About the PlantPowered Foundation
Our Story
There is now irrefutable evidence that what’s good for our bodies is also good for the planet. By shifting what’s on our plates, we can greatly improve our health, dramatically reduce our environmental footprint, and protect the well-being of animals—with minimal sacrifice.
Our mission is to empower individuals, schools, and communities to explore and embrace whole food, plant-based lifestyles—at their own pace. Through public service campaigns, educational initiatives, and collaborative partnerships, we support the transition toward healthier, more sustainable, and more ethical food choices.
We believe that when people are inspired, supported, and connected, small steps can grow into powerful movements. Together, we can create a future that is both resilient and aligned with our deepest values.
The Heart Behind the Foundation
The PlantPowered Foundation was born from a shared vision between its co-founders, Debra and Donald Alexander—two people from opposite sides of the globe united by a deep connection to nature and a belief in the power of food to create transformative change.
Debra's Journey
Debra grew up in the mountains of Colorado, skiing, hiking, backpacking, and cycling—experiences that nurtured a deep respect for the natural world. Her journey to plant-based living began after a life-threatening infection triggered an autoimmune condition. Following the advice of a Mayo Clinic physician, she adopted a whole food, plant-based diet, which significantly improved her symptoms. Nine years later, she has never looked back.
Donald's Journey
Donald was raised on the coast of South Africa, where his lifelong passion for the sea led to kite surfing, sailing, and several solo transatlantic crossings. He is also a partner in a Big 5 game reserve dedicated to wildlife conservation. At age 50, a genetic predisposition to heart disease resulted in a 99% blockage in his “widowmaker” artery. After emergency stent placement, he embraced a whole food, plant-based lifestyle, and his cholesterol and calcium scores have since improved dramatically—allowing him to maintain heart health with only nominal medication.
Their paths crossed through a shared love of mountaineering. Today, they combine their personal health journeys, connection to nature, and professional expertise to guide a foundation committed to helping others take simple, meaningful steps toward better health, a thriving planet, and compassion for all living beings.
The People Behind the Movement
While PlantPowered began with Debra and Donald’s shared vision, it’s the dedication of a talented global team that turns that vision into action. From creative design to social media outreach, technical support to brand strategy, each member brings unique expertise—and a shared commitment to making plant-powered living accessible, inspiring, and impactful.
Nico Westermann
Digital Strategy Leader, Marketing Consultant, Co-Creator of the PlantPowered Pledge
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Turning Insight into Impact — for Culture, Climate, and Human Health
Nico Westermann is a marketing strategist and creative leader committed to shifting culture through data-driven creativity and purpose-led innovation. With over 20 years of experience guiding global brands, tech disruptors, and mission-driven organizations, he specializes in combining deep human insight with the power of digital platforms to inspire meaningful change.
As co-creator of the PlantPowered Pledge, and consultant to the PlantPowered Foundation, Nico brings his passion for climate action and public health together with his expertise in marketing effectiveness. He helps reframe plant-based eating as a powerful, joyful act — not a sacrifice — using behavioral insight, storytelling, and digital strategy to spark individual transformation and collective momentum.
Having held leadership roles at Jung von Matt, AKQA, and Meta (Facebook & Instagram), Nico has shaped some of the world’s most influential brand strategies. Today, he focuses his energy on purpose-driven campaigns that empower people to align their everyday choices with a more sustainable, compassionate future.
Nora Ziegenhahn
Creative Strategy Director, Coach, Co-Creator of the PlantPowered Pledge
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Empowering Creative Change — for People, Planet, and Plate
Nora Ziegenhahn is a creative strategist, educator, and facilitator passionate about making plant-powered living the new normal. With over 20 years of global experience at the intersection of design, behavior change, and purpose-driven innovation, she brings deep insight into what truly motivates people — and how to turn that insight into culture-shifting campaigns.
As co-creator of the PlantPowered Pledge, and consultant to the PlantPowered Foundation, Nora applies her expertise in creative leadership and human behavior to inspire people to eat more plants — not through guilt or rules, but through curiosity, confidence, and joy. Her work blends strategic thinking with emotional intelligence, helping teams and individuals translate values into meaningful action.
Through her unique ability to connect the dots between personal transformation and cultural momentum, Nora is helping shape a movement rooted in empowerment, not perfection — one that invites everyone to explore how delicious, energizing, and inspiring plant-powered living can be.
Ilka Paulini
Graphic Design
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Ilka has been working as a freelance graphic designer for over five years, after transitioning from her brief career in architecture. Since then, she has collaborated with diverse clients worldwide — from small family businesses to large institutions — creating visual identities, packaging, illustrations, and a wide variety of creative projects. For the PlantPowered Foundation, she designed the logo, visual identity, and promotional materials, and continues to collaborate on future projects.
Her path to veganism began during a period of significant change: shortly after shifting careers and moving countries, the COVID-19 pandemic sparked a profound journey of self-discovery. This transformative time deepened her connection with herself, animals, and our planet — a rewarding evolution that continues to shape her life. Born in Brazil with a blend of cultural heritages and now living in Portugal, she considers herself a global citizen and believes in freedom for all beings. These values now guide both her life and her creative work, making her collaboration with PlantPowered especially meaningful.
In her free time, you’ll find her pursuing her other passions: listening to music, taking photos, cycling, reading poetry, drawing, playing the piano… She constantly seeks new experiences, cultures, and places to explore, fueling both her personal growth and professional inspiration.
Meike Linden
Social Media
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Bruce Gaynham
IT and CRM Manager
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Originally from South Africa, Bruce now lives primarily on the island of Barbados, opting for a simple life in harmony with nature.
With a love of the outdoors, and in an effort to reduce its destruction and his carbon footprint – Bruce started researching what some of the biggest influences on the destruction of natural habitats and causes of climate change are, and thereby discovered that the single biggest impact he could make as an individual was to change to a plant-based diet. In 2017, he converted to a fully plant powered lifestyle.
Bruce’s only regret is that he wasn’t more educated on this topic earlier on in his life and therefore hadn’t made the change sooner!
He’s excited to be part of the PlantPowered Foundation in order to spread the message to others.
Skye Smith
Website Design & SEO
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Skye is a digital strategist with over a decade of experience in search engine optimization, website optimization, and user experience. She helps organizations bring their ideas to life online, creating websites that are easy to find, intuitive to use, and built to connect.
Originally from a coastal town in South Africa, Skye’s deep respect for nature was shaped by time spent surfing and exploring the African bush. After years working in fast-paced digital environments, she now lives in Scotland, growing vegetables and escaping to the Highlands to wild camp whenever she can.
With a belief that individual choices truly matter, Skye is proud to contribute to the meaningful work of the PlantPowered Foundation and support its mission to create a healthier, more compassionate future.
Creating a PlantPowered Future
We envision a world where food becomes a force for good—fueling health, healing the planet, and freeing animals from industrial farming. In this future, people live with purpose and collective resilience, connected through conscious, sustainable choices that reflect a return to balance.
By 2030, we aim to make PlantPowered a household term—trusted and resonant, like “organic” or “heart healthy.” It will stand not just for what’s on your plate, but for what you stand for. It will symbolize conscious strength, awareness, and living in alignment with what truly matters.
Join a free three-week journey to take meaningful action for your health, the planet, and animals, one plate at a time. Get daily recipes, tips, and support to make the transition easy and sustainable. Be part of a growing global movement.