Vegan for Life - Jack Norris [99]
FROM GINNY:
In my twenty-plus years as a vegan dietitian, I’ve been honored to work with some of the most knowledgeable and dedicated vegan nutrition professionals. Thank you especially to Dr. Reed Mangels for her friendship and collaboration over the years and for reviewing parts of this book. She and dietitians Dr. Suzanne Havala-Hobbs, Dr. Winston Craig, Vesanto Melina, Brenda Davis, and the late Cyndi Reeser have been true pioneers who established vegetarianism as an area of practice in the field of nutrition. It is a privilege to know these extraordinary people as colleagues and friends. And a special thank-you to Jack Norris for his dedication to sharing the best and most accurate nutrition information and for inviting me to write this book with him.
Charles Stahler and Debra Wasserman of the Vegetarian Resource Group earned my ongoing appreciation twenty years ago, when they gave me an opportunity to develop my skills as a vegan dietitian and invited me into their community of activists and educators.
Erik Marcus is committed to finding the absolute best ways to advocate for animals and is a daily source of inspiration and information. I’m grateful for his work, his friendship and his enthusiasm for this book.
Thank you to Matt Ball and Anne Green of Vegan Outreach for their support of my work and for the wisdom and insight they bring to animal advocacy. They are among my personal heroes.
Dr. Neal Barnard, president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, gave me my first job as a vegan dietitian and taught me a great deal about writing and advocacy. My work with Neal and PCRM opened many doors and put me on a professional path I would never have imagined. I am forever grateful.
My former agent Patti Breitman championed this book from the start and worked hard to help us find an agent. Her efforts to make sure that vegan books find publishers has had a far-reaching impact on animal lives.
Dr. Michael Klaper is the best kind of physician—one who uses his extensive medical knowledge to advocate for compassionate food choices and to protect the health of vegans. He has been a role model for as long as I’ve worked in this field.
Dustin Rhodes and Lee Hall of Friends of Animals, and Leah McKelvie are among the kindest people I know. They encourage respect and helpfulness within a community encompassing divergent views, and I’ve learned a great deal from all of them.
Louise Holton, president of Alley Cat Rescue, has long been my model for compassion. She has done more to help feral cats than any person in the world, and she continues to be an advocate for farm animals and veganism as well.
To my buddies at goodreads.com, especially Lisa Herzstein: Thank you for sharing my passions for the most important things in life—animals and books—and for proving that online social networking can produce meaningful and gratifying connections.
My friend Kate Schumann has collaborated with me on projects beginning with our vegan cookbook-writing days at PCRM through our work on behalf of companion animals in Port Townsend. She is not only a wonderful friend but also a brilliant cook, gardener, educator, and designer, and she shares her knowledge generously. She also belongs to a group of the hardest working women I know—the board of directors of Olympic Mountain Pet Pals: Phyllis Becker, Pam Gray, Robin Hake, Pam Kolacy, Carolynn Moody, Donna Regester, Erica Springstead, Marsha Wiener, and Randi Winter. My experience as part of this organization has been an amazing education in grassroots advocacy and fund-raising.
And a special thank-you to Dr. Ginny Johnson for her work with local rescue groups, her devoted care of my own family of cats, and her commitment to veganism and justice for all animals. There is not a more generous animal advocate anywhere.
My fourth-grade teacher made it a point to instill confidence in the shyest kid in class by praising my reports and essays and encouraging me to work hard on my writing skills. I listened to your advice, Mrs.