Wendy Book, MD, has been involved in a volunteer capacity on the executive board of APFED, serving as the board’s President since 2009. She has led education, advocacy, research, and awareness efforts leading to the creation of National Eosinophil Awareness Week, NIH report language, the NIH Task Force on the Research Needs of Eosinophil-Associated Diseases (TREAD) document, insurance coverage of medical foods, and development of ICD-9-CM codes for eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases. She assisted in development of APFED’s HOPE on the Horizon Research Grant Program which has directed more than $2.3 million to research efforts to date. Her efforts have led to collaborations with other patient advocacy groups, physicians, medical societies, and federal agencies. Her experience as a parent of a chronically ill child, and as a physician, provides a unique perspective on the patient experience and challenges involved in navigating the medical system. 

Emily Pierce is a Division 1 cross-country athlete and nursing student at Campbell University who has lived with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) since age 12. Balancing school, sports, and travel, she’s learned to manage her condition while staying active and ambitious. Living away at college, Emily has continued to adapt and thrive—advocating for greater awareness of GI disorders in young athletes. Her journey has inspired her to pursue a career in nursing and use her social media platforms to support others facing similar challenges.

Dr. Jensen is a professor of epidemiology with specific expertise in reproductive, perinatal, pediatric epidemiology. Her research primarily focuses on etiologic factors in the development of pediatric, immune-mediated chronic disease, including understanding factors contributing to disparities in health outcomes. Dr. Jensen earned both her MPH and PhD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and completed a postdoctoral fellowship with the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) in biomarker-based epidemiology. In addition to her appointment in Epidemiology and Prevention at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, she holds a joint appointment in the Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, and an adjunct appointment at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the Department of Medicine.  She serves as the Research Director for the GI fellowship program at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. Dr. Jensen leads several on-going cohort studies, including a study leveraging administrative databases and resources in Denmark to study in utero and early life environmental exposures in interaction with genotype in the development of eosinophilic esophagitis.   She also co-leads a study designed to characterize early life exposure to antibiotics through microspatial assessment of deciduous teeth in children, examining antibiotics in interaction for susceptibility genotype in development of eosinophilic esophagitis. As an investigator in the Consortium for Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disease Researchers (CEGIR) she co-leads a study of clinical management of food bolus impaction at the time of emergency department encounters, with a goal of identifying opportunities to improve patient care at the time of these emergency department encounters. She also has on-going projects designed to elucidate novel markers in predicting treatment response for EoE patients. Dr. Jensen also serves on the EGID Partners registry scientific advisory committee and contributes actively to the patient-directed research supported through EGID Partners.

Dr. Reed specializes in diseases of the esophagus, and he sees patients with esophageal motility disorders, Barrett’s esophagus, eosinophilic esophagitis, and complex esophageal strictures. His clinical practice includes the endoscopic management of Barrett’s esophagus, as well as the interpretation of esophageal motility studies. Dr. Reed is involved in clinical research with a focus on eosinophilic esophagitis, as well as the instruction of pre- and post-graduate medical trainees.

David Leiman, MD, MSHP, is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology at Duke University School of Medicine, where he serves as the Director of the Esophageal Program and Motility Lab.

His clinical practice focuses on the evaluation and management of patients with complex esophageal and swallowing disorders, including eosinophilic esophagitis.

Evan S. Dellon, MD, MPH, is a Professor of Medicine and Adjunct Professor of Epidemiology at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill. Dr. Dellon received his undergraduate degree from Brown University and his medical degree from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. He completed internship and residency in Internal Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital.  He performed a clinical and a research fellowship in Adult Gastroenterology at UNC, during which he also received a Masters of Public Health degree in Epidemiology from the UNC School of Public Health. Dr. Dellon is currently the Director of the UNC Center for Esophageal Diseases and Swallowing (CEDAS) and has served as an Associate Editor for Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.  Dr. Dellon’s main research interest is in the epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) and the eosinophilic GI diseases (EGIDs). The goal of his research is to improve the lives of patients with EoE and EGIDs by learning how to better diagnose, treat, and monitor these conditions.

Dr. Alexander Reddy is a gastroenterologist who specializes in the care of patients with esophageal disorders, including eosinophilic esophagitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease, Barrett’s esophagus, and esophageal motility disorders. His clinical practice also includes the management of other eosinophilic GI disorders such as eosinophilic gastritis, enteritis, and colitis. He attended the University of Alabama School of Medicine and completed his residency and fellowship training at Duke University. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Duke University and the Director of the Duke GI of Raleigh Motility Lab.

