropolitan Chicago, presents a live internationally broadcast series on Chicago’s WFMT-FM Fine Arts Radio Network and tours throughout North America. She is also is principal clarinetist of the Lake Forest Symphony and frequently performs with the Chicago Lyric Opera Orchestra, the Grant Park Music Festival, The Ravinia Festival Orchestra, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Rose
Owner, Rose’s Bakery
Rose’s Wheat Free Café is the only completely gluten free bakery and restaurant in the Chicago area. Rose’s offers great tasting wheat free and gluten free foods; including fresh baked gluten free breads, cookies, cakes, cupcakes, muffins and pastries; wheat free pizza, soups, sandwiches and other gluten free food to our café customers, online customers, and a growing number of retail stores, restaurants, and caterers. Rose’s is committed to using organic, locally produced and sustainable ingredients whenever possible. Whether you are on a gluten free diet or just want a healthier lifestyle, you will enjoy our delicious, gluten free, organic and healthy foods. We also have dairy free, egg free, vegan and agave sweetened products for allergy sensitive or diabetic customers. They ship their delicious fresh baked, gluten free foods anywhere in the Continental US.
Linda Simon
Registered Dietitian and Personal Chef
Linda is a registered dietitian, certified personal chef, wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend, gardener, teacher & cooking coach. She works with people who have, or are interested in gluten intolerance, diabetes, cancer, heart and vascular disease, kidney disease, eating disorders, want to lose weight, want to gain weight.
Is she gluten intolerant? No, but she loves people who are. And she loves that the treatment is not a pill or procedure, just diet. She finds this creative and delicious. Of course she would, she is passionate about food. She is a true believer in great tasting healthy meals. Eating well is the very best health insurance.
Lee Tobin
Executive Chef, Whole Foods Market, Gluten Free Bakehouse
The Whole Foods Market Gluten-Free Bakehouse is the brainchild of Lee Tobin. After facing the dietary challenges of celiac disease for several months, he was inspired to start experimenting with recipes for gluten-free baked items for his own diet and for customers at the Chapel Hill Whole Foods Market.
He spent years perfecting these recipes while working during off-hours; each session required a thorough pre-bake cleaning to ensure the integrity of the gluten-free recipes.
Chef Renee Zonka, RD, CEC, CHE
Associate Dean of Culinary Arts at Kendall College
Renee Zonka, Associate Dean of Kendall College, is a Registered Dietitian, Certified Executive Chef, and Certified Hospitality Educator. She has over 30 years of combined experience in clinical and administrative arenas within dietetics and culinary including an Executive Chef position at Christ Hospital, Chef Manager/General Manager position with Marriott Management Services and Instructor at Culinary Institute of America/Hyde Park, New York.
As Associate Dean at Kendall, she teaches a wide range of culinary courses and administrative duties to assess the curriculum and faculty. A Mundelein College graduate, Chef Zonka has a masters degree in business administration, and is a chapter author of the Nutrition Competency Guide, published by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation.
In 2006, Renee received the distinguished Chef Educator of the Year award from the American Culinary Federation Windy City Professions Chefs. She is actively involved the gluten free/Celiac groups in education, consulting and recipe development.
2008 and 2009 Presenters Below
Josh Alper
Green Marketing and Sustainability Consultant
Josh Alper studied Biochemistry at the University of Illinois in Champaign IL. He spent 20 years selling technology products worldwide in the security sector.
His extensive international business experience and travel combined with an understanding of the science of human consciousness and gives him a unique insight into American culture. Currently he is a consultant on issues of sustainability and green marketing.
Sunshine Best
Owner, Rise & Shine Desserts, Chicago, IL
Gluten-free and Vegan Baker
Sunshine Best, founder of Rise & Shine Desserts in Chicago, is a gluten-free and vegan baker and special diet consultant. It is possible to create gluten free baked goods without them being dry and grainy. But how can we do it?
Tapping into her professional training, international culinary exposure, and foreign travels, Sunshine has created a collection of gluten free desserts without using rice, flour or artificial ingredients.
