Instructor Information
Lakewinds is always interested in hearing from great teachers! If you have a class idea in cooking, nutrition, special diet needs, gardening, pet care or something else, drop us an email proposal. Include your past experience and current contact information, and we'll get back to you. Thank you for your interest in Lakewinds!
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Instructor Bios
Jenny Breen
Jenny Breen has been a professional chef in the Twin Cities since 1986. She is co-owner of Good Life Catering, teaches at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, Twin Cities Food Coops and with Twin Cities schools and presents on mindful eating through the U’s Center for Spirituality and Healing and the College of Continuing Education. She is completing her MPH in Nutrition at the U, and is thrilled to announce the publication of her first cookbook "Cooking up the Good Life" due out in April of 2011 from the University of Minnesota Press.
David S. Cargo
David S. Cargo is a former baker at Trotter's Cafe and Bakery and the St. Agnes Baking Company. He is also a featured baker in Kim Ode's popular book, Baking with the Saint Paul Bread Club.
Anna Dvorak
Anna Dvorak is a certified Nutrition and Wellness Consultant and offers guidance for living a vibrantly healthy life. She teaches how healthier choices can be attainable for our bodies, skin and home through natural products, organic ingredients, and balanced living. Her cooking classes focus on decadent simplicity in vegetarian, vegan and raw foods.
Virginia Ferlet
Virginia Ferlet is the owner of Bumble Bee Teas, a loose leaf tea company that specializes in educating individuals about mindfulness based stress reduction with tea. She is an avid tea connoisseur, mindfulness practitioner, and classically trained artist. She holds a BA in drawing and French from the U of Minnesota and an MA in teaching from SCSU. She is fluent in French and is the former owner of a French bed and breakfast. www.Bumblebeetea.com
Kris James
Kris James is a travel writer, caterer and tea cuisine specialist from the Artful Brew. Kris teaches regularly at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum as well as other venues around Minneapolis.
Divya Kanchibhotla
Divya Kanchibhotla is a meditation and yoga instructor with the Art of Living Foundation where she volunteers as Program Director. Her interest in Ayurveda sparks from her passion for holistic living and exploring the connection between our breathing, food habits, body and mind. She has taught in numerous venues across the Twin Cities over the last 4 years.
Miriam Katz
Miriam Katz has a Masters Degree in Nutrition Education from New York University. She is the Staff Nutritionist at the Center for Inspired Wisdom in Whitefish, Montana. Miriam specializes in guiding individuals with allergies to alternative food choices; an experienced counselor and teacher; Miriam is the co-author of Cookin' Up Good Vibrations, a cookbook dedicated to healthy gluten-free & dairy-free dishes in harmony with the seasons.
Gabriele Kushi
Gabriele Kushi, BFA, MEA, CHHC, AADP, macrobiotic cooking teacher and counselor of Kushi’s Kitchen is the author of “Embracing Menopause Naturally” and “Eleven Cooking Class Videos. She is a certified Health Coach and provides Holistic Health with Natural Nutrition On-Line Home Study Programs via her website: www.kushiskitchen.com
Tony Landkamer
Tony is a four year veteran of the Chanhassen Lakewinds Wellness Department. As an avid fan of Bikram Yoga, member of Life Time Fitness, and a competitor in the 2009 Twin Cities Marathon Tony is passionate about people’s health, nutrition, and interested in alternative forms of addressing physical health. Tony has a degree in Child Psychology.
Angela Litzinger
Angela Litzinger has had over 15 years experience cooking dairy free and gluten free for herself and her three children. She understands first hand the frustrations, and joy that come with this special diet. Angela has taught cooking classes, contributed recipes in Allergy Busters and other publications, run a support group, and worked as a consultant.
Divya Kanchibhotla
Divya is a meditation and yoga instructor with the Art of Living Foundation. A scientist by profession, she now volunteers as Program Director for the Foundation's Minnesota chapter. Her interest in Ayurveda sparks from her passion for holistic living and exploring the connection between our breath, food habits, body and mind. She has cooked and planned menus for numerous meditation retreats with 20-40 members over the last 4 years in Twin Cities.
