WHAT IS UNCHAINEDTV?
UnchainedTV profiles vegan activists and celebrities and reports on animal rights news, issues, organizations, campaigns, protests, vigils, conferences, galas, VegFests, and restaurants, bringing the world crucial information ignored by advertiser-based mainstream media.
JaneUnChained News Network is a 501 c-3 non-profit. Our EIN number is 82-3892784.
FOUNDER & MANAGING EDITOR
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL
Jane Velez-Mitchell is a nationally known TV journalist and best-selling author. Winner of four Genesis awards/commendations from the Humane Society of the United States, Jane Velez-Mitchell covers crimes against animals and the environment. She is known for speaking up for the voiceless!
MEET THE TEAM
MICHELLE D. CELESTINO
Social Media Director, Director of Marketing/Public Relations, Creator & Host of OMG!LA
Michelle Celestino is the president of Constantly Engage Media and founder of MANA Network — a new channel on UnchainedTV which cultivates, celebrates, and promotes humanity and awareness through stories.
Michelle is a vegan reporter, host, producer, and writer with decades of experience working in News and Entertainment. Now highlighting plant-based eating and nutrition to overcome disease and thrive. She advocates for animals, all sentient beings, and the earth.
HEATHER DAHMAN
Digital Consultant, Web Design, Board Member
Heather Dahman is on our board of directors. As a long-time vegan, a certified Vegan Lifestyle Coach & Educator, and a Food for Life Instructor with her company The Veg Academy, Heather is passionate about animals and the vegan lifestyle. She and her husband are owners of The Herbivore Next Door, an online vegan message shirt and gifts store. She is active in the vegan community, holds vegan cooking classes, and organizes her local vegfest and Vegan Restaurant Weeks.
LAUREN CAGGIANO
Writer
A graduate of the University of Dayton, Lauren Caggiano is a Midwest-based copywriter, journalist, and editor by day. By night, she works as an ACE-certified personal trainer and health coach.
Vegan since 2018, she’s passionate about championing the cause of a kinder lifestyle and communicating it across a variety of platforms. On a personal note, she’s a recent breast cancer survivor. She’s married to Chris and they have a playful tabby named Maximilian. In her free time, Lauren enjoys volunteering, thrift shopping, fitness, and travel.
JORDI CASAMITJANA
Writer
Jordi Casamitjana is a vegan zoologist, campaigner, and author originally from Catalonia but resident in the UK, involved in animal protection for decades and known for having secured ethical veganism as a protected philosophical belief in Great Britain.
DONNA DENNISON
Video Editor
Donna Dennison is a photographer and a visual designer/content developer in advertising. She also has a groovy blog called That Snarky Vegan Girl & is very active on her FB page.
ELLEN DENT
Campaign Coordinator
Co-founder of the 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Animal Alliance Network activist group as part of the Save Movement. She helps organize weekly pig vigils outside of a slaughterhouse near Downtown Los Angeles. She hopes to help raise awareness in her community and around the world about the victims of animal agriculture.
PAIGE PARSONS ROACHE
Co-host of Plant-based in the ‘Burbs
Paige’s daughter went vegan at age 13 and Paige joined her 6 months later. She is committed to bringing environmentally conscious vegan living to the forefront and reports on all the latest animal rights aspects, including The Save Movement’s vigils, various PETA protests, VegFests, AV Cube of Truths, vegan conferences, and more.
VIDA MOAZEZ
Administrative Support
Vida is a consultant who enjoys connecting plant-based businesses with vegan-themed outreach and direct-to-consumer marketing. With a degree in business and a background in finance, she also assists with business development.
KIM DELGADO
Contributor & Administrative Assistant
Kim went vegan in 2014 and quickly delved into animal rights activism. Her two daughters were raised vegetarian but as young adults chose to go vegan too. Kim helps UnchainedTV mostly behind the scenes, with office administration and helping organize the many UnChainedTV projects and some Instagram as well.
ANCHORS
DANI RUKIN
Anchor & Special Corespondent
Dani Rukin, seasoned executive and leadership coach, speaker, and facilitator, is a passionate animal rights activist, inspiring others to connect with their compassion by speaking out for the most vulnerable among us. She also has a blog, The Daring Vegan thedaringvegan.com. It’s about living a compassionate life. Dare to make a difference.
ELYSABETH ALFANO
Host of Plant-Based Business Hour
Elysabeth is the host of Jane Unchained’s Plant-Based Business Hour. She is also a host of the Awesome Vegans Podcast and The Silver-Chic Chef online vegan cooking series. She has done plant-based cooking demonstrations on WCIU-TV, Good Morning LALA Land, and WGN-TV and is a public speaker on the physical, mental and environmental benefits of a plant-based diet.
