Faculty

Cherie Soria

DIRECTOR & FACULTY

info@rawfoodchef.com

Cherie Soria is founder and director of Living Light Culinary Institute, and has been teaching gourmet raw vegan cuisine since 1998, and vegetarian culinary arts for more than 40 years. She is the author of several books, including the classic Angel Foods: Healthy Recipes for Heavenly Bodies and The Raw Food Revolution Diet: Feast, Lose Weight, Gain Energy, Feel Younger (co-authored with Brenda Davis, RD and Vesanto Melina, MS, RD.)

Students have come to study at Living Light Culinary Institute from more than 50 countries and six continents around the world, and Cherie has earned the respectful title of “Mother of Gourmet Raw Vegan Cuisine.” She is a beautiful role model for her students, who admire her business skills and appreciate her gentle feminine energy and compassionate nature. Living Light Culinary Institute is renowned for its professional curriculum, experienced staff, supportive atmosphere, and the remarkable success stories of its graduates. Cherie’s goal has always been to spread the benefits of gourmet raw vegan cuisine around the globe by training teachers and chefs to inspire others.

Cherie and her husband Dan Ladermann are animal lovers, and have two adopted dogs, Winky and Rudi. She also has three black belts in karate, and loves to practice her skills!

Dan Ladermann

CO-DIRECTOR & FACULTY

Dan@rawfoodchef.com

Dan Ladermann is codirector of Living Light Culinary Arts Institute and president of the Institute for Vibrant Living, which produces educational events worldwide that promote health and well-being. Dan is a Certified Hippocrates Health Educator and a graduate of Anthony Robbins' Mastery University.

Dan says, "I enjoy assisting people in their transformation and teaching them how to create lives of health, joy, and abundance. Most people have never experienced the kind of loving support and encouragement they receive at our Living Light trainings. Watching them blossom and become empowered with the tools we provide brings me great joy."

Martine Lussier

MANAGER, CULINARY PROGRAMS MANAGEMENT

Martine@rawfoodchef.com

Martine is passionate about raw living foods, and loves to create recipes. Her dishes are colorful, delightful, and original. She is a graduate of both the Gourmet Raw Food Chef Certification Series and the Raw Culinary Arts Professional Chef Certification Program at Living Light. She was the kitchen manager for Living Light Culinary Arts Institute, and is the first Living Light student who has completed all of the Living Light certification programs, including all of the Science of Raw Food Nutrition classes, in addition to a one-year internship at Living Light.

Jenny Cornbleet

FACULTY

www.learnrawfood.com

Jennifer Cornbleet is a nationally recognized raw food chef, instructor, and author of Raw Food Made Easy for 1 or 2 People and Raw for Dessert. A certified chef/instructor with Living Light, Jenny conducts classes and workshops in Northern California and nationwide. Jenny has been instrumental in developing instructor empowerment kits for Living Light graduates. She is an integral part of our Associate Chef and Instructor Trainings.

Alicia Ojeda

FACULTY

Alicia Ojeda is a classically trained professional chef whose passion for gourmet raw vegan cuisine is leading her to a transformation at both the personal and professional level. She has worked as Chef Manager at Sony Music, Executive Chef at DreamWorks Studio, Executive Chef at Living Light Culinary Institute, R&D/Production Coordinator for Roxanne’s Fine Cuisine, and as Executive Chef at Beets Café in Austin. Alicia is currently partnering with Dr. Doug Graham to put his Simply Delicious cuisine prominently on the raw culinary map. Websites: www.ezrawfood101.com and www.driedandgonetoheaven.com

Barbara Howard

DEMO COORDINATOR

Barbara Howard became a certified fitness trainer in 2004. She started learning about raw food in 2007 and has followed a passion for raw food knowledge ever since. Barbara received her Science of Raw Food Nutrition Educator™ Certificate from Rick and Karin Dina at Living Light in 2008. Barbara is now the Demo Coordinator for Living Light Culinary Arts Institute, and she teaches Science of Raw Food Nutrition classes for the school.

Rosalie Robertson

ASSISTANT DEMO COORDINATOR

Rosalie Robertson has gone from copper to chopper. She has served her community as a Police Officer and now is serving others as the Assistant Demo Coordinator at Living Light. Rosalie is a Certified Chef and Instructor. She has always had a love for preparing food. Her motto is, “Eating for health is simply a choice—choose wisely.” She enjoys empowering and teaching people that healthy choices taste great and feel awesome!

