DAVID KATER

David Kater is a semi-retired college math professor and founder of the San Diego City College Math Center. David has written 12 books and manuals, primarily about computers and printers. However, a chance encounter with the documentary  Forks over Knives in 2012 changed everything. David immediately decided to transition to a plant-based diet. This lead to intense research on the health benefits and ultimately the book Handbook to Higher Health Consciousness: How to Transition to Plant-Based eating to Heal Yourself and the Planet. David's passion for sharing this information with others lead to hosing potlucks, and the website PlantFoodPath.com, and now Plant Food Path Academy. The education sessions and cooking demos in this fundraiser event will be enjoyed by a small cohort of onsite participants and broadcast online as well.

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Donna Kater is passionate about helping others reinvent themselves. She combines real life experiences with practical and professional knowledge to encourage us to learn from the past and to create a brighter future. She has had professional careers as a college counselor, career counselor, small business owner, and acupuncturist. She draws from her knowledge and advanced degrees in Counseling, Spiritual Psychology, and Oriental Medicine. Donna has lived, traveled, and studied abroad. Donna’s life experiences, combined with her educational background and varied careers, make her a uniquely qualified mentor. 

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Donna Kater was diagnosed with Stage IV Endrometrial Adenocarcinoma (Uterine cancer) in June of 2018. She is currently in treatment, winning the battle. This fundraiser is to support her ongoing treatment and expenses.

Joy Parkes is a certified mindfulness meditation teacher through the Samarasa Center in Los Angeles under the guidance of senior Buddhist teacher David Nichtern and a certified health coach through the Dr. Sears Wellness Institute. Joy empowers and supports her clients to age mindfully by setting long-term, sustainable goals rather than seeking quick fixes. Her greatest fulfillment comes from connecting with people and helping them chart their own wellness path. Utilizing the science of goal setting and the art of mindfulness, her clients realize the power and ability for long-lasting change from within. 

Elizabeth is an active leader in the plant-based community, hosting vegan dinners in traditional restaurants and hosting hands-on cooking demonstrations. 

Tracy works part-time as a Nutritarian Chef for Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s Eat to Live Retreat in San Diego. She is the Founder and Director of Veg-Appeal a San Diego company which offers educational cooking classes, corporate wellness, individual cooking lessons, store tours, & personal health coaching.  Tracy is also the Founder and Director of PlantDiego, a local nonprofit organization inspired by the movie PlantPure Nation to educate and support people in living a healthy, whole food, plant-based lifestyle. 

Tracy is a certified Nutritional Consultant, and holds a Certificate in Plant Based Nutrition from eCornell. Tracy has taught nutrition and cooking for over a decade as a Food for Life Instructor, certified with the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine. In addition, Tracy contributed over 100 recipes for the recently published book -- Handbook to Higher Health Consciousness. 

Mindy and her husband David recently moved from the Washington DC suburbs to San Diego. Mindy has been vegan since 1999 (and vegetarian since 1992). Mindy is the Chair of the Board of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a nonprofit health advocacy group led by Dr. Neal Barnard that focuses on prevention and compassion in medicine. Before that, Mindy worked at the Physician Committee for eight years as general counsel and then as Executive Director. She currently works as in-house counsel for her family’s business, Family & Nursing Care, a leading resource for home care services founded by her mother in 1968.