NAIJHA WRIGHT-BROWN
Host of Naijha Speaks
Naijha is a native New Yorker now living in Baltimore. She has an MBA in Business and became a restaurant owner after she met Gregory Brown. She is the Director of the Black Vegetarian Society of Maryland, she co-created Vegan Soulfest and Maryland Vegan Restaurant Week and hosts her own talk show on YouTube, Naijha Speaks.
CARISSA KRANZ
Host of Laws that Matter: Veganism & Law
Carissa is the founding attorney and CEO of BeVeg, the leading law firm for vegan certification. Carissa is also an awarded-Super Lawyer, and regular legal expert for networks like Fox, CNN/HLN, CBS, NBC. Carissa earned her law degree from U.C. Berkeley. Recently, Carissa co-hosted on the Amazon Prime cooking show New Day New Chef. Carissa is vegan from birth.
ERIN RILEY-CARRASCO
Contributor & Host of Saturday Snackdown
Voted PETA’s “Sexiest Vegan Over 50,” Erin is the founder of ALMA Rescue Foundation. She has been involved in rescue & animal advocacy for over 37 years.
BABETTE DAVIS
Co-host of Sunday Bites & Tidbits
Chef Babette transformed her life by going vegan in 1990. She is a world-class healthy chef, fitness expert, motivational speaker, and co-owner of Stuff I Eat – a successful restaurant in Inglewood, California. She participates in health summit events around the country and seems to be able to do it all.
JANE ELIZABETH
Host of Plant-Based Power Hour & Co-host of Friday Night Live
Jane Elizabeth is the host of Plant-Based Power Hour, where she interviews top vegan athletes. She is an author, fitness trainer, and empowerment coach. She is the creator of Badass Rebel Runners – an all-vegan fitness mobile app.
LINDSEY BAKER
Host
In 2016, Lindsey Baker became vegan and decided to use her voice to represent the voiceless. She joined the UnchainedTV team in 2018 as a citizen journalist. Later, she began hosting a weekly talk show called Action Hour. The show’s purpose is to inform viewers and provide them with actions that everyone can take to initiate change for the good of all.
Lindsey has over 20 years of experience performing, lecturing, and in media communications.
LISA KARLAN
Host of Hey Doc! What’s New in Plant-based Medicine?
Lisa is a Health Educator, Nutrition Consultant and has been a PCRM’s Food for Life instructor since 2012. Her daughter Taryn is vegan also and is the founder of vegetaryn.com. Besides Jane Velez-Mitchell, Lisa was the first official Contributor to UnChainedTV, formerly Jane UnChained News!
SEAN HILL
Co-host of Friday Night Live
Sean is a spoken word performer, poet, actor, writer, recording artist, and TEDx Speaker. He believes in world peace through inner peace, fun & love. Sean supports many non-profits including NARD, Kindred Spirits Farm, Doctors Without Borders, and more as a host, speaker, and artist.
MELISSA BRESLOW
Host of Sound Bath for All Earthlings
Melissa founded Open Eyes Foundation, a campaign that inspires solutions for a sustainable future. She is Vice President of VegFest L.A., a yoga teacher, and a sound and energy healer. Her primary goal is to create community and support to guide new vegans on a positive path.
TERRAH BENNETT SMITH
Co-host of Sunday Bites & Tidbits
Terrah is a mother of three and has had a multi-faceted career in entertainment from Broadway to recording artist, both in front of and behind the camera. She began her journey towards a vegan lifestyle in 1979. Terrah co-hosts “Sunday Bites & Tidbits” with Babette Davis.
DOREET DIJKE
Host of Elegantly Raw
Doreet is the Founder of Elegantly Raw Serenity Foods and author of Celebrating Our Raw Nature Books 1 & 2 and was a featured living foods chef on SMTV – serenityspaces.org. Watch for her show “Elegantly Raw” on Jane Unchained.
LANA WEIDGENANT
Host of Youth Climate Show
Lana is an international climate justice activist and a voice for shifting to plant-rich food systems as a climate solution. She helps run Cultivate America. She is a Brazilian immigrant to the US who moved to Washington, DC to attend college at Johns Hopkins University.
JONATHAN YONI OHAYON
Host of F.A.K.E.
Jonathan is founder of F.A.K.E. – Fashion for the Animal Kingdom and Environment. F.A.K.E promotes designers from around the world who create vegan fashion ethically made. F.A.K.E. organizes events and Fashion shows and is working on creating the 1st vegan fashion museum.
