Palm Beach VegFest with Courtney Mitchell Yoga Instructor and founder of the nonprofit organization Palm Beach VegFest. Courtney became vegan and started regular yoga practice in April 2013, after reading “Skinny Bitch” and “Forks Over Knives”. She was horrified by the practices of the meat and dairy industries and felt compelled to share healthier and more peaceful options with her family and friends. Recipes from her favorite cookbook, “Thug Kitchen”, showed people that vegan food can be filling and DELICIOUS! After years of being a gym junkie and believing that exercise was the main factor in being fit, she finally learned that having a healthy body, inside and out, depends on what you eat. This transition to an organic, plant-based diet appeared to happen at an awkward time, as her husband was working for the family’s meat and dairy distribution company. She couldn’t unlearn the information, and her new vegan diet had given her more energy, and she felt better than she ever had before. No more counting calories, or struggling to maintain a certain weight. She canceled her gym membership and started a regular yoga practice at Yoga Journey. Courtney completed Leslie Glickman’s 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training at Yoga Journey in 2014 and recently graduated from her 500HR YTT. She resigned from her position as an elementary school teacher in 2015 and transitioned into a full-time yoga career. She is the co-founder of the Organic Beauty & Wellness Festival, another vegan event in South Florida. Courtney is an advocate for holistic and natural healing and regularly receives acupuncture treatment at Dr. Yan Ping Xu’s Perfect Union of Body & Mind.