The Austin show will have several presenters, including food writers, authors, and Gluten Free & More editors and contributors. Meet some of our presenters below. To see the full lecture and demo schedule, click here.

 

Dr. Samantha Brody ND, LAc

Dr. Samantha Brody is a licensed naturopathic physician, acupuncturist, owner of Evergreen Natural Health Center in Portland, OR and curator at http://GlutenFreePortland.org. When she’s not seeing patients, working on the site or blogging recipes and health tips at http://DrSamantha.com/blog you can find her educating and writing on health, gluten-free living, and integrative medicine. She’s a powerhouse speaker and has been a featured expert in numerous publications including the Wall Street Journal, Shape, Livestrong, and more. For news, resources and quick healthy recipes connect with Dr. Samantha on Facebook and Twitter or sign up for her newsletter and free gluten-free breakfast e-book at www.DrSamantha.com.

 

Beth Hillson

Gluten Free & More‘s food editor Beth Hillson is a chef and cooking instructor. She is founder of Gluten-Free Pantry, one of the first gluten-free companies in the United States, and author of Gluten-Free Makeovers (glutenfreemakeovers.com) and A Complete Guide to Living Well Gluten Free: Everything You Need to Know to go From Surviving to Thriving.

Beth speaks to groups throughout the country on baking, eating and living well on the gluten-free diet.

 

Laura B. Russell

Laura B. Russell is a food writer and recipe developer based in Portland, Oregon. She is an Oregonian “FoodDay” columnist, author of Brassicas (Ten Speed Press 2014) and The Gluten-Free Asian Kitchen, and former associate editor of the cookbook division of Food & Wine. Laura has contributed articles and recipes to many food publications, among them Delicious Living, Natural Health, Edible Communities, Prevention, Living Without, Easy Eats, NW Palate, and Portland’s MIX magazine. Visit Laura at www.laurabrussell.com, on Twitter @laurabrussell or Facebook: Laura B. Russell.

 

Debbie Adler

Debbie Adler is the owner of the nationally renown, gluten-free bakery Sweet Debbie’s Organic Cupcakes located in Los Angeles (www.sweetdebbiesorganiccupcakes.com). It is the first bakery in the United States to make allergy-free baked goods that contain certified organic ingredients and are sweetened only with stevia and coconut nectar.

In addition to owning her bakery, Debbie is also the author of the critically acclaimed cookbook, Sweet Debbie’s Organic Treats: Allergy-free & Vegan Recipes from the Famous Los Angeles Bakery. It was named a “Best Gluten-Free Cookbook of 2013” by Delicious Living Magazine and a “Favorite Book” by Living Without Magazine, and a “Best Vegan Cookbook of 2013” by Green Vegan Living.

Debbie will show you how she makes her best selling Chocoholic Cupcakes. Debbie will demonstrate how she combines high fiber gluten free flours with low-glycemic, all-natural sweeteners to make scrumptious cupcakes and frosting using whole foods and other nutrient dense ingredients. She will share the secret techniques that are used in her bakery to create all the Sweet Debbie’s desserts as well as the nutritional values of each ingredient.

 

Jules Shepard

Jules Shepard is a regular contributor to many magazines, including Living Without’s Gluten Free & More (where she is also Associate Editor) and Gluten-Free Living, as well as Prevention.com. She is the author of three highly-regarded published books and numerous e-books on gluten-free living and cooking. She is a featured “Celebrity Chef” in Living Without’s Best Gluten Free Cookbook and is a featured Contributor to Dr. Alessio Fasano’s 2014 book, Gluten Freedom. Jules also hosts a popular weekly radio show, personally pens one of the community’s most active gluten-free blogs, oversees the annual Gluten-Free Cookie Swap, and moderates her Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and Google+ presences.

In addition, she runs a gluten-free flour company and logs tens of thousands of miles a year speaking to, teaching and encouraging gluten-free consumers around the country. As an industry consultant, she helps companies in their transition to offering safe gluten- and allergen-free foods, and she has also spoken at numerous industry and retailer events, including Natural Products Expo East education seminars and Healthy Baking Seminars.

Jules can be found at gfJules.com and @THEgfJules.