SHERRI SHEREE
Co-host of Plant-Based In The Burbs
Sherri is a personal trainer/Pilates instructor who’s been living a plant-based lifestyle since 2016 and loves veganizing her favorite recipes and favorites from childhood. “Being able to cause no harm to living creatures has been so liberating and rewarding.”
ANTOINETTE WESTCOTT
Host of One Veggie At A Time
Antionette aka Toni is an actress and producer who created and hosts the “One Veggie At A Time” cooking show. She enjoys introducing everyday meals to vegan-curious folks who are hesitant to take the plunge.
SEYKA ROSE MEJEUR
Contributor
Seyka and her husband Brian have just completed a 21 Country Vegan Voyage where they traveled around the globe.
CHELSEA DAVIS & JAKE VAAGE
Hosts of Couples Cookin’
Chelsea is the founder of Veggies Do It Better, Vegan Night Market Portland, #VeganTipsTuesday, and a co-founder of Animal Rights Collective Portland. She hosts with ex-hunter hubby Jake Vaage.
#LUNCHBREAKLIVE ANCHORS
ERIN RILEY-CARRASCO
Host of Saturday Snackdown
Voted PETA’s “Sexiest Vegan Over 50,” Erin is the founder of ALMA Rescue Foundation. She has been involved in rescue & animal advocacy for over 37 years.
ANDRES VELARDE
Weekly #LBL Co-Host
Andrés is a vegan activist and influencer From Peru. He teaches cooking lessons to people interested in easy vegan meals. He lives and works at the WisdomHaus, a vegan intentional community hub seeking to help people adopt a plant-based diet and reverse their diseases.
VANESSA MARSOT
Weekly #LBL Co-Host
Vanessa is a Yale graduate, actress, yoga and pole dance instructor, personal trainer, and licensed psychotherapist whose mission is to stop animal suffering. Vanessa founded Ellora Wellness, a vegan, organic wellness center in LA.
TONIA L. CARRIER
Contributor
Tonia is a hairstylist and indie filmmaker from Michigan who has been doing vegan activism since 2018. She is grateful to represent the Midwest on UnchainedTV.
CONTRIBUTORS
DANNY MOSS
Contributor
An NYC-based animal rights activist. In 2008, Moss made the award-winning documentary BLINDERS about NYC’s horse-drawn carriage trade.
RAY KOWALCHUK
Contributor
Ray is a Toronto-based activist and a founding member Climate Save Movement. Ray has a 20-year career in television video editing and has a BFA in Film & Television production.
GWENNA HUNTER
Contributor
Founder of Vegans of LA, works for Vegan Outreach, and is a powerhouse social media communicator and connector.
EDITA BIRNKRANT
Contributor
Edita Birnkrant is the Executive Director of NYC-based animal rights political action organization NYCLASS, and has been a vegan and activist for nearly twenty years.
MEIRA GEYSER
Contributor
Lifelong animal lover and activist, Meira spreads awareness through social media and grassroots activism. She enjoys writing songs, singing, acting, & fighting for justice.
SHANNON BLAIR
Contributor
Shannon Blair is the mother of young, vegan, social media activist Vegan Evan! Shannon and her young son travel all over the globe doing outreach. Shannon is the Activism Director for Animal Hero Kids along with being a Certified Vegan Lifestyle Coach & Educator.
JESSICA STEINBERG
Contributor
Activist, tastemaker, and chef. Through social media, writing, and public speaking, she inspires others to create their unique version of a vegan lifestyle.
DESI VERHOEVEN
Contributor
Desi Verhoeven leads #JaneUnChainedEurope as she travels the continent going live at protests, cubes, and vigils bringing her journalistic skills to bear on the most crucial issue of our time!
FABIENNE ORIGER
Contributor
Vegan and activist for over 10 years, organizes the International Animal Rights Conference (IARC) in Luxembourg. Also a part of AGWC Rockin’ Rescue.
MAYA GOTTFRIED
Contributor
Author of Vegan Love and the children’s book Our Farm. She has written for Forks Over Knives, VegNews, People, Kris Carr and Huffington Post, & Lilith magazine.
SUSAN SONG
Contributor
I am here to enlighten others that a plant-based life is a better way of living for us, for the animals, and our planet.
MELANIE LANGSTON BAZZELL
Contributor
Artist • San Diego Animal Activism Organizer • TBI Survivor • Yogi • Chicken Mom • Kind Heart Coalition Founder
CHEYENNE DANNER
Contributor
Cheyenne Danner, also known as “Naturally Cheyenne”, is a spunky full-time activist who travels the world to help the animals and empower others to do the same!
JULIA NOVAK
Contributor
Julia Novak is the proud mother of a young son and well-known animal activist who is one of our top contributors, frequently going live.