BETH SKOGEN / FOUNDER

I bought my first road bike in my early 30’s and immediately signed up for RAGBRAI in 2016. I fell in love with biking all week long in a sea of cyclists. It’s liberating; I feel empowered, strong, and proud of myself knowing I can bike ~450 miles in a week. After that first year, I told myself I’d do RAGBRAI until my body couldn’t do it anymore. I also have been vegetarian since 2011, but have been vegan on and off since 2018 and wasn’t fully plant-based until 2021. Each person’s journey is different and valid.

It’s almost impossible to eat and continue to bike that many miles knowing you're in the leading pork-producing state in the United States. In 2020, as I was biking past barns full of pigs, I heard their cries and had to pull over a few times and wipe the sunscreen from my burning eyes. I knew I had to do more in the effort to promote a plant-based lifestyle, in the little way I could, among ~30,000 cyclists. My heart aches for all farm animals, especially in the commercial farming industry. I hope to spread love and compassion as I bike across the state.

When I’m not working on Powered by Plants Cycling, I’m photographing businesses and families in Madison, Wisconsin. www.bethskogen.com

LAUREN MONTELBANO / CHEF

When you find an event that blends 3 of the things you are most passionate about, you jump on board. I first started bike commuting at 24, which launched my love of biking. That was MY time to take in the world around me, think, process and get that heart rate up. I still get some of my best ideas while on my bike!

I have been vegetarian since age 18 and went plant-based in 2014 . I started my journey because I have always had a strong connection to the animal world and can not imagine using them as food, let alone supporting the intense global suffering that is perpetuated by factory farms. If my voice and my choice can save even one animal from cruelty, my decision and my work is worth the fight.

I have helped pioneer the plant-based movement in Madison and around the state of Wisconsin. In 2017, I opened Madison’s first all vegan restaurant, Surya Café, and was floored with the support we got, even in the dairy state. Because of the popularity of whole food plant-based eating, I was lucky enough to open a second location in Madison’s Garver Feed Mill. With the pandemic looming and my burnout undeniably apparent and taking a toll on my health, I walked away from the beautiful little empire I created.

I now own and operate The Vibrant Veg, a personal chef and catering business. To me, this business is very much like bike touring. You have to be prepared, agile, adaptable, willing to change course quickly, and physically and mentally strong. I love the challenges that life, catering, and fitness throw at me! The popularity of this movement continues to grow and I'm so proud to be one of the many at the helm, fighting for a different way of being and living.

That being said, it is my great pleasure to support these riders through their rigorous physical journey. I’m a holistic nutritionist as well, so I revel in adapting plant-based meals to support the physiological needs of the body. I'm here to prove that being Powered By Plants is not only possible, but ideal! A deep bow of appreciation to the founders, the animals, and the cause! Let’s make some change!

Chef Lauren also has a cookbook for sale! You can purchase it online if you’re not in the Madison area.

JENNA MCKEE / SOUS CHEF

I’m here on this planet to serve and spread compassion through plant-based health and wellness. I’ve struggled with anxiety most of my life and have hit some rock bottoms, but I have made some profound choices in my life that have lead me to the life I’m living now.1. Choosing to be sober and 2. Choosing a vegan lifestyle. These choices have lead me to become a yoga teacher, finding ecstatic dance and become certified in yoga trance dance. I’ve learned to love running again (including marathons), to love my body, find my love for cooking, immerse, myself in an amazing vegan community and surround myself with successful and positive people. I’ve found Sol Criations Farm Sanctuary, joined their board of directors and help care for the animals. I’ve found my voice and let spirit and creativity flow through me when cooking.

My love for animals and my passion for nutrition and movement have collided in the best way. I studied plant based nutrition through Cornell University with Dr. T Cambell and Dr. Michael Gregor. I also have been studying Anthony Williams books for the last 7 years. I truly believe we have the power to heal and thrive through food and creative movement.

Saying YES to being sous chef and working along side vegan Chef Lauren Montelbano was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. She pushes me out of my comfort zone everyday and I continue to learn so much from her.

KYLE JULIUS / “CAMP DADDY”

Kyle Julius, or “Camp Daddy” as he is better known, is a Madison chef and owner of the Chef at Large Food Truck and Catering. A forager, hiker, paddler, and explorer of the natural world, Kyle brings his knowledge of local, seasonal ingredients to his classic foundational cooking style. 

With an extensive knowledge of trades and basic repair, Kyle leads the charge managing equipment, offering tune-ups, and providing power, water, first aid and other infrastructure to the Powered by Plants team. When not traveling, expanding techniques or enjoying the outdoors, Kyle currently resides as a chef consultant for Kessenich's Foodservice in Madison, WI