Dr. Jensen is a professor of epidemiology with specific expertise in reproductive, perinatal, pediatric epidemiology. Her research primarily focuses on etiologic factors in the development of pediatric, immune-mediated chronic disease, including understanding factors contributing to disparities in health outcomes. Dr. Jensen earned both her MPH and PhD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and completed a postdoctoral fellowship with the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) in biomarker-based epidemiology. In addition to her appointment in Epidemiology and Prevention at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, she holds a joint appointment in the Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, and an adjunct appointment at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the Department of Medicine.  She serves as the Research Director for the GI fellowship program at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. Dr. Jensen leads several on-going cohort studies, including a study leveraging administrative databases and resources in Denmark to study in utero and early life environmental exposures in interaction with genotype in the development of eosinophilic esophagitis.   She also co-leads a study designed to characterize early life exposure to antibiotics through microspatial assessment of deciduous teeth in children, examining antibiotics in interaction for susceptibility genotype in development of eosinophilic esophagitis. As an investigator in the Consortium for Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disease Researchers (CEGIR) she co-leads a study of clinical management of food bolus impaction at the time of emergency department encounters, with a goal of identifying opportunities to improve patient care at the time of these emergency department encounters. She also has on-going projects designed to elucidate novel markers in predicting treatment response for EoE patients. Dr. Jensen also serves on the EGID Partners registry scientific advisory committee and contributes actively to the patient-directed research supported through EGID Partners.

Evan S. Dellon, MD, MPH, is a Professor of Medicine and Adjunct Professor of Epidemiology at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill. Dr. Dellon received his undergraduate degree from Brown University and his medical degree from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. He completed internship and residency in Internal Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital.  He performed a clinical and a research fellowship in Adult Gastroenterology at UNC, during which he also received a Masters of Public Health degree in Epidemiology from the UNC School of Public Health. Dr. Dellon is currently the Director of the UNC Center for Esophageal Diseases and Swallowing (CEDAS) and has served as an Associate Editor for Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.  Dr. Dellon’s main research interest is in the epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) and the eosinophilic GI diseases (EGIDs). The goal of his research is to improve the lives of patients with EoE and EGIDs by learning how to better diagnose, treat, and monitor these conditions.

Francesca is a Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner at Duke Health, specializing in the outpatient management of Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE) as well as Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) and Hepatitis C. She works closely with care teams in clinic settings to coordinate medication therapy, provide personalized education, and support safe, effective treatment plans. Her responsibilities include assisting in all aspects of medication initiation, training on injectable therapies, monitoring for safety, and making sure treatments are affordable and accessible. Francesca earned her Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) from the University of Connecticut in 2022 and completed PGY1 Pharmacy Practice and PGY2 Ambulatory Care residencies at UNC Health Rex. She is passionate about making care more personalized and accessible, and she is dedicated to helping patients feel informed, supported, and confident in managing their health.

Dr. Trevor Barlowe is a clinical research fellow in the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He completed medical school at Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine and an internal medicine residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. His research interests involve using large clinical datasets to answer common clinical questions in digestive diseases, and he has participated in research projects evaluating the optimal management of esophageal food impaction under the guidance of Dr. Evan Dellon.

Brady Allen is a collegiate quarterback for the University of Louisville and a member of APFED community, having been recently diagnosed with eosinophilic esophagitis and eosinophilic gastritis. Originally from Fort Branch, Indiana, Brady was named Indiana Mr. Football and is one of the most accomplished high school quarterbacks in state history, holding records for career completions and touchdowns. A 4-star recruit and consensus Top 10 quarterback in the Class of 2022, Allen earned the prestigious title of Indiana Mr. Football, recognizing him as the state’s top high school player. He holds Indiana high school football records for career completions and touchdowns, and ranks second all-time in career passing yards in the state’s history. Brady joins us at Eos Connection 2025 to connect with patients and families and share his personal insights as someone who understands the strength it takes to overcome adversity—on and off the field.

Dr. Edwin Kim is an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of North Carolina school of medicine and chief of the division of pediatric allergy and immunology. He is also the director of the UNC Food Allergy Initiative research group whose focus is the development of novel therapeutics for IgE mediated food allergy.

