Dr. Quinn is a pediatric gastroenterologist at Children's Hospital of Colorado with a special focus in eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders. She earned her medical degree from the University of Maryland. School of Medicine and subsequently completed her residency in pediatrics at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. She completed her fellowship training in Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and joined as faculty in 2023. At Children's Hospital of Colorado, she cares for patients in the multidisciplinary Gastrointestinal Eosinophilic Diseases program and carries out clinical research focusing on children with eosinophilic gastritis and duodenitis.

Calies Menard‑Katcher, MD, MSCS, is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and a pediatric gastroenterologist at Children’s Hospital Colorado and the University of Colorado School of Medicine, where she specializes in eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases. In her clinical practice, she partners closely with patients and families to navigate complex treatment decisions with the goal of reducing symptom burden and improving quality of life. Dr. Menard-Katcher leads a clinical and translational research program focused on optimizing management strategies for patients with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), with particular emphasis on understanding the mechanisms and clinical implications of fibrostenotic remodeling. In addition to her research and clinical work, Dr. Menard-Katcher serves as Clinical Research Director for the Digestive Health Institute, Associate Director of Clinical Research for the Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Diseases Program, and Medical Director for the Colorado Child Health Research Institute at Children’s Hospital Colorado.

Allison Hicks, MD, is a pediatric allergist and immunologist with clinical and academic expertise in food allergy and eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders. She cares for children and adolescents with complex allergic diseases, including food allergy, anaphylaxis, EoE, and related conditions, with a strong focus on patient- and family-centered education. Dr. Hicks is an active member of the multidisciplinary Gastrointestinal Eosinophilic Disease Program (GEDP) clinic at Children’s Hospital Colorado, where she collaborates closely with other specialists to provide comprehensive care for patients with eosinophilic GI disorders. Her clinical interests include improving quality of life for patients with food allergy, navigating evolving treatment options, and supporting families through shared decision-making. Dr. Hicks is passionate about translating emerging research into practical, understandable information that empowers patients and caregivers to confidently manage their conditions.

Taryn is a pediatric clinical dietitian, accredited by the Commission on Dietetic Registration since 2014 and has been at Children’s Hospital Colorado ever since. Taryn specializes in working with patients with food allergies on restricted diets in the Allergy and Immunology Clinic. She also is a team member in the Gastrointestinal Eosinophilic Diseases Program supporting patients and their families with eosinophilic esophagitis. She is a member of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) and the International Network of Dietitians and Nutritionists in Allergy (INDANA). Aside from her clinical work with patients, she is a preceptor and educator for dietetic interns and new dietitians interested in practicing in the food allergy world.

Beth is the Founder and Immediate Past President of APFED. After stepping away from day-to-day leadership in 2009, she continued her commitment to improving the lives of patients with gastrointestinal disorders and eosinophil-associated diseases (EADs) by taking on leadership roles in the biotechnology and medical device industries. Her career has included sales, patient advocacy, Thought Leader engagement, and strategic partnership positions with QOL Medical, Amicus Therapeutics, NeurAxis, EvoEndo, and Discovery Advocacy USA. Drawing on both patient advocacy and commercial expertise, she has spent more than two decades building bridges between patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals, researchers, and industry partners to advance education, access, and innovation in rare and chronic diseases. Beth is the proud mother of four adult children, grandmother to four grandchildren, and devoted pet parent to two dogs and a cat.

Dr. Lisa Spencer is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine and is the Scientific Director of the Gastrointestinal Eosinophilic Diseases Program at the Children’s Hospital Colorado. She received her PhD from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and completed her postdoctoral training in the Department of Medicine at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, where she also served on the faculty of Medicine from 2009 until 2018, before relocating her laboratory to CU Anschutz. Dr. Spencer’s main research interest is understanding how eosinophils promote health and/or exacerbate disease and leveraging this understanding to innovate new and improved approaches to treat eosinophil-associated diseases. She is passionate about basic discovery research as a foundation for transforming tomorrow’s clinical care. The translational scope of her research includes eosinophilic GI disorders (EGIDs), IBD, hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES), food allergies, and eosinophilic asthma.

