WEBINAR: Caring for Every Child: Food Allergy, Food Insecurity & Equity in Schools

Monday, October 20, 3:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m. ET

Join us on Monday, October 20, at 3:00 p.m. ET, for an informative webinar exploring the landscape of food allergies in schools, with a special focus on Title I school settings. This webinar will give an overview of federal legislation, including the School-Based Allergies and Asthma Management Program Act (H.R. 2468), as well as the report, Food Allergy Management in Schools (FAMS): Expert Recommendations for K–12.

This session will highlight the unique challenges faced by Title I schools, including the intersection of food allergies and food insecurity, and how these factors impact student health and well-being. We'll also discuss practical, evidence-based strategies for creating inclusive and safe school environments for all students. Participants will be equipped with resources they can put into practice right away and share with students and families. 

Drawing from the FAMS expert recommendations, this webinar will offer actionable insights and recommendations for school nurses, staff, administrators, and parents/caregivers.

About the Speakers

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.

Wendy Gordon Pake

Wendy Gordon Pake is the Founder and Executive Director of FOODiversity, a national nonprofit that increases food and health education access for people who are experiencing food insecurity while managing food allergies, celiac disease or other diet-treated diseases. Nearly 30 years ago, Pake began collaborating with fellow national food allergy advocates to increase awareness about the needs of her child, and others, impacted by allergic disease.Pake’s firsthand challenges obtaining necessary food allergy resources for her child motivated her, in 2020, to establish FOODiversity. Pake’s focus is on the intersection of diet-treated diseases, underserved communities, and healthcare. FOODiversity connects the most at-risk populations with resources needed to increase positive health outcomes and improve quality of life.

Pake’s research has been published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, and FOODiversity’s work featured by Allergic Living magazine, Allergy & Asthma Network, Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), Ajinomoto Cambrooke (essentiallybetter.com), FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education), Healio (Healio.com) and others. 

Pake holds a BS in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill and an MS in Human Resource Development from Georgia State University.