Take Out With Ashley and Robyn

Leah Segedie is the founder of the Mamavation® community, ShiftCon Social Media Conference, food activist and social media consultant. Through the Mamavation community, she teaches “digital moms” healthy living practices to combat disease in their home. The community members of Mamavation have lost over 3,500 lbs. Leah is also a very passionate food activist. She organizes trending twitter parties monthly to educate the public about the food supply and other issues impacting public health. She also organizes blogging efforts through her network and hosts the ShiftCon Social Media Conference where green and wellness bloggers gather annually. And brands love to work with Leah because she has over 10,000 bloggers in the Bookieboo Network to create wellness related campaigns with. Leah has been recognized for several feats in her professional and personal life such as being named “Mom of the Year” by Shape Magazine, being named the 4th most Influential Mom Blogger by Cision Media, Top 10 Woman Changing School Nutrition, compared to Lady Gaga for her unique social media tactics in The Huffington Post, and Favorite Weight Loss Blog by Fitness Magazine. Her story, communities and work have also been featured in the following publications: CNN, ABC, NBC, The O’Reiley factor, Chicago Tribune, Christian Science Monitor, The Talk, Yahoo, Ladies Home Journal, Fitness Magazine, Shape Magazine, The Huffington Post, Women’s Day, Fitness RX, International Business Times, Babble, etc. Leah has a Masters in Communication Management from the University of Southern California. She was also Commencement Speaker during her 2001 Graduation Ceremony at the University of Southern California when she received her Bachelor’s of Arts in Communication. She lives in Simi Valley with her husband and three young children.

Carey Gillam is a veteran journalist, researcher and writer with more than 20 years experience in the news industry. In January, Gillam became Research Director for the nonprofit consumer group U.S. Right to Know,  which has the stated mission: “Pursuing Truth and Transparency in America’s Food System.” Prior to joining USRTK, Gillam spent 17 years as a senior correspondent for Reuters, an international news service, roving America's farm fields and agribusiness operations to document the evolution of U.S. agriculture and the impacts on our food system and environment. She has specialty knowledge in the rise of biotech crop technology, associated pesticide product development, and the environmental impacts of both. She has developed an in-depth knowledge of leading agrichemical companies that include Monsanto, Dow AgroSciences, DuPont, BASF, Bayer and Syngenta. Gillam has been recognized as one of the top journalists in the country covering these issues and is frequently asked to speak on radio and television and to appear at conferences to share her knowledge of hotly debated issues involving food and agriculture. She resides in Overland Park, Kansas, with her husband and three children.

Asha Gomez is owner of Spice to Table in Atlanta, GA, where she currently resides. In 2013, her restaurant Cardamom Hill received a James Beard Award nomination for Best New Restaurant. Asha was born in Kerala, the southwestern-most state of India. The area’s unique and multilayered culture, a result of its vital position on the ancient spice routes between Europe and Asia, provides much of the inspiration for Asha’s enterprises. Her Kerala fried chicken has been a draw at the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival and won the People’s Choice award at the city’s first annual Mother Clucker Fried Chicken Festival. Recently, Asha also created a “culinary conversation” event studio called The Third Space in Atlanta. Asha’s first cookbook entitled My Two Souths, was recently released. Katherine Miller founded Table 81, a full-service communications firm that works with clients in the nonprofit, philanthropy, and socially responsible business fields. Katherine designs global communication campaigns to raise awareness about important issues, inspire people to take meaningful action, and result in lasting changes in policy, politics, and business practices. Katherine is also a founder of the Chef Action Network (CAN), a project of the James Beard Foundation and Osprey Foundation. Recognizing that food is a national passion, affects the quality of consumers’ everyday lives, and has potential impact on human, environmental, social, economic health. CAN is focused on harnessing the power of America’s preeminent chefs to help create awareness, inspire action, and aggregate credible resources to proactively address a broad range of policies relevant to issues areas important to the chef community. CAN provides tailored research, policy, and advocacy support to chefs that participate in the James Beard Foundation’s Chef Policy Boot Camp and Food Policy Salons.