Brenda Hinton

FACULTY

Brenda is a certified Living Light Associate Chef and Instructor and founder of Rawsome Creations in St. Helena, California. Brenda's passion is teaching others how to prepare fresh, vital, delicious food for optimum wellness. Brenda teaches with warmth and enthusiasm and is notable for her knowledgeable, relaxed, fun approach. She loves to give classes where special needs groups gather, because often these are the most motivated students, and the ones for whom a raw food diet will have the most life-changing effects. One of the projects dearest to Brenda's heart is her position as Project Director for the Ceres Community Project in Napa Valley. She is very excited about the educational part of this important community effort, which weaves together the relationship between farmers, local food producers, young people, and those with health challenges, in order to build bridges between all the different parts of her community.

Bennett McClellan, PhD

FACULTY

Bennett McClellan is a certified Living Light Gourmet Raw Food Chef and Science of Raw Food Nutrition Educator. He has completed a year long Instructor Internship Program at Living Light, and is now qualified to teach FUNdamentals of Raw Living Foods™ On The Road classes. Together with partner, Jenny Teresi, a Living Light Associate Chef and Instructor, Bennett teaches classes and provides catering services through their company, Rawmazing Food in Claremont, California. Most recently, Bennett developed the pioneering “Raw Food for Vegans” chef training program for Sodexo Education, one of the largest institutional food service providers in the US. Bennett holds masters degrees from Harvard University and from UCLA.

Gina Hudson

FACULTY

Gina Hudson is passionate about helping others improve their quality of life. A former member of the Coast Guard, as well as a licensed massage therapist, personal trainer, and raw food coach, Gina understands the profound effect food has on each individual’s mind, body, and spirit. Her lifelong search for optimal health on all levels has led her to gourmet raw vegan cuisine, and as an instructor at Living Light, she has the opportunity to share this amazing information with people from all over the world and all walks of life in a way that can change their lives forever.

Vinnette Thompson

FACULTY

A classically trained chef, Vinnette earned her culinary arts degree from the Culinary Institute of America and is also a graduate of the Living Light Culinary Arts Institute, where she now teaches a variety of classes. Vinnette has two culinary passions, vegetarian cuisine and culinary education. A chef for over 25 years, she is currently Executive Chef of the Raw Food Underground and teaches culinary arts for the Palm Beach school district in Florida.

Rick Dina, DC

FACULTY

Dr. Rick Dina, D.C. became interested in nutrition in 1986 and has been studying and practicing raw plant-based nutrition since 1987. He worked at Hippocrates Health Institute and for the Juiceman before entering Life Chiropractic College in 1993. After graduating in 1997, he practiced at True North Health Center from 1997 until 2001, helping patients recover from high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, autoimmune diseases and other nutritionally related health challenges with fasting and whole food plant based nutrition. After teaching at Bastyr University, Dr. Rick maintained a private chiropractic and nutrition practice from 2003 until 2008 in San Rafael, CA. He is the co-creator and instructor of the Science of Raw Food Nutrition series of classes at the Living Light Culinary Institute with his wife, Dr. Karin Dina, D.C.

Karin Coleman Dina, DC

FACULTY

Dr. Karin Dina, D.C. became interested in nutrition in 1988 and has been studying and practicing raw food nutrition since 1990. She is a doctor of chiropractic with an honors educational background in both naturopathic medicine from Bastyr University and biology. She maintained a private practice in chiropractic and nutrition consulting and is the co-creator and instructor of the Science of Raw Food Nutrition series of classes at the Living Light Culinary Institute with her husband, Dr. Rick Dina, D.C.

Kristin Suratt

PR DIRECTOR, EVENTS COORDINATOR & FACULTY

Kristin@rawfoodchef.com

Kristin Suratt has been a natural foods chef for more than twenty five years. In 1991, she studied with Dr. Ann Wigmore at her institute in Puerto Rico, and for five years served as a board member and organizer for the International Festival of Raw and Living Foods in Portland, Oregon. She had a catering company and a natural foods restaurant in New Orleans, and an aromatherapy company, Durva Healing Scents, in Portland (Her products were in 350 stores in the US, including the American Museum of Folk Art in New York). Kristin has been a corporate chef, consultant, and teacher at raw retreat centers internationally, including The Farm at San Benito, The Hippocrates Health Resort of Asia. A woman of diverse interests, Kristin has also been a radio show host on Women’s Voices on KZYX & Z, Mendocino County Public Broadcasting for three years, and she also served for a year on the Board of Directors for the Mendocino Film Festival. Kristin wears many hats at Living Light—her current passion is learning about social media!