2025 Guest Speaker: Adam Durand

Adam Durand is a filmmaker, web developer, and graphic designer who has spent the past two decades channeling his creativity into animal rights advocacy. He first gained national attention through his work with Compassionate Consumers, a grassroots group he helped found to expose cruelty in animal agriculture. Their 2004 investigation of a Wegmans egg farm sparked national controversy and was covered by The New York Times, ABC News, and City Magazine (formerly City Newspaper), bringing mainstream visibility to the realities of factory farming and the fight for transparency.

Since then, Adam has remained a steadfast presence in the movement, taking part in open rescues, organizing strategic campaigns, and challenging laws that punish people for acting with compassion. His efforts have been highlighted in National Geographic, Vox, and cited in legal scholarship such as Cornell Law Review.

Passionate and principled, Adam invites audiences to rethink what’s possible when we act with courage, strategy, and heart.

Catch Adam Durand at Rochester VegFest 2025

🕛 10:30–11:15 AM, August 24th
📍 Speaker Tent, Parcel 5 – Downtown Rochester

The Doc & Chef at Rochester VegFest 2025

Dr. Jim Loomis & Chef Caryn Dugan
Where Science Meets the Skillet: Your Prescription for Plant-Based Health

The Doc & Chef is a dynamic wellness duo featuring Dr. Jim Loomis, a board-certified physician specializing in internal medicine, and Chef Caryn Dugan, a nationally recognized plant-based culinary educator. Together, they are transforming how people think about food and health through their engaging video series, live events, and educational outreach.

Meet Dr. Jim Loomis

Dr. Jim Loomis

Dr. Jim Loomis is the Medical Director of the Barnard Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and has served as team physician for the St. Louis Rams and St. Louis Cardinals. He is featured in the documentaries Forks Over Knives and The Game Changers and is an expert in lifestyle medicine, using evidence-based nutrition to prevent and reverse chronic disease.

At Rochester VegFest 2025, Dr. Loomis will speak about the power of plant-based nutrition to transform personal and public health—sharing clinical insights, practical guidance, and stories of healing through food.

🕛 1:50–2:35 PM, August 24th
📍 Speaker Tent, Parcel 5 – Downtown Rochester

Meet Chef Caryn Dugan

Chef Caryn Dugan

Chef Caryn Dugan, also known as “STL Veg Girl,” is the founder of the Center for Plant-Based Living in St. Louis—the first plant-based culinary and nutrition education center in the U.S. After losing her father to cancer and battling her own health crisis, Caryn dedicated her life to teaching others how to thrive through plant-based food.

Join Chef Caryn for a live cooking demo at RVF 2025, where she’ll share a flavorful, approachable plant-based recipe that’s perfect for both seasoned vegans and newcomers alike—proving that eating for health can be delicious and doable.

🕛 11:20 AM–12:05 PM, August 24th
📍 Food Demo Tent, Parcel 5 – Downtown Rochester


Together, The Doc & Chef blend cutting-edge medical research with approachable, delicious recipes to help people take control of their health—one meal at a time. Their mission is simple: to make healthy living practical, evidence-based, and irresistibly tasty.

For more information and to explore their offerings, visit The Doc & Chef YouTube Channel or follow them on Instagram at @thedocandchef.