Nicole Bubolo
Owner, The Benevolent Kitchen, New York
Nicole Bubolo, owner, Benevolent Kitchen, has over 15 years of alternative baking experience affording her focused culinary expertise with gluten free adaptations and most any special dietary need. Nicole began working with special dietary foods out of a personal need for healthy, healing, and delicious eating. Now after years apprenticing with various professional bakers, chocolatiers, and chefs; plus completing a variety of specialty professional courses, she shares her expertise with others though public presentations, private coursework, and culinary school education – helping others make their kitchen a benevolent one.
Deepa Deshmukh, MPH, RD, CDE, BC-ADM
Partner, DuPage Dietitians, Lisle, IL.
Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator
Deepa has been working in the field of food science and nutrition for the last ten years. She specializes in medical nutrition therapy for diabetes, heart disease, weight management, food allergies, and other chronic disease conditions.
Her interest in glucose intolerance and celiac disease grew as she started noticing a connection between diabetes and celiac disease. She feels that people with food allergies often follow a restricted diet and thus put themselves at risk of developing other disease conditions. In her presentation, she will discuss the importance of ensuring nutritional adequacy to prevent an onset of osteoporosis, diabetes, etc. She will also be available to answer questions after the session.
Gaetano Di Benedetto
Executive Chef of Gaetano Ristorante, Forest Park, Ill.
Chef Gaetano Di Benedetto is a native of the lush Sicilian coastal town of Bagheria and is currently the owner and Executive Chef of Gaetano’s Ristorante in Forest Park, Illinois.
He began as a kitchen apprentice in Palermo and is a graduate of the prominent IPAS professional culinary school there. His cooking career spans three decades, maintaining the title of Executive Chef since 1989 at restaurants throughout Italy, as well as in France, England and the U.S.
While still in Sicily, Gaetano served as chef at the opulent Villa Paino, where he was accorded the honor of preparing state dinners for Italy’s President Francesco Cossiga. After leaving Sicily, Gaetano worked in such culinary capitals as London, Paris and Milan before accepting his first U.S. position in Celebration, Florida, for Disney. In 2001 Gaetano was invited by the Italian delegation to serve as chef for Team Italy and government dignitaries at the Olympic Village during the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Rohanna Doylida & Jo Brainin
Owners, Roh & Jo’s Gluten Free Sweets, Inc., Highwood, IL
My name is Rohanna and I have two beautiful children, Melissa and Ben. When Benjamin was diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2002, my life changed forever. I had been a professional actress for 15 years, but when I realized there was nowhere to get him beautiful birthday cakes and delicious cookies, I decided to turn my artistic talents from the stage to the kitchen. Bringing beautiful and delicious cakes to our Celiac children has become a personal mission.
But no one, no matter how determined, can do it alone.
When I needed a partner, I turned to my dear friend, who also happens to be my sister-in-law. Jo’s business sense, her creative eye, and her desire to help adults and children like her nephew made her the perfect partner. Recipes were created and tested, a kitchen space was found, and we are overjoyed to be able to share our creations with you. We welcome and encourage feedback from our customers and are always looking to expand our product line.
From our kitchen to yours… eat and enjoy!
Aaron Flores
Aaron Flores is a chef with a range of experiences, from serving as executive chef to doing cooking demonstrations to planning and implementing conference menus for those with food allergies.
Currently Aaron is Executive Chef and Sommelier at the Doubletree Hotel Oakbrook Chicago in Oakbrook, Illinois, and Executive Chef for the Celiac Sprue Association of North America.
As chef and owner of Chef Aaron Inc., he designs and implements systems to handle special diet requests within restaurants and hotels. He has also served as Culinary Conference planner for the Annual Celiac Conferences.
Beth Hillson
Founder, Gluten-Free Pantry President, American Celiac Disease Alliance
Food writer and cooking teacher Beth Hillson founded the Gluten-Free Pantry in 1993. She started the company in a quest to find good food to eat after a diagnosis of celiac disease gave her back her health, but took away all forms of wheat and gluten, breads, pasta, pizza, and cakes. Beth was a food writer and cooking teacher and began testing recipes once with regular flour for readers and students and again with gluten-free flour so she could eat them. The gluten-free versions were so tasty that no one could tell the difference.
