We often hear that in the fight to combat chronic diseases, food is the problem; therefore food must also be the solution. For change to occur in our food and health systems, everyone must be engaged. Farmers, chefs, doctors, nutritionists, policy, community, media and patients.

The Food as Medicine Summit will explore the greater topic of food as medicine via panel sessions that highlight specific disease areas such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Additional panels will discuss how to incorporate wellness and healthy foods into treatment in communities afflicted by poverty and examine the benefits of a plant-based diet. The day will feature cooking demonstrations from God’s Love We Deliver, Euphebe, and Wellness in the Schools, booths from hospitals, food vendors and local community-based organizations like Harlem Grown and Local Roots NYC.

Event Details

8:30 a.m.

Arrivals/Registration/Badges/Breakfast/Networking, Ground Floor Lobby

9:00 a.m.

Welcome and opening remarks

• Charles Platkin, PhD, JD, MPH, Executive Director Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center and Distinguished Lecturer at Hunter College

Welcome from Brooklyn Borough President

• Eric Adams, Brooklyn Borough President

Opening keynote address

• Robert E. Graham, M.D., MPH, ABOIM, FACP, Chef in training, Board Certified in Internal & Integrative Medicine, Co-Founder FRESH Med NYC

Room: SB Auditorium (2nd floor) and Room 217 (2nd floor)

9:30 – 10:15 a.m.

A Conversation with Michel Nischan and Stephen Ritz

• Michel Nischan, CEO, Wholesome Wave (Chef and leader in the sustainable food movement, as well as a three-time James Beard Foundation Award winner).
• Stephen Ritz, CEO, Green Bronx Machine (Educator in the South Bronx and founder of the Green Bronx Machine; self-proclaimed CEO, or Chief Eternal Optimist, of the Bronx and a tireless advocate for healthy eating in schools and underserved communities).

Moderator: Charles Platkin, PhD, JD, MPH, Executive Director Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center and Distinguished Lecturer at Hunter College

Room: SB Auditorium (2nd floor) and Room 217 (2nd floor)

10:15 a.m.

Winning over Disease with Diet

• Martha McKittrick, RD, CDN, CDE, CHWC, Registered Dietitian, Private Practice in NYC
• Robert Ostfeld, M.D., MSc., FACC, Director of Preventive Cardiology, Montefiore
• Stefanie Sacks, MS, CNS, CDN, Culinary Nutritionist
• Kayleen St. John, MS, RD, Executive Director of Nutrition and Strategic Development, Euphebe
• Amie Valpone, HHC, AADP, best-selling author and founder of The Healthy Apple

Moderator: Samantha Heller, MS, RDN, CDN, Exercise Physiologist and Senior Clinical Nutritionist, NYU Langone Medical Center, writer, radio host, adjunct professor

Room: SB Auditorium (2nd floor) and Room 217 (2nd floor)

11:15 a.m.

BREAK – Cooking Demo

Sage Online Technology Demonstration–Connecting Supermarkets to Medical Nutrition Therapy

Ground Floor Lobby

11:30 a.m.

12:30 p.m.

LUNCH (60 min) Catered by Dig Inn

Guest speaker(s)/cooking demo(s) by Euphebe, God’s Love We Deliver, and Wellness in the Schools

Room 115AB (1st floor)

Tables from local organizations, hospitals and the Hunter Nutrition Club will be set up and offer information to all attendees.

(Ground Floor Lobby)

1:30 p.m.

Welcome back, Charles Platkin, PhD, JD, MPH, Executive Director Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center and Distinguished Lecturer at Hunter College

1:30 p.m.

2:30 p.m.

BREAK – Cooking Demo

Dig Inn

Ground Floor Lobby

3:00 p.m.

