Meet The FAC Advisors!

[May 2024 Update: I am now the Chief Advisor for the Academy of Food Allergy Counseling, which now houses the Food Allergy Counseling Directory and therapist network I founded. This organizational transition will help support the continued growth of both the therapist directory and professional network. These advisors are also part of the advisory team for the Academy, too].

When an organization finds itself in growth mode, it's important to have a team that understands the vision, supports the mission, and is equally dedicated to the purpose. So, as The FAC started focusing on 2023 growth goals, it became time to expand the team.

Therefore, I'm SO excited for you to meet The FAC Advisors! These individuals were selected because they are forward-thinking change-makers who are passionate about positively impacting the allergy community. Each brings a variety of talents and is already making a mark in this community, so it's an honor to have them on The FAC team to offer guidance as we continue to expand!

Without further ado, let me introduce you to these amazing individuals! To read more about these advisors, and The FAC's mission, visions, values, and story, visit the About The FAC page.

Alice Hoyt, MD is a food allergist who is focused on whole-patient care, and her allergy practice does just that. At The Hoyt Institute for Food Allergy, patients receive individualized care that includes access to an allergy-informed therapist at each step. In addition to her practice, Dr. Hoyt is the co-host of the Food Allergy and Your Kiddo podcast, and the executive director of Code Ana, an organization with a mission of optimizing safety for all students at school.

Olga Kagan, PhD, RN is a registered nurse, researcher, and educator with experiences across different healthcare settings inside and outside of the United States. Dr. Kagan has a passion for developing impactful resources and changes within the allergy community. She has been invited to contribute to textbooks, articles, and presentations in areas of healthcare informatics and innovation, health policy, and anaphylaxis education, receiving several awards for her contributions to research and leadership.

Paige Freeman, PhD is a psychologist and experienced allergy parent. As a PsyPact-approved psychologist, Dr. Freeman is licensed to provide allergy-focused therapeutic services in 32 states via telehealth - and that number continues to grow! She is passionate about educating food-allergic individuals (and their families and friends) about the very real psychosocial stressors of managing food allergies, and as such, is a frequent contributor to FARE. Additionally, Dr. Freeman is one of only a few alpha-gal-informed mental health providers in the United States.

Lori Moussapour, MA, LCSW is a therapist, coach, consultant, and educator. She has both a Master's Degree in Education and a Master's of Social Work, as well as years of advanced training in areas such as Emotional Literacy (Yale University Center for Emotional Intelligence), Emotionally Focused Therapy, and Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies. Through her private practice, To Empower U, she focuses on helping people with the social and emotional burdens of living with food allergies. Lori also serves as an advisor to Equal Eats, whose mission is to support eating out safely, despite dietary restrictions, and she leads a peer consultation group for allergy-informed therapists through the Food Allergy Behavioral Health Network.

Javier Evelyn is the Founder & CEO of digital health drug delivery company Alerje, where they create and deliver innovation that transforms the lives of over 220 million families worldwide living with food allergies to help make every moment count. In addition to being a founding team member of MedTech Color, he currently sits on the boards of the Accelerate Blue Fund at the University of Michigan, MATTER Health, AdvaMed Accel, and the 'Case for Investment' Advisory Committee at Rock Health. Previously, he was named as an awardee of the inaugural Black Founders Fund by Google for Startups, made the 2019 Crain’s Detroit Business 40 Under 40 list, served as the 2017 Google x CODE2040 Detroit EIR, and served as a Millennial Advisory Board Member at First Independence Bank.

Francesca Rose has a Bachelor’s degree in Math and Music and is a freelance cellist and cello instructor. She has served as President of the Utah Food Allergy Network (UFAN) since May 2021, after having served as board secretary from 2018-2021. Her food allergy advocacy journey began 18 years ago when her youngest daughter was born with a food allergy to all milk proteins. Francesca is an active volunteer in her community and church and cares deeply about helping the world be a better place for everyone. In addition to advocating for safe inclusivity for those with food allergies, she has advocated for women, families, and children at the United Nations and other venues. She is motivated by the belief that serving others through education and advocacy creates positive change in the world. 

Now that you've learned more about them, you probably understand the excitement about this amazing team of advisors who are helping to guide the growth and expansion of The FAC. So, please help me welcome them all, and I hope you check out their links to learn more about their work within the allergy community!