In 2005, the Gluten-Free Pantry was acquired by another gluten-free company, Glutino, Canada. The sale has enabled Beth to resume her favorite role in this industry, increasing awareness of celiac disease and helping to educate fellow celiacs about the diet.
Beth is president of the American Celiac Disease Alliance (ACDA), an organization created to help promote Celiac Disease awareness and education. The ACDA was instrumental in the passage of the Food Allergen Labeling Bill and is working with the FDA to establish gluten-free guidelines. Beth teaches gluten-free cooking and baking classes at the Connecticut Culinary Institute. She is also a freelance writer, doing articles for a special diets publication. In her spare time, she is working on a memoir.
Jill Houk
Owner, The Centered Chef, Chicago, IL
Personal Chef specializing in Restricted Diets
Chef Jill’s skills in the kitchen stem from the years she spent as a child cooking creative meals for her family. Although Chef Jill initially pursued a career in a technology training and high-tech sales, she returned to the kitchen to realize her dreams of becoming a chef.
After graduating Valedictorian of the Accelerated Culinary Arts program at Kendall College, Chef Jill co-founded Chef on Call Chicago, now Centered Chef Food Studios, with partner Chef Ryan Hutmacher.
Chef Jill also teaches healthy cooking classes to small groups and corporate organizations. Chef Jill is an active mother of a 10-year old boy. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Northwestern University and participates in endurance sports. She’s enthusiastic about spreading the message of healthy eating to all communities. She is also a board member of the Downtown Chicago chapter of the American Cancer Society.
Jasmine Jafferali, MPH
Educational and Wellness Consultant
Jasmine has a BS from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale in Exercise Science and a Master’s in Public Health from Benedictine University. Prior to establishing her own business, she spent ten years in both corporate and commercial fitness. Jasmine’s services include preconception counseling, prenatal fitness, postpartum weight loss, infant, toddler and children’s nutrition. Her client focus is on counseling and directing families to understand the importance of healthy eating, fitness, allergy-free diets with a realistic approach achieving their goals.
As a professional speaker, she conducts on-site workshops and seminars for corporations, wellness and fitness professionals and the general public. She has her own column as the Family Health Expert for the Chicago Examiner and is the Program Coordinator for an online certificate course she authored in Women’s Exercise Training and Wellness.
Jasmine is no stranger to gluten-free living as she understands and follows the gluten-free diet. In her spare time, she loves being outdoors with her family and enjoys experimenting in the kitchen. Jasmine lives in Chicago with her husband Jeff and daughter Lilly.
Kim Koeller
International Gluten Free Business Consultant
As President and Founder of GlutenFree Passport®, Kim Koeller is an internationally acclaimed speaker, global consultant and award-winning co-author of the Let’s Eat Out! Your Passport to Living Gluten and Allergy Free book series. This series is the winner of the Best Language Guide Award and finalist for Best Health & Diet Book, Best Health & Wellness Book, Best Travel Guide and Best First Book Non-Fiction Awards.
As an international business consultant, Kim has spent the last 20-plus years eating 80% of her meals in restaurants around the world while managing over a dozen food related allergies/sensitivities and celiac disease. She has traveled over 1.5 million miles across the globe, dined in 25+ countries while living 4 continents.
Kim earned her MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management and is fluent in the French language. She also has been a guest speaker at national and international celiac and food allergy conferences worldwide including London, Sydney, Auckland, Toronto and throughout the US.
Rosalia Libreri
Executive Chef, DaLuciano Restaurant, River Grove, IL
Of the seven Libreri children, four are celiacs. When Rosalia Libreri, owner of DaLuciano Restaurant in River Grove, Illinois learned of her family’s diagnosis, she felt it was her responsibility to educate herself on Celiac disease and gluten free products.
In learning that gluten is found in almost every dish that she would prepare, specifically in pasta and bread, she says she had no choice but to modify her recipes using gluten free products. Everything on the DaLuciano Gluten-Free menu is made from scratch using the finest, freshest ingredients, free of Gluten contamination.
She and her family look forward to serving any special needs that their customers have. They make great tasting food suitable for gluten free health and present a relaxing atmosphere for a fun night out with friends at Da Lucianos.