Dr. Pia J. Hauk is a Professor of Pediatrics, Allergy and Immunology, at the University of Colorado School of Medicine (UCSM) and Children’s Hospital Colorado (CHCO). After her medical training in Germany, she moved to the US in 1994 to work as a research fellow at National Jewish Health (NJH) in Denver. She then completed a pediatric residency at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and a pediatric allergy/immunology fellowship at NJH/UCSM. As faculty at NJH, she pursued studies on pathogenic mechanisms of asthma and allergic diseases and took care of patients, from 2014 until 2020 as the director of pediatric clinical services. Shen then joined the faculty at CHCO where she is providing care for patients with immune dysregulation, mast cell disorders, and allergic diseases. She enjoys working with complex patients using a multidisciplinary approach as in the gastrointestinal eosinophilic diseases gastrointestinal (GEDP) multidisciplinary clinic.

Dr. Book 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. Jane R. Robinson is currently a Pediatric Clinical Psychologist, Associate Professor: University of Colorado School of Medicine and Children’s Hospital of Colorado (CHOC) Section of Allergy and Immunology. She has practiced as a Pediatric Psychologist for 25 years at both National Jewish Health and CHOC where she has treated children and families struggling with atopic conditions, including food allergies, asthma, eosinophilic diseases, and a myriad of chronic medical conditions. Her areas of clinical and research interest include managing and treating anxiety and depression in the context of chronic pediatric medical conditions, developing age-appropriate coping skills, providing parent training, and facilitating patient care within a multidisciplinary team approach. Her research interests are focused on eosinophilic disease and the psychosocial variables that give rise to stress and anxiety.

Jim DeLano is the parent of a disabled young adult, combining corporate expertise with a personal dedication to patient advocacy. As a member of the Board of Directors for the American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders (APFED) and the owner of Disability Advocacy Solutions, LLC. His advocacy is directly inspired by his young adult child, who lives with an eosinophilic-associated disease and other rare conditions. Professionally, Jim serves as an environmental affairs manager at a national energy company, specializing in corporate governance, risk mitigation, and regulatory policy and strategy development. By merging corporate acumen in regulatory strategy and compliance with firsthand insight into the rare disease community, Jim is committed to empowering families, improving educational and medical accommodations, and advancing clinical awareness for underserved patient populations.

Dawn McCoy is a patient-parent advocate and executive leader with more than 25 years of experience in nonprofit leadership and public policy. 

As the mother of a teenager thriving with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) and other complex medical conditions, she is committed to advancing awareness, research, and support for individuals and families affected by eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases (EGIDs). 

As a member of the APFED Board of Directors, Dawn served on the 2023 CEGIR Diversity Committee, helping advance patient engagement and inclusion in eosinophilic disease research. Her advocacy efforts supported the passage of Virginia's 2015 food allergy awareness legislation, which improved restaurant training on food allergy safety and allergen awareness. She partnered with the Children's Hospital of Richmond at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) to host educational programs and community events for patients, families, and healthcare providers and co-founded an informal regional network connecting Central Virginia families affected by eosinophilic diseases. Her leadership has been recognized with APFED's Elizabeth Allen Community Service Award and as a finalist for the VCU Parent Engagement Award.

Jim DeLano is the parent of a disabled young adult, combining corporate expertise with a personal dedication to patient advocacy. As a member of the Board of Directors for the American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disorders (APFED) and the owner of Disability Advocacy Solutions, LLC. His advocacy is directly inspired by his young adult child, who lives with an eosinophilic-associated disease and other rare conditions. Professionally, Jim serves as an environmental affairs manager at a national energy company, specializing in corporate governance, risk mitigation, and regulatory policy and strategy development. By merging corporate acumen in regulatory strategy and compliance with firsthand insight into the rare disease community, Jim is committed to empowering families, improving educational and medical accommodations, and advancing clinical awareness for underserved patient populations.

