Haile Thomas is 17 years old, an international speaker, health activist, vegan food & lifestyle influencer, podcaster, the youngest Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach in the United States, and the founder/CEO of the nonprofit HAPPY (Healthy Active Positive Purposeful Youth). Haile founded HAPPY when she was 12 years old to address the need for free/affordable plant-based nutrition and culinary education in underserved/at-risk communities, as well as in schools and through annual summer camps.
Haile has personally engaged over 15,000 kids since beginning her activism in 2010. She was inspired to pursue this passion after her family successfully reversed her father’s type-2 diabetes with healthy eating and lifestyle choices, and upon learning that kids were also increasingly being diagnosed with conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. All of Haile’s programs, projects, and initiatives, are geared towards engaging, educating, motivating and empowering young people to make healthy lifestyle choices to live their best life. She also hosts the podcast "Girl Empowered", interviewing inspiring and empowered women, therefore fulfilling its mission to broadcast female voices of empowerment.
Haile is one of the first 8 young chefs featured on season one of Rachael vs. Guy Kids-Cook-Off, and also on Cupcake Wars Kids both airing on Food Network. She also worked for two years as the Jr. Chef Advisor for Hyatt Hotel’s “For Kids - By Kids” Menu, with her kids menu recipes served at all Hyatt Resorts in North America and the Caribbean.
Haile has been featured on the Today Show, Dr. Oz, Home and Family Show, and The Rachael Ray Show, and highlighted in several major publications including O Magazine, Teen Vogue, and YES Magazine, and is the first teen featured on the Cover of Experience Life Magazine in the October 2016 issue.