We are pleased to announce the first six speakers for the 2020 International Food Blogger Conference.

These first six speakers are the work of months of scouring the food blogger web for speakers who are doing great things and have a story to share. We are specifically focused on new, niche ideas that are not necessarily what you are already doing at home.

Gail Barnes | Food Scientist
Gail Barnes, Ph.D., is a food scientist who has consulted with companies worldwide on food trends, innovation and product and packaging sustainability. She has a global knowledge of consumer trends and liquid dairy and packaging industries across the value chain. She is Founder of the Global Dairy Innovation Networking Group on Linkedin, a private group which now has more than 20,000 members. Gail is also involved with philanthropic activities including working with nonprofit organizations to source funders for resource development and the execution of sustainability projects as well as working with charities on specific causes. She has helped secure donations in excess of $2,500,000.

Kathy Hester | Healthy Slow Cooking

Kathy Hester is a food blogger, recipe developer, food photographer, and author of 11 cookbooks. She’s sold over 150,000 books to date and does cookbook PR on the side. In addition to her blog Healthy Slow Cooking, Kathy runs the Plant Based Instapot and talks about online PR and video at https://kathyhester.com. Kathy started doing live Facebook videos a few years ago and noticed it forged a strong connection with her audience. She took those skills and started doing live online cooking classes that sell five figures a year, in addition to working with brands on live social media video. Kathy is passionate about making healthy eating accessible and delicious. Her recipes are plant based and vegan, plus she can help you with your dietary restrictions or allergies with recipe alternatives.

Cynthia Nims | Culinary Consultant

Cynthia Nims is an author and culinary consultant who holds the Grand Diplôme d’Etudes Culinaires from La Varenne cooking school in France. She assisted La Varenne owner Anne Willan with numerous cookbooks, and has since written, edited and/or contributed to over 30 books. Her latest, Oysters and Crab, was released in 2016, with other titles including Salty Snacks and the Rover’s cookbook with chef Thierry Rautureau. Previously editor of Simply Seafood magazine and food editor of Seattle Magazine, she has since been a contributor to Alaska Beyond, Cooking Light, Coastal Living and other magazines. She is an active member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals and Les Dames d’Escoffier Seattle, having served as president of both those organizations.

Elizabeth Smith | Napa Valley Register

Elizabeth is a contributing writer to the Napa Valley Register with a focus on restaurant profiles, healthy dining choices, food and wine pairing, and food and wine tourism. She also serves as the Professional Wine Tutor for the Master’s Degree in Wine Management; Bachelor’s Degree Concentration in Advanced Wine, Beverage, and Hospitality; and Associate’s Degree wine courses at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in the Napa Valley. Elizabeth is a newsletter copywriter for MonthlyClubs.com and has written articles for American Winery Guide, Wine Industry Network (WIN) Advisor, The SOMM Journal online edition, and Snooth. She won the 2017 Born Digital Wine Award for Best Tourism Content with a Focus on Wine for her piece entitled, “Lodi: Beyond the Zinfandel.”

Johanna Voss | johanna b. voss Agency

The johanna b. voss Agency does female influencer management for women in the health, beauty, wellness, food, finance, travel, technology, consumer good, parenting and fashion industry. Johanna, as proprietor, helps personal brands, entrepreneurs, influencers, brand ambassadors and speakers expand their reach and impact (while staying sane in the process). She has been working at this since 2001. Her talent for strategy took hold when she worked as a Field Director on two presidential campaigns. Johanna has also been a professional question-asker and perpetual problem solver for voices such as Kate Northrup, Viva Fifty, Hispana Global, Muy Bueno Cooking, Broke Millennial, and Brown Sugar and Vanilla to name a few.

Evelyn Williams | Eat Out at Home

Chef Evelyn Williams is a Culinary Consultant who is on a mission to make healthy food fun! Through her career, Chef Evelyn has worked as a personal chef, caterer, cooking school manager, culinary instructor, resident chef, executive chef, pastry chef, food blogger, and brand ambassador. She has assisted various celebrity chefs such as Oprah’s Private Chef Art Smith, Martin Yan of Yan Can Cook, Food Network’s Guy Fieri, and The Chew’s Mario Batali. Evelyn has also cooked for Grammy Award Winner Sheryl Crow, Food Network’s Giada DeLaurentis, Author & Pastor Sarah Jakes Roberts, and New York Times Best-Selling Author, Movie Producer and Mega-Church Pastor Bishop T.D. Jakes. Evelyn is also the author of the book “A Fabulous Year in Food: 52 Delicious Ways to Connect with Family and Friends”, the host of the Eat Out at Home Podcast and the creator of several web-based video series.