Speakers

Liz Marek is an award-winning American pastry chef, author, and master cake designer based in Portland, Oregon. Best known for her elaborate, gravity-defying sculpted cakes, she is the founder of the online cake decorating school, Sugar https://sugargeekshow.comGeek Show. She has also competed on Food Network’s Super Mega Cakes and Duff Till Dawn.

Mallory is the social media content creator and recipe developer behind Munchies by Mallory, a brand she’s grown to over one million followers across platforms since 2020. She’s known for viral, on-trend recipes like her brown butter banana bread, oatmeal cream pies, and crumble buns, all fan favorites that show her knack for turning what people are craving into content that spreads. Staying ahead of the trend cycle is her specialty, and at the Tastemaker Conference she joins the panel “The Next Era of Trends: Why Social Comes First” to share how creators can do exactly that.

Matt Molen is the CEO of Email Crush. He is the creator of Email on Autopilot, the premiere course for content creators that want to transform their email newsletter into their most powerful marketing tools. In addition to the course, Matt provides one-on-one consulting & personal coaching to some of the world’s top bloggers. Personally, Matt enjoys quiet walks on the beach, has a deep rooted fear of frogs, and secretly dreams of one day stealing Pat Sajak’s job.

Michelle Tam is the co-creator of the award winning food blog, Nom Nom Paleo. Together with her husband, Henry Fong, they’ve also produced a two-time Webby award winning cooking app, authored three New York Times bestselling cookbooks, have been nominated for a James Beard Award, and created a best-selling line of paleo spice blends.

Dubbed “the Martha Stewart of Paleo” by The New York Times and CBS News, Michelle is the gleefully food-obsessed umami evangelist behind Nom Nom Paleo’s recipes. Although she has a degree in nutrition and food science from the University of California at Berkeley, and a doctorate in pharmacy from UCSF, her life’s mission is to teach folks shortcuts to deliciousness—that also happen to be healthy and fuss-free. Michelle and her family currently split their time between Palo Alto, California and Portland, Oregon.

Mika is the creator behind Joy to the Food, a high-protein recipe brand she grew from 1,000 to 650,000 Instagram followers in a little over two years — with a two-person team and no protein powder in sight. A former engineer, she’s turned that audience into several revenue streams running at once, and teaches the same system to food creators through her growth program, Grow with Joy. She leans on AI for content research, hook writing, and business ops without handing over her voice – which is exactly what she’s walking through today.

Natasha Pierre is the creator behind Shine with Natasha and the founder of Shine Studio, a boutique video content agency. As a video content expert, educator, and speaker featured by brands like Meta and Adobe, she helps entrepreneurs and creators build original video strategies that drive growth and impact. Shine Studio brings those strategies to life through high-quality, results-driven video content. Together, Natasha bridges education and execution—making it easier for brands to show up confidently and scale through video.

Sally McKenney is a baker, food photographer, and New York Times best-selling author. Her kitchen-tested recipes and step-by-step tutorials have given millions of readers the knowledge and confidence to bake from scratch. Sally’s work has been featured on TODAY, Good Morning America, Taste of Home, People, and more.

Shannon Avery, AAMS®, is a fiduciary financial advisor specializing in helping content creators, entrepreneurs, and digital business owners turn financial success into lasting wealth. As Partner and Wealth Manager at Kingsview Partners and co-founder of Creator Wealth, Shannon works with bloggers, influencers, and online entrepreneurs nationwide to navigate the unique financial complexities of creator-led businesses from fluctuating income and tax strategy to investing, retirement planning, and long-term wealth building.

Known for her practical, approachable style, Shannon helps clients think like CEOs of both their businesses and personal finances, building strategies designed to create stability beyond platform algorithms and changing income streams. A featured speaker and sponsor at Tastemaker Conference, she is passionate about helping creators protect, grow, and steward the businesses they’ve worked so hard to build.

Sophie Sadler is the creator of Dirndl Kitchen, a German food and culture platform she founded more than a decade ago to share the recipes and traditions she grew up with in Trier, Germany. Through approachable storytelling, authentic recipes and highly engaged social media content, Sophie has built a global community of home cooks and German food enthusiasts. She is also the author of the bestselling cookbook German Home Kitchen and has partnered with international brands, tourism organizations and professional sports teams to create memorable, culturally rooted content.

Susie Bulloch is the creator of the BBQ food blog Hey Grill Hey. She has appeared on Food Network, and is a true leader and influencer in the BBQ industry. Along with running a successful full-time blog, Susie and her husband, Todd, own the BBQ product line, Patio Provisions

Toni Okamoto is a leading voice in making healthier eating accessible, affordable, and enjoyable for millions. As the founder of Plant-Based on a Budget, she has built a trusted platform for those looking to eat well without overspending or sacrificing flavor. For nearly a decade and a half, Toni has been dedicated to helping people create delicious, budget-friendly meals that support their health and well-being.

Her work has been profiled by NBC News, NPR, and The Washington Post, and she has been featured in The New York Times, CBS News, Nerd Wallet, and The Hallmark Channel. She was also featured as an expert in meal planning and budget-friendly eating in the Netflix hit documentary What the Health.

Toni is the author of multiple acclaimed cookbooks, including the Publisher’s Weekly Bestseller Plant-Based on a Budget Quick & Easy. Her first book, Plant-Based on a Budget Cookbook, won VegNews Cookbook of the Year and was a Goodreads Choice Awards Top 10 Finalist, further cementing her influence in plant-based cooking.

She is also the co-host of The Plant-Powered People Podcast, where she shares practical tips, personal stories, and expert advice on plant-based living.

Through her books, online resources, and engaging media presence, Toni continues to empower individuals to take charge of their health—one budget-friendly, plant-filled meal at a time.