Cooking with Healing & Healthy Ingredients

• Jonathan Cetnarski, CEO, Natural Gourmet Institute
• Galen Foulois, Founder, Restore Food
• Richard Lamarita, Chef Instructor, Natural Gourmet Institute
• Paul Lightfoot, JD, Chief Executive Officer, BrightFarms
• Joy Pierson, Co-owner, Candle Cafe

Moderator: Henry Rinehart, owner, HENRY’s

Room: SB Auditorium (2nd floor) and Room 217 (2nd floor)

4:00 p.m.

Closing keynote address

• David Katz, M.D. MPH, FACPM, FACP, FACLM, Founding Director Yale University Prevention Research Center/Griffin Hospital, Founder True Health Initiative, President American College of Lifestyle Medicine

Closing Remarks

• Charles Platkin, PhD, JD, MPH, Executive Director Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center and Distinguished Lecturer at Hunter College

Room: SB Auditorium (2nd floor) and Room 217 (2nd floor)

4:30 – 6:00 p.m.

Networking Reception, Catered by Epicured, Ground Floor Lobby

Keynote Speakers

• Eric Adams, Brooklyn Borough President
• Robert E. Graham, M.D., MPH, ABOIM, FACP, Chef in training. Board Certified in Internal & Integrative Medicine, Co-Founder FRESH Med NYC
• David Katz, M.D. MPH, FACPM, FACP, FACLM, Founding Director Yale University Prevention Research Center/Griffin Hospital, Founder True Health Initiative, President American College of Lifestyle Medicine

Speakers

• Delma Avila, MBA, MS, Nutritionist, “Just Say Yes to Fruits and Vegetables” program, Food Bank NYC Staten Island & Manhattan
• Jonathan Cetnarski, CEO, Natural Gourmet Institute
• Nancy Easton, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Wellness in the Schools
• Jonathan Forgash, Director of Services, Seek Servana
• Galen Foulois, Founder, Restore Food
• Erika Freund, Mobile Pantry Startup Manager, West Side Campaign Against Hunger
• Francesca Gany, M.D., MS, Chief of The Immigrant Health and Cancer Disparities Service, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
• Ashita Gupta, M.D., Endocrinologist, Mt. Sinai
• Diane Hatz, Executive Director, Change Food
• Samantha Heller, MS, RDN, CDN, Exercise Physiologist and Senior Clinical Nutritionist, NYU Langone Medical Center, writer, radio host, adjunct professor
• Tony Hillery,  Founder and Executive Director of Harlem Grown
• Madi Holtzman, Director, Toast Ale U.S. branch
• Richard Lamarita, Chef Instructor, Natural Gourmet Institute
• Paul Lightfoot, JD, Chief Executive Officer, BrightFarms
• Lynn Loflin, Teaching Kitchen Chef, Lenox Hill Neighborhood House
• Bernadette Martin, Director of Ligreenmarket Inc.
• Michelle Miller, MSACN, Clinical Nutritionist, PhysioLogic NYC
• Martha McKittrick,  RD, CDE, CHWC, Registered Dietitian, Private Practice
• Peggy Neu, President, The Monday Campaigns
• Michel Nischan, CEO, Wholesome Wave
• Patrick O’Neill, CEO, Amp Your Good
• Robert Ostfeld, M.D., MSc., FACC, Director of Preventive Cardiology at Montefiore
• Loraine Pavich, cancer survivor
• Karen Pearl, President and CEO, God’s Love We Deliver
• Joy Pierson, Nutritional Consultant and Co-owner, Candle Cafe
• Henry Rinehart, owner, HENRY’s
• Stephen Ritz, CEO, Green Bronx Machine
• Stefanie Sacks, MS, CNS, CDN, Culinary Nutritionist
• Greg Silverman, Executive Director, West Side Campaign Against Hunger
• Kayleen St. John, MS, RD, Executive Director, Nutrition and Strategic Development, Euphebe
• Rachel Stahl, MS, RD, CDN, Senior Clinical Dietitian, NY-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell
• Steven Trasino, MSc, PhD, Associate Professor, Nutrition, Hunter College
• Amie Valpone, Founder, The Healthy Apple
• Wen-Jay Ying, Founder and Program Director, Local Roots NYC