Ellen spent her time on the board coordinating and speaking at various events at Veg fests and FVA’s annual Have a Heart dinners over the years. She was a judge at cook off competitions, doing talks and cooking demos herself from her 6 health and fitness cookbooks, and protesting at various events, including Fur Free Fridays and circus demos. When COVID ended most veg fests, her career on the lecture circuit, sometimes speaking at 2 events in different cities over a weekend, came to an overnight halt. She now teaches many classes online for Get Set Up, the largest online platform for free classes for Seniors. With her background as a TV investigative reporter and financial consultant, she enjoys a busy career as a realtor dealing with escapees from northern climate change-caused blizzards who want to live in what many surveys say is America’s #1 most desired city, Sarasota.
Ellen is a local and national celebrity as an athlete and an author. In addition to book writing, she has a history of working in the media industry and is a champion runner who has won and continues to win many awards and trophies. She has set many records for women her age, which shows that it is indeed possible to get plenty of protein and energy on a vegan diet. Having a family history of genetic health problems, she credits her good health to her long-time vegan diet and active lifestyle.
Ellen is a well-known speaker at many Veg Fests and Animal and Health symposiums. Her message never gets old. She always updates it to the current news and needs of her audience. She always has a smile and a unique way of making her talks personal, educational, and quite interesting. Two of her books that she has presented on, Eat Vegan on $4 A Day and Vegan Sex, are always popular topics. She was a PCRM Food for Life program cooking instructor for many years (I first met her at one of these events when Neal Barnard, MD also spoke) and once again has joined the team to help promote healthy vegan living. She even pinch-hit for Victoria Moran at one of our Have A Heart dinners, when Victoria had to cancel last minute due to illness. I have traveled with Ellen for both of us to speak at the North American Vegan Society annual symposiums at the University of Pittsburgh in Johnstown Pennsylvania. We also traveled to a couple of Veg Fests in Florida, again as speakers, Tallahassee, and Ocala Veg Fests. Always in demand, Ellen has made the rounds to speak at most Veg Fests in Florida.
Ellen is a great chef and an amazing presenter. She twice traveled to my work site, Advent Health Zephyrhills, once to present a Thanksgiving holiday meal for my patients and another time to do a lovely encore! My attendees loved her and her food. Ellen also once donated a personal cooking party for eight for attendees to bid on at one of our Have A Heart Dinners. I was the lucky recipient by bidding the highest amount! It was an absolute delight to have her come to my home to cook and share an evening with my family and a couple of non-vegan friends who were surprised at how much they enjoyed the meal. She wowed everyone with her culinary delights and helped me plant more vegan seeds for the sprouting!
We appreciate Ellen’s contributions to the board through the years and wish her well in her continued journey to educate people on how to eat vegan and live healthier lives!
– Myriam Parham
12/31/22 - Addendum contributed by Ellen:
"As of this morning, I placed in my 265th 5K or longer for my age group. The race director, when giving me the 1st place award, publicly demanded to see my driver’s license not believing I was 70. Not the first time that’s happened at competitive races."
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