JJ Johnson is a James Beard Foundation Book Award winning chef, TV Personality and Author best known for his barrier-breaking cuisine informed by the Caribbean flavors of his upbringing. Chef JJ’s signature cooking style combines culturally relevant ingredients and classical technique with a global point of view. At FIELDTRIP, his made-to-order rice bowl concept that debuted in 2019, Chef JJ highlights rice as a hero ingredient and showcases it in recipes sourced from around the world. FIELDTRIP’s first outpost opened in Harlem and has expanded to Rockefeller Center and the US Open Tennis Tournament. As one of the only fast casual restaurants on Esquire’s “America’s Best New Restaurants” list in 2020, FIELDTRIP utilizes sustainable ingredients and ethically sourced vegetables and proteins, creating a flavorful and diverse dining experience. The brand’s motto, “Rice is Culture,” was born out of Chef JJ’s belief that rice is the universal ingredient that connects us all and can be found at the center of the table in almost every community. During the pandemic, JJ saw the community around him struggling to stay afloat and wanted to make a difference. He began donating meals to the local hospital in Harlem to feed nurses, doctors and first responders in the area that were working to keep everyone safe. The outreach then moved to helping neighbors, by providing free meals to those in need. Shortly after, FIELDTRIP began receiving donations from across the country to continue their work and has since donated over 220,000 meals to support the Harlem community and feed frontline workers throughout the pandemic. Chef JJ is the television host on ‘Just Eats with Chef JJ’ airing on TV One’s network Cleo TV and finalist for the 2022 James Beard Foundation Awards Best Chef in New York State.

Ms Nason obtained her degree in Nutrition and Food Science at Washington State University in 1998 and is board certified in renal nutrition. She has over 22 years of clinical nutrition experience and has worked with people who have chronic kidney disease for over 20 years, both early stage CKD and requiring dialysis treatment. Ms Nason has been a speaker on chronic kidney disease for local, state, and regional conferences. She also has a passion for providing nutrition counseling for diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders, plant-based eating, and sports nutrition. Ms Nason is currently providing nutrition therapy in an in-center dialysis clinic with the addition of home dialysis modalities. She founded her own practice, Viva Nutrition Counseling LLC, with an emphasis on providing CKD Medical Nutrition Therapy to aid in facilitating slowing progression of CKD and bone mineral abnormalities, prevention and to promote overall health.

Sushma Shiravanthe, PharmD, BCPS, is a Medical Science Liaison at Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc. (OPDC) covering Northern California. Dr. Shiravanthe earned her BS in Brain, Behavior, and Cognitive Science and Doctorate of Pharmacy degrees from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI. She completed residency training at Ascension St. Vincent Anderson in Anderson, IN during which time she also earned a teaching certificate from Purdue University College of Pharmacy. Dr. Shiravanthe is Board Certified in Pharmacotherapy (BCPS) and is a licensed pharmacist in Indiana and California. Prior to joining Otsuka, Dr. Shiravanthe worked as a clinical pharmacist at Ascension St. Vincent Anderson for 2.5 years, and as a clinical pharmacy specialist at the Department of Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Healthcare System for 3 years. During this time, she also served as a preceptor for the pharmacy residency program clinical teaching skills, grand rounds, and clinical research rotations. Her clinical practice experience includes internal medicine, cardio-renal diseases, infectious diseases, and geriatrics.