Dr. Zahra Kassam MBBS, MSc, FRCR(UK), FRCP(C), DipAblm

Co-Founder, Director

Dr. Zahra Kassam is a radiation oncologist at the Stronach Regional Cancer Centre in Newmarket, Ontario, and an assistant professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Toronto. Zahra received her medical degree from the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine in 1995 and completed her specialist training in Clinical Oncology in 2006 in the UK. She undertook 3 years of additional clinical and research fellowship training in Radiation Oncology at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, with a Masters in Clinical Epidemiology at the University of Toronto. Her areas of clinical practice are in gastrointestinal and breast cancers. She has co-authored a number of peer-reviewed papers in these malignancies as well as in education and mentorship. She is the research lead in the Radiation Medicine Program at her cancer centre. A few years ago, Zahra discovered the significant body of evidence demonstrating the benefits of nutrition in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases. Zahra is a certified Lifestyle Medicine physician with the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine.  She has also completed the eCornell Plant-Based Nutrition Certification and the Plant-Based Nutrition Certification at the University of Winchester. In 2019, she co- founded Plant-Based Canada with the mission to promote plant-based whole food nutrition that is sustainable and the healthiest possible, and which also promotes the well-being of the planet and all its inhabitants. Her first book, co-authored with her sister Shireen, was published in January 2022 and is called Eating Plant-Based, Scientific Answers to Your Nutrition Questions. Together with Shireen and Lisa Simon RD, Zahra is co-editor of the textbook Plant-Based Nutrition in Clinical Practice, released in 2022.

Clinton Stamatovich

Clint Stamatovich is a news producer and writer currently based in Toronto. He has worked as a senior news producer for CP24, Toronto’s breaking news, and covered national and international breaking news as a producer with CTV News Channel. But before that, he produced for local ABC, CBS, and FOX affiliates in the Midwest -- including WSBT 22 in South Bend, Indiana and WKBW in Buffalo, New York.

Vanessa Kennedy C.H.N

Vani Kennedy specializes in transformative vitality. She shares the timeless tools of yoga and plant-based nutrition so that people can not just identify the debilitating patterns of stress and overwhelm, but chose to build a practical and sustainable wellness plan that enables them to amplify their wellness, their energy and transform their world. Vani is an 800-hour advanced certified Jivamukti Yoga teacher, also trained in yoga movement alignment, and graduate of both the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition holistic nutrition program and the Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate through eCornell and the T. Colin Campbell Centre for Nutrition Studies.Vani describes herself as a “modern living hippie” and Yogic Living Guide. She uses her training in journalism, yoga, holistic nutrition – and even tarot reading – to guide socially and spiritually engaged women to successfully survive stress so and bring their fullest selves to their wellness, work and world.

Cassandra Carey Msc

Cassandra Carey earned her MSc under the supervision of Dr. David Jenkins in the department of Nutritional Sciences with a collaborative specialization in Public Health Policy from the University of Toronto. Cassandra’s research focus intersects the relationship between diet, human health, and environmental impacts. She has additionally been involved in cancer research at the Stronach Regional Cancer Centre and has completed her Palliative Care Core Concepts training. Cassandra is certified in Plant-Based Nutrition through Cornell University and is an 800 hour Registered Yoga Teacher. She plans to continue her education in medicine and inform policies based on peer-reviewed research to enhance human and environmental health.

Dr. Laura Chiavaroli MSc, PhD

Dr. Laura Chiavaroli is a Clinical Trialist & a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Toronto and St. Michael’s Hospital. Laura has 15 years of experience in the field of nutrition and cardiometabolic health. Alongside her mentor, Dr. David Jenkins with whom she completed her MSc and PhD, Laura became skilled at conducting randomized controlled trials and working with dietary patterns, including the Portfolio Diet which is a cholesterol-lowering plant-based diet. Laura also has extensive experience in nutritional epidemiology, specifically in the conduct of systematic reviews and meta-analyses, from her work with Dr. John Sievenpiper, her current mentor. In the past few years of her post-doctoral fellowship, Laura has expanded her experience in knowledge translation strategies, including patient- and physician-facing resource development and web-based mobile app development. Laura also has a great interest in education and mentorship. In 2022 she developed the Disease Prevention and Management course for the University of Guelph's online Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate. Laura aims to elucidate how important public health concerns regarding dietary patterns and cardiometabolic health interconnect with planetary health, while highlighting the importance of equity, diversity and inclusivity.

Dr. Stephanie Nishi PHD, RD

Stephanie Nishi is a registered dietitian, research coordinator, and instructor. Stephanie has worked with the Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, at the University of Toronto, and is now pursuing a CIHR (Canadian Institute of Health Research) post doctoral fellowship at the Universitat Rovira i Virgili in Reus, Spain. For over a decade, Stephanie has been involved in chronic disease prevention from a nutritional perspective, as well as advancing evidence-based practice and knowledge dissemination with the ultimate goal of informing public health policy and nutrition guidelines.  In her teaching, research, and clinical practice, Stephanie strives to be inspired and inspiring, with the aim of creating and cultivating positive, productive environments.  

Jennifer Marshall

Jennifer Marshall is a User Experience and User Interface Designer. Since successfully completing her Bachelor of Honours in Design in Toronto, she has been dedicating her skills to help spread the whole food plant-based message and aid environmental organizations.

You can learn more about Jennifer and her work on her website, byjennifermarshall.com.

DR. SHIREEN KASSAM MD FRCpath Phd Dipiblm

International Member and Advisor

Dr Shireen Kassam is a Consultant Haematologist and Honorary Senior Lecturer at King’s College Hospital, London with a specialist interest in the treatment of lymphoma. She is also a Visiting-Professor at University of Winchester, Hampshire, where she has developed and facilitates the UK's first University-based course on plant-based nutrition. In 2023 she launched a course on lifestyle medicine for cancer.

Shireen is passionate about promoting plant-based nutrition for the prevention and reversal of chronic disease and for maintaining optimal health after treatment for cancer. In 2019 she became certified as a Lifestyle Medicine Physician and is also a CHIP facilitator.

Shireen founded Plant-Based Health Professionals UK in 2018, a non-profit, membership organisation whose mission is to provide evidence-based education on whole food plant-based nutrition.

Shireen qualified as a doctor in 2000. During her training, she completed a PhD, which investigated the role of selenium in sensitising cancer cells to chemotherapy. Shireen has published a number of peer-reviewed papers in the field of lymphoma. Her first book, Eating Plant-Based, Scientific Answers to Your Nutrition Questions, co-authored with her sister Zahra, was published in January 2022. She has also co-edited the textbook Plant-Based Nutrition in Clinical Practice, published in September 2022.

Michelle fedele RD Msc co-founder

Michelle Fedele is a Registered Dietitian. She graduated from Ryerson University with Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition, then completed her dietetic internship University Health Network in Toronto. Michelle completed her Masters of Science specializing in Health care leadership. She has worked at the Stronach Regional Cancer Centre in Newmarket, Ontario since 2010. In 2019 she co-founded Plant-Based Canada with the mission to promote plant-based whole food nutrition that is sustainable, the healthiest possible, and promotes the well-being of the planet and all its inhabitants. Michelle served as one of the PBC Directors from 2019 to March 2024.