Jax Peters Lowell
Author of The Gluten Free Bible, Against the Grain and No More Cupcakes & Tummyaches
Prior to writing books full time, Jax was chief creative officer of Foote, Cone Belding Philadelphia and was named one of the best and brightest women in advertising by Ad Age Magazine.
Gluten-free since 1981, she is the author of the powerful and critically praised novel Mothers (St. Martin’s Press). A prize-winning poet, she is currently at work on a memoir and makes her home in Philadelphia in a former bread factory.
Rebecca Reilly
As a graduate of the renowned Cordon Blue Cooking School of Paris, Rebecca Reilly’s professional training also includes certificates from Le Notre Patissiere in Plaisir, France. In addition, Rebecca received a chef’s diploma from Madeleine Kamman’s Modern Gourmet Cooking School in Boston.
Rebecca is the former owner of the Madd Apple Café and Rebecca’s Kitchen, a catering firm and cooking school in Portland, Maine. For ten years Rebecca was regularly featured as the on-air chef in cooking segments on Maine’s NBC affiliate, WCSH News Center 6. She also hosted the popular television series, New England Kitchen.
Rebecca has been involved with numerous cooking schools and restaurants throughout the Northeast as both chef and consultant.
As a private caterer and nutritional consultant, she has demonstrated her special knack for cooking and her love of sophisticated cuisine while accepting the nutritional challenges of providing nutritious and gluten-free kitchen, tips, techniques, and sources for ingredients, plus a list of resources and information on celiac disease and gluten sensitivity.
Linda Simon
Registered Dietitian and Personal Chef
Linda is a registered dietitian, certified personal chef, wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend, gardener, teacher & cooking coach. She works with people who have, or are interested in gluten intolerance, diabetes, cancer, heart and vascular disease, kidney disease, eating disorders, want to lose weight, want to gain weight.
Is she gluten intolerant? No, but I love people who are. And she loves that the treatment is not a pill or procedure, just diet. She finds this creative and delicious. Of course she would, she is passionate about food. She is a true believer in great tasting healthy meals. Eating well is the very best health insurance.
Anna Sobaski
Creator, Breads from Anna
Anna Sobaski, travels all over the country helping people enjoy a gluten-free lifestyle by teaching gluten-free cooking classes and workshops. She speaks at conferences, support groups and a number of health food stores frequently. As the creator and president of Breads From Anna®, she developed a line of nutritious and delicious gluten-free mixes in 2004 that are tailored to address a number of different food allergies. The mixes are now sold in thousands of stores all over the world. She has an undergraduate degree from the University of Iowa, a Master of Fine Arts Degree from the Maryland Institute College of Art and completed the Chefs Training Program at The Natural Gourmet Institute.
Lee Tobin
Executive Chef, Whole Foods Market, Gluten Free Bakehouse
The Whole Foods Market Gluten-Free Bakehouse is the brainchild of Lee Tobin. After facing the dietary challenges of celiac disease for several months, he was inspired to start experimenting with recipes for gluten-free baked items for his own diet and for customers at the Chapel Hill Whole Foods Market.
He spent years perfecting these recipes while working during off-hours; each session required a thorough pre-bake cleaning to ensure the integrity of the gluten-free recipes.
Sueson Vess
Owner, Special Eats
Chicago area Celiac Disease and Autism support group leader, Author
Sueson Vess created Special Eats to assist others on the healthy path toward embracing gluten and dairy free living.
She is the author of Special Eats Simple, Delicious Solutions for Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Cooking, regular contributing writer to Living Without Magazine.
Dr. Stephen Wangen
Founder and Chief Medical Officer, The Irritable Bowel Treatment Center
Founder, The Center for Food Allergies
Dr. Wangen is a licensed and board certified gluten intolerant physician and the founder and Medical Director of the IBS Treatment Center (www.IBSTreatmentCenter.com) located in Seattle, WA. He is on the Board of Trustees of the Gluten Intolerant Group of North America and lectures nationally on the topic of gluten intolerance. He published his first book, The Irritable Bowel Syndrome Solution, in 2005 and his second book, Healthier Without Wheat, in 2008.
