Jo (Joanne) Stepaniak, MSEd, has been involved with vegetarian- and vegan-related issues for over five decades. She is the author and co-author of eighteen books on compassionate living and vegan cuisine and has been a contributing author to many other books, pamphlets, national publications, and magazines. Jo is the senior editorial director at Book Publishing Company and a former community and victim-offender mediator. Her award-winning column Ask Jo!