Dr. Onyinye I. Iweala is an allergist and immunologist and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology Allergy, and Immunology at the University of North Carolina (UNC)-Chapel Hill. She is the Director of the UNC Allergy Mast Cell Disorders Program and has served as a diversity, equity, and inclusion officer within her division. She also serves as an Allergy and Immunology telehealth consultant for Capital Health Surgical Center, in Abuja, Nigeria. Dr. Iweala’s passion is to understand mechanistic drivers of mast cell activation and anaphylaxis. Ultimately, she wants to improve and expand treatment options for patients with mast cell activation disorders and mast cell driven symptoms, including those with food allergies. She is a member of the UNC Food Allergy Initiative, the UNC Children’s Research Institute, and the UNC Thurston Arthritis Research Center. Dr. Iweala received her PhD in Experimental Pathology from Harvard University and her medical degree from Harvard Medical School. She completed a residency in Internal Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital and a clinical and research fellowship in Allergy and Immunology at UNC-Chapel Hill. She is a recipient of a 2020 AAAAI Foundation Faculty Development Award. Dr. Iweala and her work have been featured in the JAMA Clinical Reviews Podcast, HealthDay, Healio, Allergic Living, the Finding Genius Podcast, Voice of America, and the New York Times Magazine. Dr. Iweala is married with three children. Her hobbies include singing – especially a cappella music, dancing, running, and high-intensity interval training.

Raquel Durban is a registered dietitian specializing in food allergy. Feeding disorders are not an uncommon comorbidity of food allergy. Symptoms, anxiety, trauma, and structural changes are frequent contributors in addition to prescribed food avoidance in the development of feeding disorders in the food allergic person. In collaboration with the care team, Raquel provides nutrient-dense food options with consideration of safety, preferences, and developmental milestones. In addition to patient care, Raquel participates in clinical research, medical advisory board appointments, and national and international allergy associations.

Angie Almond is the Program Coordinator for the Gluten and Allergic Digestive Diseases (GLADD) Program in the Department of Pediatrics at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist and a Clinical Research Project Manager in the Department of Public Health Sciences at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. With over 34 years of experience as a clinical dietitian, she specializes in Medical Nutrition Therapy for pediatric gastrointestinal conditions including eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), celiac disease, and non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Ms. Almond plays an active role in advancing research on eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) and related gastrointestinal disorders. Over the past eight years, she has contributed to numerous abstracts and peer-reviewed publications through her leadership and collaboration on multidisciplinary studies. She is also recognized as a Fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics for her professional excellence and impact in the field.

Wendy Book, MD, has been involved in a volunteer capacity on the executive board of APFED, serving as the board’s President since 2009. She has led education, advocacy, research, and awareness efforts leading to the creation of National Eosinophil Awareness Week, NIH report language, the NIH Task Force on the Research Needs of Eosinophil-Associated Diseases (TREAD) document, insurance coverage of medical foods, and development of ICD-9-CM codes for eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases. She assisted in development of APFED’s HOPE on the Horizon Research Grant Program which has directed more than $2.3 million to research efforts to date. Her efforts have led to collaborations with other patient advocacy groups, physicians, medical societies, and federal agencies. Her experience as a parent of a chronically ill child, and as a physician, provides a unique perspective on the patient experience and challenges involved in navigating the medical system. 

Mary Jo Strobel has 25 years of professional experience in the nonprofit sector with a specific focus on patient advocacy for allergic conditions. She has a broad background and direct experience in a multitude of initiatives related to patient education, disease awareness, advocacy, and research. She collaborates with research investigators, facilitates patient experience data, advises on recruitment strategies, and contributes to research design and protocol. She has co-authored numerous research abstracts and journal manuscripts. In addition to invitational speaking engagements around the U.S. and abroad to share insights and information to patients, providers, industry, government agencies, and other nonprofits, she also represents APFED as a member of the Consortium of Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disease Researchers; the Rare Disease Clinical Research Network Coalition of Patient Advocacy Groups; the Lay Organization Strategic Partnership of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology; and in several national and global collaboratives to identify and address unmet needs for eosinophil-associated disease.

Brady Allen is a collegiate quarterback for the University of Louisville and a member of APFED community, having been recently diagnosed with eosinophilic esophagitis and eosinophilic gastritis. Originally from Fort Branch, Indiana, Brady was named Indiana Mr. Football and is one of the most accomplished high school quarterbacks in state history, holding records for career completions and touchdowns. A 4-star recruit and consensus Top 10 quarterback in the Class of 2022, Allen earned the prestigious title of Indiana Mr. Football, recognizing him as the state’s top high school player. He holds Indiana high school football records for career completions and touchdowns, and ranks second all-time in career passing yards in the state’s history. Brady joins us at Eos Connection 2025 to connect with patients and families and share his personal insights as someone who understands the strength it takes to overcome adversity—on and off the field.

