Food Allergy Management in Schools (FAMS) Webinar Series

Join us for "Food Allergy Management in Schools (FAMS): Webinar #1," the first installment of a three-part webinar series designed specifically for school professionals—including teachers, nurses, administrators, and staff. For Part 1, we are pleased to feature Liz Dixon, MS, from the Institute of Child Nutrition, as a guest speaker in conversation with Kelly Cleary, MD, FAAP. Their session will underscore the critical role of educating school staff about food allergies, equipping participants with practical resources for effective training and up-to-date guidance on proper documentation practices. Attendees will also learn best practices for managing food allergies in food service settings, ensuring the safety and well-being of all students. Presented by FARE in collaboration with the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics, this series offers essential knowledge and actionable strategies to help school communities confidently support students with food allergy.

Join us for one or all of these webinars, so mark your calendar for “Food Allergy Management in Schools (FAMS): Webinar #2,” scheduled for March 12, 2026, and “Food Allergy Management in Schools (FAMS): Webinar #3,” scheduled for April 30, 2026. In upcoming sessions, we will explore essential school and classroom best practices to prevent food allergy exposure, discuss emergency management strategies, and emphasize the value of collaboration within the school community to ensure a safer, more welcoming environment for every student. We are excited to welcome Michael Pistiner, MD, MMSc, and Linda Neumann, RN, PLNC, as guest speakers for these events.

Sign up for all three webinars today!

About the Panelists

Kelly Cleary, MD, FAAP

Dr. Kelly Cleary is the Medical Director for FARE and Vice President of Health and Education. She oversees FARE’s national education efforts and maintains a variety of programs, resources, and relationships for the food allergic, their families, and caregivers. Previously, Kelly was the Medical Director of Psychopharmacology for PM Behavioral Health, where she was responsible for the oversight of medication management and operations for the behavioral health service. Kelly also co-founded UrgiKids, a pediatric urgent care in Naperville, Illinois, which was subsequently acquired by PM Pediatrics. A graduate of Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Kelly completed her Pediatrics residency at New York Presbyterian Cornell, and finished her Pediatric Emergency Medicine fellowship at NYU-Bellevue. She is currently pursuing a master’s in public health degree at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Liz Dixon, MS

Liz Dixon is a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience in the food and health industry. Since 2013, she has served as an Education and Training Specialist at the Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN), where she develops practical, research-based food safety educational resources—covering topics such as food allergies—for K–12 schools, CACFP, and SFSP programs.

Liz holds a Master’s degree in Food, Nutrition, and Culinary Sciences from Clemson University and a Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and Food Science from Auburn University. She has earned certificates in Designing Learning, Microlearning, and Writing for Instructional Design and Training through ATD Education, strengthening her expertise in adult learning and instructional development. 

In addition to her work at ICN, Liz is a certified Health Coach and Personal Trainer through the American Council on Exercise (ACE), an AFAA-certified Group Fitness Instructor, and a licensed Zumba Instructor. She is passionate about promoting wellness and enjoys leading group fitness classes and hiking with her dogs in her free time.

Linda Neumann, RN, PLNC

Linda Neumann is a registered professional nurse with 49 years of pediatric healthcare experience. She has practiced in the hospital setting, school nursing and currently as an Independent School Health Services Consultant. She is the lead author of the National Association of School Nurses (NASN), 2023 Allergy & Anaphylaxis Clinical Practice Guidelines Implementation Toolkit. She also served as the NASN representative on the Food Allergy Management in Schools (FAMS): Expert Recommendation advisory committee and currently serves on the FARE Education Advisory Committee. Linda has a passion for advocacy, engaging stakeholders to support legislation that improves healthcare outcomes for children/youth. 

She has served in several positions including President and Legislative Chair for the Missouri Association of School Nurses, Missouri Director to NASN and Secretary/Treasurer for NASN. She has been a long-time member of the Missouri Coordinated School Health Coalition, Asthma and Allergy Foundation – Midwest, Brain Injury Association of Missouri, Missouri Injury and Violence Prevention Advisory Committee, Missouri Immunization Coalition, and the Human Trafficking Collaborative Network (housed at Washington University). Linda served as guest faculty on the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery ECHO Series as well as liaison from NASN on the AAP’s Emerging Threats Project and the upcoming Infection Prevention and Control School-based Health ECHO series.

Michael Pistiner, MD, MMSc

Michael Pistiner, MD, MMSc, is Director of Food Allergy Advocacy, Education and Prevention for the MassGeneral Hospital for Children, Food Allergy Center. He has special interests in food allergy and anaphylaxis education and advocacy, infant food allergy management, healthcare provider education, facilitating collaborations between the medical home and school health, and maintaining quality of life in children (and their families) with food allergies.

Dr. Pistiner is a fellow in the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), where he is a member of the Section on Allergy and Immunology Executive Committee, Council on School Health and the Massachusetts Chapter of the AAP. He is also a member of the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology and the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. 

Additionally, he serves on the medical advisory board of Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America, New England Chapter and is a voluntary consultant for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health School Health Service Unit. He is author of Everyday Cool With Food Allergies, co-author of the Living Confidently With Food Allergy handbook, and co-founder and content creator of AllergyHome.org.