In December 2016, Sheryl O'Loughlin introduced her first book, Killing It: An Entrepreneur's Guide to Keeping Your Head Without Losing Your Heart. In the book, she shares her advice with a wider group of current and aspiring entrepreneurs. The book has garnered attention from media outlets including Fortune, Conscious Company, Inc., Forbes, the Huffington Post and more. Sheryl currently leads REBBL, the first plant-based, super herb adaptogen beverage company, as the CEO. At REBBL, Sheryl is leading the team to develop a new category of beverages that uses ancient wisdom confirmed by science to help modern-day, busy people adapt to stress. She upholds REBBL’s vision of respecting human dignity through its focus on a sustainable and just supply chain and through its partnership with Not for Sale, a non-profit dedicated to eliminating human trafficking. Earlier in her career, Sheryl co-founded and served as CEO for Plum, Inc., a healthy, organic food company nourishing kids “from the high chair to the lunch box.” She cultivated a culture around nurturing the human spirit and helping kids develop a lifetime love of healthy eating. In 2013, Plum was successfully sold to Campbell Soup Company. When she served as the CEO of Clif Bar and Company, Sheryl led the concept development and introduction of Luna, the first Whole Nutrition Bar for Women, which became a $70M business in 3 years and, to this day, is a core brand in the Clif Bar and Company portfolio. Following her time at Plum, Sheryl was the Executive Director of the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Sheryl also held a faculty position at Sonoma State University, where she taught entrepreneurship and provided career advice to hundreds of aspiring entrepreneurs and other professionals. Sheryl had served on the boards of multiple entrepreneurial and high growth companies, including Zukes natural pet treats, thinkThin nutrition bars, Sugar Bowl Bakery and Gardein Protein International. She is currently on the advisory board of The Harvest Summit, an annual gathering of innovators making connections to solve the biggest world challenges. She is also a member of OSC2 whose mission is to address the toughest sustainability problems facing our planet by building new regenerative businesses. Sheryl earned her Bachelor of Business Administration from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan and her Masters of Business Administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Sheryl lives in Santa Rosa with her husband, Patrick, and her two sons.

Nicole Bernard Dawes grew up in the natural food industry – both on the counter of her mother’s health food store during the 70s and on the production floor of her father’s potato chip company, Cape Cod Potato Chips. Ever since, she dreamed of creating healthier products that could hold their own against traditional (and admittedly tasty) packaged snacks. In 2002, while pregnant with her first son, this childhood dream turned into a passion – and eventually, a business. Today, Nicole is proud to lead Late July Snacks, and be a part of creating delicious food that make people look at organic and natural products in a different way. She served as a board member of the Organic Trade Associate from 2009-2015 and has testified before Congress about the economic impact of organic agriculture today.