William W. Busse, MD is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin and University of Wisconsin Medical School. Before his retirement in 2021, had been a faculty member of the Division of Allergy, Pulmonary, and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Wisconsin. He has served as head of the Allergy and Clinical Immunology Section and as the George R. and Elaine Love Professor and Chair of Medicine. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 

Dr. Busse’s research focuses on the mechanism of asthma, with particular interest in eosinophilic inflammation and rhinovirus-induced asthma, as well as in lung-brain interactions in asthma. He has been the principal investigator for the NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Inner-City Asthma Consortium and previously served on the Advisory Council and as a member of the Board of External Experts for the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.  

Dr. Busse has also served as President and member of the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. He is co-editor of the book “Allergy: Principles and Practice and Asthma and Rhinitis” and was associate editor of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine and the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. In 2001, Dr. Busse was elected to the Association of American Physicians. He received the Folkert Belzer Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004, the American Thoracic Society Award for Scientific Accomplishments in 2005, the Citation Award for Achievement from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in 2008, and the American Thoracic Society Foundation Breathing for Life Award in 2014. 

He is a member of APFED’s Board of Directors. 

Jessica Grady is a B2B marketing leader with a strong background in life sciences and SaaS. With expertise in marketing operations, customer marketing, and demand generation, she brings both strategic insight and empathy to her work. Her personal experience as a clinical trial participant fuels her passion for improving the patient experience in research. Jessica holds a Master’s in Marketing and lives outside Philadelphia with her husband, Matt, and their two children. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, especially around a good meal (when she's not avoiding her EOE trigger foods).

Dr. Steven J. Ackerman is a leading expert in biochemistry, molecular genetics, and medicine, serving as Professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago and Chief Scientific Officer at EnteroTrack. He received his B.Sc. from SUNY Stony Brook, Ph.D. from McGill University, and completed postdoctoral training at Fox Chase Cancer Center and Mayo Clinic.

Dr. Ackerman is internationally recognized for his research on eosinophils in allergic diseases, asthma, and gastrointestinal disorders. He holds over six patents, developed the Esophageal String Test, and has published more than 240 peer-reviewed articles. His contributions have earned him honors such as UIC Faculty of the Year and President of the International Eosinophil Society, and most recently, the 2025 Paul Ehrlich Award and Lectureship.

Wendy Book, MD, has been involved in a volunteer capacity on the executive board of APFED, serving as the board’s President since 2009. She has led education, advocacy, research, and awareness efforts leading to the creation of National Eosinophil Awareness Week, NIH report language, the NIH Task Force on the Research Needs of Eosinophil-Associated Diseases (TREAD) document, insurance coverage of medical foods, and development of ICD-9-CM codes for eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases. She assisted in development of APFED’s HOPE on the Horizon Research Grant Program which has directed more than $2.3 million to research efforts to date. Her efforts have led to collaborations with other patient advocacy groups, physicians, medical societies, and federal agencies. Her experience as a parent of a chronically ill child, and as a physician, provides a unique perspective on the patient experience and challenges involved in navigating the medical system. 

Mary Jo Strobel has 25 years of professional experience in the nonprofit sector with a specific focus on patient advocacy for allergic conditions. She has a broad background and direct experience in a multitude of initiatives related to patient education, disease awareness, advocacy, and research. She collaborates with research investigators, facilitates patient experience data, advises on recruitment strategies, and contributes to research design and protocol. She has co-authored numerous research abstracts and journal manuscripts. In addition to invitational speaking engagements around the U.S. and abroad to share insights and information to patients, providers, industry, government agencies, and other nonprofits, she also represents APFED as a member of the Consortium of Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disease Researchers; the Rare Disease Clinical Research Network Coalition of Patient Advocacy Groups; the Lay Organization Strategic Partnership of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology; and in several national and global collaboratives to identify and address unmet needs for eosinophil-associated disease.

Wendy Book, MD, has been involved in a volunteer capacity on the executive board of APFED, serving as the board’s President since 2009. She has led education, advocacy, research, and awareness efforts leading to the creation of National Eosinophil Awareness Week, NIH report language, the NIH Task Force on the Research Needs of Eosinophil-Associated Diseases (TREAD) document, insurance coverage of medical foods, and development of ICD-9-CM codes for eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases. She assisted in development of APFED’s HOPE on the Horizon Research Grant Program which has directed more than $2.3 million to research efforts to date. Her efforts have led to collaborations with other patient advocacy groups, physicians, medical societies, and federal agencies. Her experience as a parent of a chronically ill child, and as a physician, provides a unique perspective on the patient experience and challenges involved in navigating the medical system. 