Shirley Mah Kooyman
Shirley Mah Kooyman is a botanist with a specialty in Plant Taxonomy (plant names and identification), teacher, herb aficionado, gardener, and MN Herb Society member. She has a BA from Smith College and did graduate work at University of Florida. She has been featured in 4 science textbooks as a plant scientist, done gardening segments for local and cable TV programs and interviewed/quoted in local newspapers.
Kathleen Maxwell
Kathleen Maxwell is a licensed aesthetician, with a BS in Nutrition and has been studying the effects of nutrition 20 years. Her goal is to show everyone, we don’t have to look or feel our age. "If we must age, we may as well look good doing it; relax and age with grace". You can find her at Fusion Lifespa in Deephaven and Nurturing You in Minneapolis.
Mary Moulton
Mary Moulton has a long held interest and passion for food, including its ethnic and historic origins. Many Lakewinds’ members and shoppers know how delightful and inspiring Mary is from her nearly 20 year long involvement with the Minnetonka Co-op. Mary’s recent California travels furthered her knowledge of food and expanded her many accomplishments to include several wonderful articles in a west coast food magazine.
Susan Powers
Involved with food and wine for years as a trained sommelier, gourmet food and fine wines were an every day part of Susan’s life. She has worked with many top chefs and studied classical French cooking. While dealing with some health issues, Susan found the raw foods diet, and has never looked back. She has spent hundreds of hours studying about raw nutrition and developing recipes that carry her distinct signature, raw, delicious, and easy gourmet! www.rawmazing.com
Elizabeth Stewart
Elizabeth Stewart was a mother of two, looking for a change. She pursued a career in the cosmetics industry by studying esthetics; after graduation, worked at an organic spa. While in the spa she worked with and sold Mineral Fusion makeup to her clients, leading to an opportunity to join the company in a sales capacity. She now travels the country to educate and train customers on the benefits and application of Mineral Fusion makeup.
Patrick Weseman
Patrick Weseman received his certification as a yoga teacher from the Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science & Philosophy, in 1972 and founded The Healing Arts in 1991. Patrick’s journey has led him to the study and practice of various natural, holistic healing and wellness approaches, including Meditation, Ayurveda and Unlimited Body.
Lette Gamble
Lette comes to Lakewinds with several years of natural health education, in addition to her training in spiritual care. She has trained with Donna Eden, a pioneer in kinesiology, and Dr. Henry Emmons, a Minnesota integrative psychiatrist and author of 2 books on depression and natural stress management strategies. She has has spent hundreds of hours researching alternative stress and anxiety support for customers at Lakewinds. She is a 7 year cancer survivor and single mother of 3 children.
Kris Gustafson, BA, NTP, CHFS
Kris is a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Master Certified Healing Foods Specialist, and NTA Distance Learning Assistant Instructor with an active practice in Minnesota. Kris has a background in elementary education and has experience working with special needs children for over 20 years. She lives in Minnesota with her husband and three children. Her son was diagnosed with multiple symptoms on the autistic spectrum and through implementing the GAPS (Gut and Psychology Symptom) diet was healed from symptoms of the past. Kris is committed to helping individuals, families and children return to optimal health.
Kristin Beltaos, M.A.
Kristin is life/business coach and owner of A Gift of Miles and creator of The Scrumptious Truth. She provides national life coaching and support services to those dealing with Stress Management, Food Allergies and Reproductive Challenges via telephone, web conferencing and in-person in a variety of clinics in the Twin Cities. Prior to her life coaching business, Kristin was employed and independently consulted for a variety of companies in the areas of business and strategic planning and marketing. Kristin also served as a board member for the Anaphylaxis and Food Allergy Association of Minnesota.
Janelle Meier
Janelle has lived with multiple food allergies for 20+ years. She started perfecting her gluten-free recipes as a result of her young son showing symptoms of a wheat, dairy, and peanut allergy. Black Barn Bakery’s products are classified as ‘allergen-free’ or ‘Top 8 free’, meaning the mix ingredients do not contain any of the common eight food allergens of wheat (containing gluten), dairy, egg, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish or shellfish. Black Barn Bakery mixes are available for sale at Lakewinds.