Lisa Shapiro, founder of the All Things Vegan consulting company and long-time champion of vegan causes and businesses, has passed away.

Deeply connected to the vegan movement and those involved in it for over 25 years, Shapiro’s goal was to alleviate the suffering of animals through the promotion of veganism. One of her first career moves towards this goal was as the deli manager of Wild Oats Market in Boulder, CO. After veganizing the deli, she would move onto several other managerial positions in the business including becoming purchaser, an experience that let her see firsthand some of the struggles small vegan businesses experience.

After a stint with the AGOA African Opportunity Association in Ghana and Cameroon, Shapiro returned to Boulder to continue promoting the vegan lifestyle, including starting the Boulder Vegan Meet Up, which has grown to one of the largest groups of its kind in the country at nearly 1000 members. She also served as a member of the Veg Fund Board, promoting vegan businesses and non-profit entities. In 2011, Shapiro founded All Things Vegan, a consulting company designed to promote vegan products, while expanding awareness of vegan lifestyles and some of their positive benefits. She would also join Tofurkey as its first social media director that same year, before quickly moving up to marketing coordinator. These positions saw her constantly attending trade shows, demos and other industry events to represent both her businesses and the vegan industry itself.

In a tribute by Tofurkey founder Seth Tibbott, it is noted that “as much as Lisa accomplished in her professional life, she may have accomplished more in her nonprofessional life.” In addition to her work, Shapiro also spent countless hours of her own time handing out vegan literature, protesting circuses, counseling new vegans, and cooking for those in need.

Published in WholeFoods Magazine, August 2015, (online 7/18/2015)