Michele Simon, JD, MPH's Linkedin Analytics

I have spent most of my career in the food movement, calling out BS of mega-food companies. In 2006, I published a book called Appetite for Profit that exposed food industry BS. From 2014-2020, I took a detour when I conceived of, organized, founded, and led the Plant Based Foods Association, the nation's first and only membership trade association for plant-based food companies. I also created and founded PBFA's "sister" organization, the C-3 arm that is now called the "Plant Based Foods Institute". Everything about both organizations came out of my vision, dedication, and leadership. After experiencing a severe form of covert workplace abuse that left me traumatized, I took a break to revaluate my priorities. After speaking with countless other women, I was saddened to learn how common such psychological abuse is, in the food sector, and more widely. I am now passionate about helping women exit a toxic workplace and get to mental health safety and recovery as soon as possible. I am able and willing to help certain women who cannot afford services. I also provide legal referrals. For food companies, I offer my services as an ombuds, providing an independent safe space for employees to share their challenges and get them resolved peacefully. I have also returned to my roots of calling out food industry BS, but now in the "food tech" and plant-based food sectors. Food has a critical role to play in just about every aspect of society: our health, the planet, how we treat workers and animals, not to mention, our very survival. My guiding principle is integrity. There is so much bullshit being shoveled that it's distracting us from what's really going on and how to fix it. I am also passionate about changing laws and policies surrounding NDAs and other employer attempts to silence workers. I have ongoing trauma from not being able to tell my own story fully, and I know many other women who are similarly suffering. Employer psychological violence is rampant and must stop. Last but not least, as a white woman of privilege, I am learning to help bring down white supremacy; I believe that white women need to do the hard work of looking inside ourselves to undo the harms we have engaged in through acts of commission and omission and chart a better course.