Eric joined Areteia Therapeutics as Chief Medical Officer. Most recently, Eric was Chief Development Officer at Aeglea Biotherapeutics where he led the medical organization and provided clinical leadership for multiple programs from pre-clinical through Phase 3. 

Prior to Aeglea, Eric was the Clinical Development Leader at GSK for mepolizumab across multiple indications including asthma and COPD. Before that Eric had a number of leadership roles at GSK spanning medical affairs, product strategy, and commercialization. Earlier in his career, he was Director of Business Development and Strategic Planning at DuPont Pharmaceuticals. 

He received his B.S. in economics from Davidson College; his M.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; his M.Sc. in Health Research and Policy from Stanford University and his MBA from the Darden School at the University of Virginia. Eric completed his training in internal medicine at Stanford University.

Ryan is a college student at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He has eosinophilic esophagitis as well as eosinophilic asthma and follows a restricted diet. Despite health issues, he leads an active life including travel, such as a semester abroad, and patient advocacy efforts. A long-time volunteer of APFED and supporter of the organization’s mission, Ryan has educated lawmakers on Capitol Hill about eosinophil-associated diseases and the unmet needs of the patients, has shaped educational programming, and has participated in research initiatives.

Mary Jo Strobel has 25 years of professional experience in the nonprofit sector with a specific focus on patient advocacy for allergic conditions. She has a broad background and direct experience in a multitude of initiatives related to patient education, disease awareness, advocacy, and research. She collaborates with research investigators, facilitates patient experience data, advises on recruitment strategies, and contributes to research design and protocol. She has co-authored numerous research abstracts and journal manuscripts. In addition to invitational speaking engagements around the U.S. and abroad to share insights and information to patients, providers, industry, government agencies, and other nonprofits, she also represents APFED as a member of the Consortium of Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disease Researchers; the Rare Disease Clinical Research Network Coalition of Patient Advocacy Groups; the Lay Organization Strategic Partnership of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology; and in several national and global collaboratives to identify and address unmet needs for eosinophil-associated disease.

Dr. Nicholas Hogan is a board-certified pulmonologist and critical care physician at UC San Diego Health. He specializes in pulmonary disease, critical care, and internal medicine, with active clinical and research roles. His research has contributed to understanding gene expression in pulmonary and vascular biology and the management of complex respiratory conditions.

Dr. Michael E. Wechsler is Professor of Medicine and Director of the Cohen Family Asthma Institute at National Jewish Health in Denver. He also serves as Director of the Asthma Program in the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine. Board certified in both Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Dr. Wechsler is internationally recognized for his expertise in asthma, eosinophilic lung diseases, and clinical trial design.

His research focuses on clinical and translational asthma, with emphasis on clinical trials, novel asthma therapies, bronchial thermoplasty, asthma pharmacogenomics, and the management of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Churg-Strauss Syndrome). Dr. Wechsler has led pivotal studies of biologic agents for asthma and related diseases, including benralizumab, dupilumab, mepolizumab, reslizumab, and tezepelumab.

Dr. Wechsler is a member of the Steering Committee and site Principal Investigator for the NIH-sponsored Asthma Clinical Research Network (AsthmaNet) and the Precision Intervention in Severe/Exacerbating Asthma (PRECISE) network. He is a member of the American Society of Clinical Investigation, has participated in numerous national and international task forces on eosinophilic lung diseases, and serves as Associate Editor for the journal Allergy.

Wendy Book, MD, has been involved in a volunteer capacity on the executive board of APFED, serving as the board’s President since 2009. She has led education, advocacy, research, and awareness efforts leading to the creation of National Eosinophil Awareness Week, NIH report language, the NIH Task Force on the Research Needs of Eosinophil-Associated Diseases (TREAD) document, insurance coverage of medical foods, and development of ICD-9-CM codes for eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases. She assisted in development of APFED’s HOPE on the Horizon Research Grant Program which has directed more than $2.3 million to research efforts to date. Her efforts have led to collaborations with other patient advocacy groups, physicians, medical societies, and federal agencies. Her experience as a parent of a chronically ill child, and as a physician, provides a unique perspective on the patient experience and challenges involved in navigating the medical system. 

Mary Jo Strobel has 25 years of professional experience in the nonprofit sector with a specific focus on patient advocacy for allergic conditions. She has a broad background and direct experience in a multitude of initiatives related to patient education, disease awareness, advocacy, and research. She collaborates with research investigators, facilitates patient experience data, advises on recruitment strategies, and contributes to research design and protocol. She has co-authored numerous research abstracts and journal manuscripts. In addition to invitational speaking engagements around the U.S. and abroad to share insights and information to patients, providers, industry, government agencies, and other nonprofits, she also represents APFED as a member of the Consortium of Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disease Researchers; the Rare Disease Clinical Research Network Coalition of Patient Advocacy Groups; the Lay Organization Strategic Partnership of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology; and in several national and global collaboratives to identify and address unmet needs for eosinophil-associated disease.

