Sonoma County Vegfest
Speaker Schedule
2026 Speaker Line Up To Be Announced
In the Lodge Room
Details below 👇
2025 PRESENTATION:
The Humane Deception: Unpacking Humanewashing in Animal Farming
with Lia Wilbourn
Vegan since 2013, Lia has been active in a wide range of animal rights activism, including street outreach, demonstrations, writings, social media, speeches and art as activism. She’s currently the Farmed Animals Campaign Coordinator at In Defense of Animals, advocating via articles, petitions, videos, webinars, media appearances, and co-hosting a monthly online Vegan Mentor Support Group.
Lia also works on vegan advocacy for Allied Scholars for Animal Protection and founder Dr. Faraz Harsini and is a volunteer on the Humane Hoax Project Team. Lia is certified in Plant-Based Nutrition through Cornell University. With a background in the performing arts, her experience includes event management, TEDxMarin Associate Producer, NASM Certified Personal Trainer, and instructor in Pilates, yoga, and dance, as well as actor and film crew member. Being a voice for animals is her deepest honor and purpose.
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2025 PRESENTATION:
Our Unsustainable Food System: Reversing the Environmental Impact of Animal Agriculture
with Jan Liband
Agriculture is the primary driver of our most significant environmental challenges. Our current animal-intensive food system is the main cause of deforestation, habitat and biodiversity loss, land degradation, water pollution, as well as a major contributor to climate disruption. The good news is that reducing meat, dairy, and egg production and transitioning to more sustainable plant-based diets can significantly decrease our environmental footrprint. Working together, we can reduce pressure on Earth's limited resources and help ecosystems to recover, ensuring a more sustainable food system that provides abundant and nutritious food for all.
Jan Liband is a fact-based environmentalist, public speaker, and Silicon Valley veteran who has studied the environmental and human health impacts of our global food system for decades. Jan works with Plant-Based Advocates, a community-based non-profit organization focused on accelerating the global shift to a more sustainable plant-based food system. Jan has presented at numerous Northern California events including Climate Fest 2024, the World Vegan Fest, V-COP, public libraries, and various community organizations. He also works with the producers of the award-winning documentary, Eating Our Way to Extinction, to present at hosted screenings.
2025 PRESENTATION:
Names Not Numbers: The Vital Role of Animal Sanctuaries in Vegan Education
with Zoe Novic
This talk explores the unique role of sanctuaries in the animal advocacy movement. Executive Director Zoe Novic shares her personal journey growing up alongside the CAPE (Center for Animal Protection & Education), and how CAPE bridges the gap between companion and farmed animal advocacy. Drawing from experience in grassroots organizing, public health policy, and hands-on rescue, she highlights how sanctuary work fosters compassion, connection, and systemic change.Â
Zoe Novic is the Executive Director of CAPE (Center for Animal Protection and Education), where she combines her passion for animal advocacy and public health. With a diverse background that includes two years in the Peace Corps in Indonesia, a Master’s in Public Health, and leadership roles at The Humane League, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, and Greener by Default, Zoe has expertise in grassroots organizing, public health policy, and advocacy. When she's not trying to end factory farming, Zoe can be found playing music, cuddling with her dog Mack, or leading improv-based leadership workshops with her partner Austin.