Laird Hamilton is an American athlete, surfer, author, stunt man, model, producer, inventor, TV host, fitness and nutrition expert, husband, father and adrenaline junkie. He is regarded as one of todays best known big wave surfers. But at 6’3”, 215 pounds, with an uncommon combination of balance, flexibility, and strength, Laird Hamilton is unique. In addition to riding many of the biggest waves on the planet, Laird is known as the world-renowned innovator and guiding genius of crossover board sports including tow-in surfing, stand-up paddle boarding, and hydrofoil boarding. In short, Laird Hamilton is the essential Water Man. Over the last decade Laird has transcended surfing to become an international fitness icon and nutrition expert. Many of today’s top professional athletes and celebrities look to Laird for training guidance, including instruction in his unique underwater resistance workouts. Partnering with his wife, pro-volleyball player and TV personality Gabby Reece, along with Crossfit Endurance founder and author Brian Mackenzie, Laird created XPT--a unique and powerful fitness training and lifestyle program featuring these unique water workouts, performance breathing and high-intensity fitness and endurance training for both elite athletes and those seeking every day fitness. Laird’s first book, Force of Nature: Mind, Body, Soul, and, Of Course, Surfing (Rodale Books, 2008), has become the go-to manual for people seeking inspiration for a healthy lifestyle and hit the New York Times Bestseller list within two weeks of publication. He is also a contributing editor for Men’s Journal, where he writes about his own fitness, health and nutrition philosophies. Laird has also appeared in a number of feature films and surfing documentaries including Radical Attitude (1992), Wake Up Call (1996), Step into Liquid, (2003), Riding Giants (2004) where he also served as executive producer, and as a stunt man or surfer in The Decendants (2014), Water World (1995), Die Another Day (2002) and Point Break (2015). In addition to his film work, Laird has appeared on numerous television shows such as Oprah’s Master Class, Charlie Rose, 60 Minutes, Chelsea Handler, Conan O’Brien, Steven Colbert, and The Ellen Degeneres Show. Laird has a passion for helping others live happy, healthy lives, as exhibited through his work with charities such as the Surfrider Foundation, Race Across America, Pipeline for a Cure for Cystic Fibrosis, Rain Catcher, Muscular Dystrophy and City Of Hope. Laird lives with wife Gabrielle Reece and their daughters on the Hawaiʻian island of Kauaʻi six months out of the year during surfs’ swell season and during the offseason, in Malibu, California.

Today we wrap up season 1 with Ashley and Robyn. Ashley and Robyn will discuss their experiences. What they've loved, what they have learned and what we have coming up for season 2. Today we discuss infobesity and how there is too much information available today. They discuss how we are all part of the food problem but more importantly all part of the solution. How processed food needs to be more of a topic of discussion in congress. That healthcare begins at the dinner table. We also discuss how important branding is in today's world and how there are so many opportunities for people to find the strength and door something to help the food industry. That's how change begins. Ashley Koff RD is your better health enabler. Koff's better nutrition tools, tips and support help you get and keep better health results powered by better nutrition. A practitioner first, award-winning media expert, author, speaker, consultant, spokesperson and advocate, Koff regularly shares her Better Nutrition message with millions. You can access her better nutrition tools via The Better Nutrition Membership for you and your family, your patients, colleagues and students. Koff is the author of two books, The Road Trip to Better Health Program, has an award-winning social media platform and co-hosts the podcast “Take Out with Ashley and Robyn”. Currently living in Washington DC, Koff is re-learning trumpet, enjoys boxing workouts, and getting outdoors with Rerun, her dog. Robyn O'Brien is a former financial and food industry analyst, Robyn O’Brien triggered an allergic reaction in the food industry when she asked: “Are we allergic to food or what’s been done to it?”She has been called “food’s Erin Brockovich” by Bloomberg and the New York Times. From a conservativeTexas family, Robyn earned an MBA on a full scholarship, graduating as the top woman in her class before going to work as a financial analyst that covered the food industry. For over a decade, she has helped lead a food awakening among consumers, corporations and political leaders.