Dr. Aceves is Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine at UC San Diego and director of the Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disorders Clinic at Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego. She received her medical degree, her pediatrics residency training and her allergy/immunology fellowship training at UC San Diego. Dr. Aceves’ lab studies the longitudinal trajectory, clinical impact and molecular mechanisms of tissue remodeling on eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE).  Dr. Aceves is the MRD Endowed Chair in Pediatrics at UCSD and was elected to the American Society for Clinical Investigation in 2013.

Dr. Sagar Bapat is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Laboratory Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, and a member of the UCSF Cardiovascular Research Institute. Dr. Bapat’s research focuses on the intersection of immunology and metabolism, with a particular emphasis on engineering regulatory T cells to target and remodel adipose tissue. His innovative work aims to develop novel cell-based therapies to combat obesity and type 2 diabetes by promoting the conversion of energy-storing fat into energy-burning beige fat. Dr. Bapat is board certified in pathology and is committed to translating basic scientific discoveries into transformative treatments for metabolic diseases.

Ryan is a college student at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He has eosinophilic esophagitis as well as eosinophilic asthma and follows a restricted diet. Despite health issues, he leads an active life including travel, such as a semester abroad, and patient advocacy efforts. A long-time volunteer of APFED and supporter of the organization’s mission, Ryan has educated lawmakers on Capitol Hill about eosinophil-associated diseases and the unmet needs of the patients, has shaped educational programming, and has participated in research initiatives.

Mary Jo Strobel has 25 years of professional experience in the nonprofit sector with a specific focus on patient advocacy for allergic conditions. She has a broad background and direct experience in a multitude of initiatives related to patient education, disease awareness, advocacy, and research. She collaborates with research investigators, facilitates patient experience data, advises on recruitment strategies, and contributes to research design and protocol. She has co-authored numerous research abstracts and journal manuscripts. In addition to invitational speaking engagements around the U.S. and abroad to share insights and information to patients, providers, industry, government agencies, and other nonprofits, she also represents APFED as a member of the Consortium of Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disease Researchers; the Rare Disease Clinical Research Network Coalition of Patient Advocacy Groups; the Lay Organization Strategic Partnership of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology; and in several national and global collaboratives to identify and address unmet needs for eosinophil-associated disease.

Wendy Book, MD, has been involved in a volunteer capacity on the executive board of APFED, serving as the board’s President since 2009. She has led education, advocacy, research, and awareness efforts leading to the creation of National Eosinophil Awareness Week, NIH report language, the NIH Task Force on the Research Needs of Eosinophil-Associated Diseases (TREAD) document, insurance coverage of medical foods, and development of ICD-9-CM codes for eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases. She assisted in development of APFED’s HOPE on the Horizon Research Grant Program which has directed more than $2.3 million to research efforts to date. Her efforts have led to collaborations with other patient advocacy groups, physicians, medical societies, and federal agencies. Her experience as a parent of a chronically ill child, and as a physician, provides a unique perspective on the patient experience and challenges involved in navigating the medical system. 

Dr. Nurit Azouz is an Assistant Professor-Affiliate in the Division of Allergy and Immunology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Her research combines basic and translational approaches to investigate how the regulation of proteolytic activity—specifically, the balance between proteases and protease inhibitors—impacts host defense, epithelial barrier function, and the development of allergic and inflammatory diseases. Dr. Azouz’s lab focuses on deciphering the molecular mechanisms that disrupt this balance, with the goal of developing novel strategies to control proteolytic activity and treat immune-mediated diseases. 

Dr. Mehta is a pediatric gastroenterologist at Children’s Hospital Colorado. Her clinical and research interests include finding innovative methods of improving treatment adherence in adolescents and young adults with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). Specifically, she is interested in the application of health psychology and in the use of digital health tools to reach patients outside of the traditional clinical setting. Her goals are to perform multidisciplinary and pragmatic research with patient input to improve outcomes in EoE.

Ryan is a college student at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He has eosinophilic esophagitis as well as eosinophilic asthma and follows a restricted diet. Despite health issues, he leads an active life including travel, such as a semester abroad, and patient advocacy efforts. A long-time volunteer of APFED and supporter of the organization’s mission, Ryan has educated lawmakers on Capitol Hill about eosinophil-associated diseases and the unmet needs of the patients, has shaped educational programming, and has participated in research initiatives.