 

Brandy Wendler

Brandy Wendler is an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner who was diagnosed with Celiac Disease six years ago and started competing in pageants as a way to gain recognition for her illness.  Before obtaining her master’s degree from Emory University, she worked in one of the top cardiovascular ICU’s in the nation.

Since her diagnosis, she has been honored to support people on a gluten-free diet and has a personal blog, www.brandywendler.blogspot.com.

You may remember her as Mrs. Alaska International 2012 or Mrs. Northwest International 2013. She placed 1st runner-up at Mrs. International 2013 against 70 women from all over the world. She is married to the love of her life, Capt. John Wendler, a pilot in the United States Air Force.  Together, they live in Mount Pleasant, SC with their two beautiful dogs.

Additionally, Brandy is an active volunteer with the Heart Association and enjoys raising money for the organization as well as administering heart health checks and educating community members about a heart healthy life-style. She looks forward to present her topic “Living a Heart Healthy Lifestyle with Celiac Disease”.

 

Kristine Kidd

Kristine was the food editor at Bon Appétit magazine for 20 years, where she was responsible for filling its pages with delicious recipes. The dishes she created for many covers and feature stories were so popular, they are republished in the Bon Appétit cookbooks. She is currently working as a cookbook author, and her seventh and eighth books, Weeknight Gluten Free and Gluten-Free Baking, came out in 2013 and 2014. She recently developed celiac disease, and these books are a result of glorious experimentation in the kitchen. They are good companions to her previous book, Williams-Sonoma Weeknight Fresh and Fast. She enjoys inspiring people to cook fresh, gluten-free food on her blog, www.kristinekidd.com. Kristine teaches people to make Gluten-Free Italian Classics: Pasta, Pizza and More in a Craftsy video. She is a regular contributor to Living Without’s Gluten Free and More magazine, teaches cooking classes, and also works as a culinary consultant. Even though she is busy, she prepares fresh meals at home almost every night. She shops at farmers’ markets, and uses local and sustainable ingredients whenever practical.

 

Karen Morgan

Karen Morgan is the renowned gluten-free chef that has written 2 cookbooks, Blackbird Bakery Gluten-Free and The Everyday Art of Gluten-Free, and is the creator of the revolutionary Blackbird Bakery Gluten-Free Flour Blend line, which her second book is centered around. Morgan founded Blackbird Bakery in 2008 and has been serving Austin her freshly made artisanal gluten-free breads and gourmet pastries ever since.

 

Erin Smith

Erin Smith was diagnosed with celiac disease in 1981, so she has been eating gluten-free almost her entire life. Erin has a unique perspective of growing up in the gluten-free community. She is passionate about sharing her experiences and expertise with others.

Erin has been writing her gluten-free lifestyle website Gluten-Free Fun since 2007. In 2011, she launched Gluten-Free Globetrotter™ during a trip in the Czech Republic. Gluten-Free Globetrotter is a website that encourages those with celiac disease to travel the world and not be scared about eating gluten-free domestically and abroad. This website also shares gluten-free travel tips, international celiac resources, itinerary planning assistance, and positive reinforcement to those who are gluten-free and want to travel the globe. As someone living with Celiac Disease for more than thirty years, all of Erin’s travels have always been gluten-free. She’s been to 27 states, 18 countries, 3 continents, and always 100% gluten-free!

When she is not gluten-free globetrotting, Erin is the lead organizer of the NYC Celiac Disease Meetup group. This is a social community that hosts events in the New York City area and has grown to over 1,880 members in the eight years she has been organizing the group.

 

Bona Dea

In Roman mythology, Bona Dea, “the good goddess,” served as the deity of fruitfulness, of the earth and of women. Austin’s woman owned and operated Bona Dea Baking Company applies its own goodness to gluten free baking mixes, infusing love and natural grains into each inspired batch. Our blends start with whole grains, never sugar or starches, and are free from the most common allergens. We get our ingredients from suppliers with a conscience, who treat their employees, community, and environment with respect. Simply put, we want to improve the quality of your life through our food and make you feel great. Learn more here: www.bonadeaglutenfree.com