Partha Nandi M.D., F.A.C.P is the creator and host of the internationally syndicated medical lifestyle television show, Ask Dr. Nandi. Dr. Nandi is the Chief Health Editor at WXYZ ABC Detroit, a practicing physician and a renowned international speaker, his appearances include TedX, college commencements, numerous charity functions and premier medical meetings such as Digestive Disease Week. Dr. Nandi has partnered with the Ministry of Health in Jamaica and India, and collaborated with The World Health Organization. Dr. Nandi delivers passionate and inspiring talks to diverse audiences. He continues to travel to international conferences and symposia, meeting with global health leaders on his quest to improve health care quality, access, and advocacy; to empower the world in his mission, “To Be Your Own Health Hero.” DR. NANDI BACKGROUND Dr. Nandi has a diverse background. Born in Calcutta India, he immigrated to the United States as a child. At the age of 16, he completed his high school education in Columbus, Ohio where he was awarded a full academic scholarship to The Ohio State University and University of Notre Dame. To remain closer to his family, he chose Ohio State. Partha graduated summa cum laude (Top 1% of the class), a member of Phi Beta Kappa honor society, with a Bachelors degree in chemistry and a minor in classical Greek civilization. Partha also served as the Rhodes Scholar representative from Ohio State and was voted the Homecoming King, amongst 55,000 students enrolled at the time. Partha then traveled to Detroit, Michigan to obtain his medical degree at Wayne State University. At Wayne State, he was a member of Alpha Omega Alpha honor society and graduated in the top 10% of the class. He also completed his internal medicine training at Wayne State University, where he was the intern of the year. He completed his gastroenterology fellowship at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dr. Nandi practices gastroenterology in the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan. He is the author of several publications in peer reviewed journals. He is a national speaker, educating physicians on various topics within medicine. He is a patient advocate, emphasizing empathy in patient care and treatment of the entire patient, both body and mind. ABOUT DR. PARTHA NANDI As a practicing physician and renowned international speaker, Dr. Nandi travels all over the world, meeting with global health leaders on his quest to improve health care quality, access and advocacy. His mission: empower the world "To Be Your Own Healthcare Hero." He also serves as the Chief Health Editor at WXYZ-TV (ABC) Detroit. Dr. Nandi’s compassion for patients and their families, his unique approach to nutrition and fitness and his overall commitment to integrated wellness -including strong relationships, has made him one of the most trusted and influential physicians today. ABOUT “ASK DR. NANDI” Currently in its third season and available in syndication, as well as DISH Network and AT & T, “Ask Dr. Nandi” covers a wide variety of health and wellness topics that many people are not yet familiar with— or are afraid to ask about. Designed to educate, inspire and empower, “Ask Dr. Nandi” is an internationally syndicated medical lifestyle television show whose mission is to improve the health of America and the world with compassion, empathy and integrity.

Dan Zigmond is a writer, data scientist, and Zen priest. He is Director of Analytics at Facebook, and advises start-ups and venture capital firms about data and health. He is a contributing editor at Tricycle, the largest American Buddhist magazine, and teaches occasionally at Jikoji Zen Center, a small Buddhist temple in the Santa Cruz mountains. In May 2015, he was named one of “20 BusinessGeniuses You Need to Know” by Wired magazine, as he frequently reminds his kids. He lives in Menlo Park, CA

Drew Fitzgerald: Drew is one of the co-founders of JUST. A company that was formed to drive positive social and environmen- tal impact in everyday items while creating awareness around energy, food and water. JUST proudly calls Glens Falls it’s home where its begun creating jobs and additional revenue for the city with the production of its rst product - JUST water. Drew is one of the founding advisors of The Prime Coalition - a revolutionary, and proactive, Cambridge- based, non-pro t that is successfully steering philanthropic capital to direly-needed, early-stage, clean energy technologies. Technologies which, when at scale, are capable of reducing a billion tons of Carbon emissions from the atmosphere annually. At the same time, The Coalition is currently working with The Whitehouse and the U.S. Department of Treasury to clarify the United States Tax Code to legally de ne “climate change” as a charitable cause. Drew also serves as a design advisor to change:WATER Labs, a Cambridge-based accelerator developing transformative, clean water access technologies for developing countries. He serves as a creative advisor to The Redford Center - an environmental and social impact educational foundation founded by Jamie and Robert Redford. Drew also serves as the Creative Director for the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Mas- sachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston ( MIT ) in 1996, Drew founded and still operates Facet Creative in Los Angeles. Facet develops strategic, creative ,work across several segments for the following clients: General Motors, Universal Music Group, Sony Pic- tures and Columbia records, HBO and PBS. His work with individual clients includes: Jay-Z, Rihanna, Calvin Harris, Enrique Iglesias, Marc Anthony, Pharrell Williams, Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, Queen Latifah & Lionel Richie Before that, Drew served as an Art Director and then Creative Director of Urban Music and Soundtracks at MCA Records / Universal Studios. He is a graduate of Syracuse University