Mary Jo Strobel has 25 years of professional experience in the nonprofit sector with a specific focus on patient advocacy for allergic conditions. She has a broad background and direct experience in a multitude of initiatives related to patient education, disease awareness, advocacy, and research. She collaborates with research investigators, facilitates patient experience data, advises on recruitment strategies, and contributes to research design and protocol. She has co-authored numerous research abstracts and journal manuscripts. In addition to invitational speaking engagements around the U.S. and abroad to share insights and information to patients, providers, industry, government agencies, and other nonprofits, she also represents APFED as a member of the Consortium of Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disease Researchers; the Rare Disease Clinical Research Network Coalition of Patient Advocacy Groups; the Lay Organization Strategic Partnership of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology; and in several national and global collaboratives to identify and address unmet needs for eosinophil-associated disease.

Wendy Book, MD, has been involved in a volunteer capacity on the executive board of APFED, serving as the board’s President since 2009. She has led education, advocacy, research, and awareness efforts leading to the creation of National Eosinophil Awareness Week, NIH report language, the NIH Task Force on the Research Needs of Eosinophil-Associated Diseases (TREAD) document, insurance coverage of medical foods, and development of ICD-9-CM codes for eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases. She assisted in development of APFED’s HOPE on the Horizon Research Grant Program which has directed more than $2.3 million to research efforts to date. Her efforts have led to collaborations with other patient advocacy groups, physicians, medical societies, and federal agencies. Her experience as a parent of a chronically ill child, and as a physician, provides a unique perspective on the patient experience and challenges involved in navigating the medical system. 

Dr. Stanislaw Gabryszewski is an attending physician in the Division of Allergy and Immunology at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and an assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. Dr. Gabryszewski’s research leverages electronic health record data to characterize developmental patterns of pediatric allergies, identify risk factors for allergic trajectories, and ultimately develop allergic disease prediction models.

Dr. Corey Ketchem is a Clinical Instructor of Gastroenterology at Northwestern University. He completed his fellowship at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where he also earned a Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiology. He received his medical degree from the University of Louisville School of Medicine and completed his internal medicine residency at the University of North Carolina. Dr. Ketchem’s clinical and research interests include the epidemiology of eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases, comparative effectiveness of therapies, and scalable AI solutions for research. He is dedicated to advancing patient care through evidence-based medicine and has been recognized for his academic and research achievements.

Dr. Simin Zhang is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Allergy and Immunology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Her clinical and research interests include using translational approaches to study the mechanisms and consequences of mast cell activation in eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases.

Dr. Sandeep Gupta is a board-certified pediatric gastroenterologist and a leading expert in eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders (EGIDs), currently serving as the Division Director and David E. Dixon Endowed Chair in Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Children's of Alabama. He assumed this role in April 2023, following nearly three decades of distinguished academic and clinical service at Indiana University School of Medicine and Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis. 

Renowned for his clinical and research expertise in eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases, Dr. Gupta has held key leadership positions such as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition and vice-chair of the Pediatric Growth and Development Biology Section of the American Gastroenterological Association Institute. He is also the co-director of the training core and chair of the publications committee for the Consortium of Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Diseases Researchers (CEGIR).

Ryan is a college student at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He has eosinophilic esophagitis as well as eosinophilic asthma and follows a restricted diet. Despite health issues, he leads an active life including travel, such as a semester abroad, and patient advocacy efforts. A long-time volunteer of APFED and supporter of the organization’s mission, Ryan has educated lawmakers on Capitol Hill about eosinophil-associated diseases and the unmet needs of the patients, has shaped educational programming, and has participated in research initiatives.

Mary Jo Strobel has 25 years of professional experience in the nonprofit sector with a specific focus on patient advocacy for allergic conditions. She has a broad background and direct experience in a multitude of initiatives related to patient education, disease awareness, advocacy, and research. She collaborates with research investigators, facilitates patient experience data, advises on recruitment strategies, and contributes to research design and protocol. She has co-authored numerous research abstracts and journal manuscripts. In addition to invitational speaking engagements around the U.S. and abroad to share insights and information to patients, providers, industry, government agencies, and other nonprofits, she also represents APFED as a member of the Consortium of Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disease Researchers; the Rare Disease Clinical Research Network Coalition of Patient Advocacy Groups; the Lay Organization Strategic Partnership of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology; and in several national and global collaboratives to identify and address unmet needs for eosinophil-associated disease.