Beth is the Founder and Immediate Past President of APFED. After stepping away from day-to-day leadership in 2009, she continued her commitment to improving the lives of patients with gastrointestinal disorders and eosinophil-associated diseases (EADs) by taking on leadership roles in the biotechnology and medical device industries. Her career has included sales, patient advocacy, Thought Leader engagement, and strategic partnership positions with QOL Medical, Amicus Therapeutics, NeurAxis, EvoEndo, and Discovery Advocacy USA. Drawing on both patient advocacy and commercial expertise, she has spent more than two decades building bridges between patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals, researchers, and industry partners to advance education, access, and innovation in rare and chronic diseases. Beth is the proud mother of four adult children, grandmother to four grandchildren, and devoted pet parent to two dogs and a cat.

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.

Julia L. M. Dunn, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado, and her research laboratory is a part of the Gastrointestinal Eosinophilic Diseases Program at Children’s Hospital of Colorado. She completed her PhD in Immunology at UNC-Chapel Hill and postdoctoral research at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. Work in the Dunn lab focuses on how eosinophils shape, and are shaped by, the mucosal environment, with the goal of identifying novel therapeutic targets for eosinophilic diseases. Her group uses in vitro methods, including esophageal organoid culture and primary human eosinophils, as well as murine models of eosinophilic disease, to understand how eosinophils contribute to changes within epithelial and structural cells lining the gastrointestinal tract. Her lab is funded by a New Innovators Award (DP2) from NIAID and an APFED HOPE Pilot Grant. 

Chris T. Derk, MD, MS, is Professor of Clinical Medicine in the Division of Rheumatology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He specializes in systemic sclerosis (scleroderma) and other fibrotic autoimmune connective tissue disorders, including eosinophilic fasciitis, as well as Raynaud's phenomenon and systemic lupus erythematosus. Dr. Derk's research focuses on the clinical outcomes, treatment, and disease mechanisms of scleroderma and related connective tissue diseases. He has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and has contributed to advancing the understanding and management of eosinophilic fasciitis through both clinical care and research.

Dr. Gregory Constantine is an Assistant Research Physician at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases where he is an investigator on multiple protocols addressing eosinophilic disorders including hypereosinophilic syndromes and eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases and serves as a site-investigator for the Consortium of Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Researchers (CEGIR). His research primarily centers on eosinophil development, the interactions between eosinophils and sensory nerves in the gastrointestinal tract, and understanding how environmental factors, including those linked to immigration, impact the risk of eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders.

Dr. Nicholas Hogan is a board-certified pulmonologist and critical care physician and an Assistant Professor in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care at UC San Diego Health. He specializes in pulmonary disease, critical care, and internal medicine. He also has active clinical and research roles in asthma and eosinophilic pulmonary diseases. His research has contributed to understanding of how gene expression is regulated in pulmonary and vascular biology, and his recent work focuses on immune cells such as eosinophils, neutrophils, and T cells in eosinophilic disorders.

Dr. Book 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.

Lea Fowler is a respected ERISA advocate. In 2009, Lea graduated from DeVry University with a Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management. She has been using ERISA since 2008 to make insurance companies and employers comply with ERISA law. Lea has experience in appealing multiple fields of healthcare such as oncology, cardiology, surgery, and more in a hospital, ambulatory surgery center, group, or individual provider settings.

Terry Wilcox is the co-founder and Chief Mission Officer of Patients Rising, a national organization advancing patient-centered healthcare policy through education, advocacy, and accountability. She leads policy strategy, public engagement, and thought leadership focused on access, affordability, transparency, and innovation. Terry is a widely published healthcare commentator and a frequent moderator of policy discussions bringing together patients, policymakers, and healthcare leaders.

Kathryn Peterson, MD, MS, is a Senior Associate Consultant and gastroenterologist at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. She is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine. Dr. Peterson specializes in diagnosing and treating diseases of the digestive system including Eosinophilic Esophagitis, Barrett’s Esophagus, and inflammatory bowel disease. She completed her medical degree at the University of Texas Southwestern, followed by residency and a fellowship at the University of Utah and a master's program in Epidemiology at Harvard University.