Pilar Gerasimo is a pioneering content innovator and healthy-living advocate. Her personal and professional passion: Helping people lead healthier, happier, more sustainable lives. Best known for her work as founding editor of Experience Life magazine (est. 2001), Pilar is also the creative force behind RevolutionaryAct.com and the author of A Manifesto for Thriving in a Mixed up World. In 2013, she accepted the top post at the Huffington Post’s Healthy Living division, then gave up her day job to consult and write a book on the art of being healthy in an unhealthy world. A lifelong vitality-seeker, Pilar has seen a lot of health fads come and go, and seen a lot of solid science either misreported or ignored by the mainstream media. She made it her life’s mission to help others make sense of what is too often a confusing muddle of health and fitness cacophony. Today, Experience Life has national circulation of more than 630,000 and reaches an estimated 3.2 million health-motivated men and women. It has earned a stellar editorial reputation and attracted a fleet of coveted national advertisers. It has garnered kudos from internationally recognized health and lifestyle leaders, including Dr. Mehmet Oz, Dr. Mark 2 Hyman, Dr. Frank Lipman, Blue Zones author and National Geographic explorer Dan Buettner, Oprah life-coach Cheryl Richardson, and health advocate Queen Rania of Jordan. In addition leading Experience Life, Pilar also served as Life Time Fitness’s senior vice president of education, becoming the company’s first female senior executive. While working with Life Time, she developed a number of educational and media initiatives, including a FM radio show (“Get a Whole Life”) and a pilot program for a healthy-living television show (“Experience Life TV”). In 2010, responding to worsening trends in obesity and chronic disease, Pilar tagged Experience Life magazine with a bold new mantra: “Being Healthy Is a Revolutionary Act.” She captured what she saw as the 10 guiding truths of this emerging healthy revolution in her richly illustrated chapbook, A Manifesto for Thriving in a Mixed-Up World (Experience Life, 2010). With five-star ratings and more than 150,000 downloads, the app has sparked viral social media interest, driving millions of Tweets and Facebook impressions while putting the magazine’s high-quality content into the hands of millions of new readers.

David began his career in the health and fitness industry and quickly was named “Mr. Motivation” and “The #1 Life Coach in the USA.” by Lifetime Television and “The Master of Motivation” by American Fitness magazine. He parlayed this worldwide reputation into the world of athletes and athletics after getting his Master’s Degree in Fitness Management, where his emphasis on sport psychology led him to work as the “Mental Success Counselor” for basketball and tennis players from around the USA. In 1990, a chance encounter with an athletic client who desired a life free of resentments against her former husband, led him deeply into the world of relationship work, with both singles and couples. That same year he became one of the first nationally recognized Master Life Coaches in the USA, as his work was featured weekly on national radio and television shows. In 1996 David created Life Coach Universe, a Life Coach Certification organization that has certified individuals wanting to make a difference in this world from across the USA, Spain, Bermuda, and the Cayman Islands. David is verified by Psychology Today Magazine as one of the top Counselor’s and Master Life Coaches in the USA. For 25 years, David’s nationally syndicated radio talk show, ” David Essel Alive!” has been heard via Westwood One , XM Satellite Radio and Premiere Radio/ Clear Channel Communications on iHeart Radio as well a Beasley Broadcasting Group. His national work as a motivational segment reporter and host in television began in 1988 with WWOR-TV, then Fox TV’s “Good Day New York” as well as Lifetime Television’s “The Image Workshop”, and the Emmy Award Winning Fox TV show “The Morning Blend”. He is also a former Adjunct Professor who taught courses in “Public Speaking” and “Life Coach Certifications” at Florida Gulf Coast University and Edison State College, now known as Florida Southwestern College. David has helped thousands of people from around the world achieve their greatest goals in every area of life. From doubling and even tripling their income, to freedom from addictions, preparation for deep love, getting the body they’ve always wanted, releasing long held negative attitudes, overcoming deep depression and anxiety, overcoming emotional and sexual abuse, changing careers or creating dramatic success as business owners, public speaking, as well as helping couples recover from affairs and creating a deep personal connection with God or one’s higher power. David is a renowned expert in the field of co-dependency, where he has helped thousands of people from around the world shatter the “largest addiction known to man.” As an Executive Business Coach, he works weekly with small and large businesses in areas such as productivity, human resources, sales, strategic planning, communication skills and more. There are no topics or circumstances David has not encountered, and helped people overcome, over the past 30 years. His mission is to inspire others to reach their own exceptional potential in their business and personal life. David’s professional presentations on how to lead a passionate and inspiring life have drawn rave reviews from corporations such as Chico’s, Nestlé, and Boeing, media outlets such as FOX TV and Premiere/ iHeart Radio, as well as non-profit organization like the March of Dimes and Unity Church. Businessperson of the Year Award — The IDEA Association “The Master of Motivation” — American Fitness Magazine Highest Rated Speaker in the History of Our Convention — International Exhibitors Association “Mr. Motivation” — Lifetime Television Network In 2016, David was honored to be chosen as the Convocation Graduation Speaker , Syracuse University, School of Education. In 2016, his 9th book, “Positive Thinking will never change your life…but this book will!”, became an Amazon #1 best seller, and his parable on faith and hope, “Rock Star: Finding God’s Purpose for Your Life” also became an Amazon #1 best seller. David’s work as an Ordained Minister has helped thousands of people who want to deepen their spiritual path and his high energy, inspirational sermons have been given in non-denominational churches as well as the Roman Catholic church. His own personal recovery from drug and alcohol addiction helped him to create one of the most successful holistic addiction recovery programs in the USA. For 25 years David has used a variety of healing methods to help people release limiting beliefs regarding money, their bodies, love, addictions, a lack of self identity and more including emotional desensitization, amino acid therapy, Emotional Freedom Technique/Tapping, as well as the common practices of journal release, nutritional therapy, meditation, financial freedom methodology, and more.