Dr. Hill is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and an Attending Physician in the Division of Allergy and Immunology at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Dr. Hill received his undergraduate education at Carnegie Mellon University, and his MD and PhD from the University of Pennsylvania where he studied with Dr. David Artis. He subsequently completed a pediatric residency and allergy and immunology fellowship at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and performed a post-doctoral fellowship with Dr. Mitchell Lazar. Dr. Hill runs a basic and translational research laboratory that studies the role of the immune system in pediatric allergy and obesity.

Mary Jo Strobel has 25 years of professional experience in the nonprofit sector with a specific focus on patient advocacy for allergic conditions. She has a broad background and direct experience in a multitude of initiatives related to patient education, disease awareness, advocacy, and research. She collaborates with research investigators, facilitates patient experience data, advises on recruitment strategies, and contributes to research design and protocol. She has co-authored numerous research abstracts and journal manuscripts. In addition to invitational speaking engagements around the U.S. and abroad to share insights and information to patients, providers, industry, government agencies, and other nonprofits, she also represents APFED as a member of the Consortium of Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disease Researchers; the Rare Disease Clinical Research Network Coalition of Patient Advocacy Groups; the Lay Organization Strategic Partnership of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology; and in several national and global collaboratives to identify and address unmet needs for eosinophil-associated disease.

Ryan is a college student at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He has eosinophilic esophagitis as well as eosinophilic asthma and follows a restricted diet. Despite health issues, he leads an active life including travel, such as a semester abroad, and patient advocacy efforts. A long-time volunteer of APFED and supporter of the organization’s mission, Ryan has educated lawmakers on Capitol Hill about eosinophil-associated diseases and the unmet needs of the patients, has shaped educational programming, and has participated in research initiatives.

Dr. Jensen is a professor of epidemiology with specific expertise in reproductive, perinatal, pediatric epidemiology. Her research primarily focuses on etiologic factors in the development of pediatric, immune-mediated chronic disease, including understanding factors contributing to disparities in health outcomes. Dr. Jensen earned both her MPH and PhD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and completed a postdoctoral fellowship with the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) in biomarker-based epidemiology. In addition to her appointment in Epidemiology and Prevention at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, she holds a joint appointment in the Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, and an adjunct appointment at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the Department of Medicine.  She serves as the Research Director for the GI fellowship program at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. Dr. Jensen leads several on-going cohort studies, including a study leveraging administrative databases and resources in Denmark to study in utero and early life environmental exposures in interaction with genotype in the development of eosinophilic esophagitis.   She also co-leads a study designed to characterize early life exposure to antibiotics through microspatial assessment of deciduous teeth in children, examining antibiotics in interaction for susceptibility genotype in development of eosinophilic esophagitis. As an investigator in the Consortium for Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disease Researchers (CEGIR) she co-leads a study of clinical management of food bolus impaction at the time of emergency department encounters, with a goal of identifying opportunities to improve patient care at the time of these emergency department encounters. She also has on-going projects designed to elucidate novel markers in predicting treatment response for EoE patients. Dr. Jensen also serves on the EGID Partners registry scientific advisory committee and contributes actively to the patient-directed research supported through EGID Partners.

Mary Jo Strobel has 25 years of professional experience in the nonprofit sector with a specific focus on patient advocacy for allergic conditions. She has a broad background and direct experience in a multitude of initiatives related to patient education, disease awareness, advocacy, and research. She collaborates with research investigators, facilitates patient experience data, advises on recruitment strategies, and contributes to research design and protocol. She has co-authored numerous research abstracts and journal manuscripts. In addition to invitational speaking engagements around the U.S. and abroad to share insights and information to patients, providers, industry, government agencies, and other nonprofits, she also represents APFED as a member of the Consortium of Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disease Researchers; the Rare Disease Clinical Research Network Coalition of Patient Advocacy Groups; the Lay Organization Strategic Partnership of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology; and in several national and global collaboratives to identify and address unmet needs for eosinophil-associated disease.

Dr. Pradeep P. Nazarey is a physician executive with over two decades of clinical and medical affairs experience. Currently serving as Medical Director at Sanofi, he leads U.S. medical strategy for next-generation respiratory therapies in asthma. His career spans roles in both adult and pediatric surgery and leadership in gastroenterology and immunology at Takeda, where he helped guide innovative therapies from clinical trials to launch. A strong advocate for patient-centered care, Dr. Nazarey actively collaborates with healthcare providers, researchers, and advocacy groups to improve education and outcomes in chronic diseases. He is also a dedicated husband, father of two boys, mentor, educator, and community volunteer.