Narrative Health in Action: Food Allergies Through the Lens of Lived Experience

Jeremy A. Abbate is the Vice President & Publisher of Scientific American and all of its related titles. He founded Scientific American’s biotechnology brand extension, Worldview, as well as many other new programs and collaborative ventures in global health, planetary sustainability, energy, security, and neuroscience. Abbate appears frequently at conferences and events to facilitate high-level discussions on healthcare, innovative science and technology, policy, and scientific entrepreneurship. He has spearheaded co-branded partnerships with several international organizations and corporate entities, including The Carter Center, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Johnson & Johnson and Google Health. His writing has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Psychology Today, and other national publications. Abbate penned the forward to the popular medical travel guide, Patients Beyond Borders. As a trained musician, performer and composer, he is passionate about the links between science and the arts. He lives outside of New York city with his family and mini cockapoo.

Sung Poblete, PhD, RN, is FARE’s CEO, having joined the organization in May 2022 from Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) where she served as Chief Executive Officer from 2011 to 2022. She has an extensive and varied background, receiving Bachelor and Master of Science degrees, as well as a PhD in nursing, from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. She began her teaching career at Rutgers over 25 years ago and continues to serve as a visiting associate professor at their School of Nursing. In 2016, Sung was inducted into Rutgers Hall of Distinguished Alumni, joining a select group of more than 200 honorees across Rutgers’ 256-year history who have devoted time and energy to the greater good of society. Early in her career, Poblete held executive positions with a focus on patient outcomes and disease management. Notably, as vice president of clinical operations for a subsidiary of Fresenius Medical Care North America, she developed and implemented a national chronic kidney disease management program. As executive director of the Oxford Health Plans Foundation, she facilitated grants that furthered research and programs aimed at improving health care delivery. The recipient of numerous high-level research funding grants from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation, and private foundations, Poblete also serves as a member of the Board of Directors for Apricity Health, and UbiVac.

Susan Kelly BSN, RN graduated from the University of Scranton in 1996. She is completing her master’s degree in Public Health at Hofstra University in 2026. Susan is the nurse manager at Happy and Healthy Pediatrics in Mineola, NY. Her past experience as a registered nurse includes general medicine, cardiology, electrophysiology, intensive care, emergency room, and primary care allergy and immunology. Susan and her husband Alan have four daughters. One daughter has food allergies, and another daughter has eosinophilic esophagitis. Inspired by her children, Susan has been advocating for the food allergic community for the past 15 years. She volunteers her time as the co-leader for Friends Helping Friends Food Allergy Support Group. She enjoys being a mom the most, and walking her dog, Charles.

Kathy Briden is Matthew Briden’s mom and a resident of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. Her proudest role is being the mom of three amazing kids. Matthew was Kathy and Peter’s vibrant, kind, and fun-loving middle child. His sudden death from a peanut allergy has left his family and friends grief stricken. This collective grief has slowly but passionately turned into a mission to educate others on the prevalence and severity of food allergies and collaborate with all stakeholders to improve safety for those living with food allergies in Pennsylvania.

Dr. Anna Nowak-Wegrzyn is a pediatrician specializing in the prevention and treatment of childhood allergies, driven by a deep interest in understanding the rising prevalence of food allergies in developed countries. One of the few pediatricians worldwide board certified in allergy and immunology, she directs the Pediatric Allergy Program at Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone, where she helps families manage allergies and reduce future risk. Her work includes early allergen introduction for high‑risk infants and comprehensive care for conditions such as asthma, atopic dermatitis, and anaphylaxis. She builds long‑term relationships with patients from infancy through adolescence, guiding families through each developmental stage with empathy, clear communication, and shared decision‑making. Grounded in the Hippocratic principle to “cure sometimes, treat often, comfort always,” she brings competence, compassion, and cultural sensitivity to every encounter. Reflecting her leadership in the field, she serves on the board of directors of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology and is the Associate Editor for the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.