When powerful companies want their teams to take action online, they book social media expert and dynamic speaker Crystal Washington, who has worked with Google, Microsoft, GE and others in the USA, Africa and Europe. For this comprehensive knowledge on social media, she has been interviewed by ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS and numerous radio stations and magazines around the globe. Crystal is well known for her ability to take complex Web and social media topics, and make them easy to understand and accessible for everyday people and small business owners. She owns CWM Enterprises, a social media instructional brand aimed at training everyone from Gen Y's to Baby Boomers in strategically using social media. Educating consumers on the practical applications of social media networks like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube is her passion. As a recognized authority on social media, she has appeared in The Huffington Post, Entrepreneur Magazine, Glamour Magazine, Bloomberg, Businessweek and in The Associated Press. She was the past host of a weekly technology segment on Houston’s Fox television affiliate. Crystal is the author of the book, The Social Media Why: A Busy Professional’s Practical Guide to Using Social Media Including LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, Google+ and Blogs for Business.

For several years, Lisa Helfman and her family took part in a weekly fruit and vegetable co-op, and she watched her children’s eating habits dramatically transform. So much so that her little boy turned down a piece of cake at a birthday party, craving instead the blueberries he’d grown fond of eating at home. Like most moms, Lisa realized this was a fairly significant decision for a five-year-old, and she wondered what kind of influence regular access to fresh produce might have on all children. Especially if that produce was free to families. She was inspired to replicate this type of positive change in underserved communities identified as “food deserts,” or areas where access to grocery stores stocked with fresh fruits and vegetables is sorely limited. Because nutrition education in these communities is often equally lacking, Lisa’s vision was to bring a produce co-op to schools in these neighborhoods that included an educational component. She created a collaborative partnership between the Houston Food Bank and Dr. Shreela Sharma, an expert in nutrition and a professor of epidemiology at UTHealth School of Public Health, and they launched the program now known as Brighter Bites. Four years later, Brighter Bites has delivered more than 8,000,000 pounds of fresh produce to over 20,000 families at over 90 sites in Houston, Dallas, and Austin. When she isn’t pushing kids to eat kale smoothies, Lisa is Director of Real Estate for H-E-B and is working on the company’s significant expansion in Houston. Prior to joining H-E-B, Lisa served as Director of Real Estate Services at Texas Children’s Hospital where she created the Real Estate Services Department in order to centralize the hospital’s real estate operations. Lisa worked at Texas Children’s for seven years after leaving Vinson & Elkins where she represented many urban redevelopment clients, non-profits, and government entities in financings, real estate, and other general matters. Lisa received her JD from University of Houston Law Center and her BA from Tulane University.

For more than 25 years, Lempert, an expert analyst on consumer behavior, marketing trends, new products and the changing retail landscape, has identified and explained impending trends to consumers and some of the most prestigious companies worldwide. Known as The Supermarket Guru® Lempert is a distinguished author and speaker who alerts customers and business leaders to impending corporate and consumer trends, and empowers them to make educated purchasing and marketing decisions. As one of America’s leading consumer trend-watchers and analysts, Phil Lempert is recognized on television, radio and in print. For twenty plus years Phil has served as food trends editor and correspondent for NBC News’ Today show, reporting on consumer trends, food safety and money-saving tips, as well as showcasing new products, as well as regular appearances on ABC’s The View, FOX Business, Dr. Oz, The Oprah Winfrey Show, 20/20, CNN, CNBC, FOX, as well as on local television morning and news programs throughout the country. For almost two decades, he hosted the syndicated show Shopping Smart on the WOR Radio Network and now co-hosts the weekly Lost in the Supermarket podcast on iTunes. Phil Lempert was one of the pioneers of the new information media, founding SupermarketGuru.com in 1994. The website is now one of the leading food and health resources on the Internet, visited by more than 9 million people each year. SupermarketGuru.com offers thorough food ratings, analyzes trends in food marketing and retail, and features health advice, unique recipes, nutrition analysis, allergy alerts and many other resources to help consumers understand their food, health, lifestyle and shopping options. Phil is the founder and editor of The Lempert Report, Food, Nutrition & Science, Facts, Figures & the Future, and The Food Journal. He is contributing editor of Progressive Grocer, which exclusively runs his trade columns and videos both in its magazine and on its website as well as a strategic alliance to develop and manage industry initiatives. He has been profiled and interviewed by USA Today, The New York Times, The Christian Science Monitor, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Newsweek and Ad Age, and is interviewed by hundreds of publications each year. He is also a columnist for Forbes.com and manages the Food Reference site on about.com. He has served on the Executive Committee of Michelle Obama's Chefs Move to School program. He is the founder and CEO of the Retail Dietitians Business Alliance; and has developed and manages Retail Foodservice: The Great Grocerant educational program for the National Restaurant Association, hosts and manages the Most Innovative Product Awards for the National Confectioners Association, developed the Supermarket Chef Showdown for the Food Marketing Institute, created and managed the Spud Nation Throwdown Competition for the National Potato Council. Lempert is the author of Being the Shopper and Healthy, Wealthy & Wise. His previous books include: Phil Lempert’s Supermarket Shopping & Value Guide, Top Ten Trends for Baby Boomers and Crisis Management: A Workbook for Survival. He is currently working on his next book which documents the important relationship between Millennials and food - YOLO, The Intersection of The Jazz Age with The Millennials' Passion for Food. Phil is a spokesperson for National Frozen & Refrigerated Association and their retail partners to help communicate strategies on saving money, healthier eating and food trend information to America's shoppers; and had been the corporate spokesperson for ConAgra Foods for ten years. Phil Lempert graduated from Drexel University with degrees in Marketing and Retail Management and did his Post-Graduate at Pratt Institute. He worked at McDonald’s and Howard Johnson’s before joining his family’s food brokerage firm. Lempert went on to create Lempert Advertising, a full-service, award-winning advertising agency that specialized in food and retail branding, marketing and public relations. A resident of California, Lempert’s roots are in the Belleville, New Jersey dairy farm started by his grandfather. The family food tradition carried on through his father’s work as a food manufacturer, distributor and broker and then to Phil Lempert, The Supermarket Guru®.