To connect with other TIP parents, we encourage to reach out to our volunteers or join our Facebook Groups!
Volunteers
Curious about what it’s like to travel to our clinic? Not sure what Remission and food freedom really look like? Worried about fitting in your child’s sports practice with their dosing cycle? How will your child manage to keep up the program once they go off to college?
Reach out to any of our parent volunteers to ask them any questions and learn more about their own personal experience in the Tolerance Induction Program. If you have a specific question for a volunteer that isn’t noted below, please email us at volunteers@tpirc.org.
Our Parent Volunteers
Melinda Kim: mkim.volunteer@tpirc.org
- Multiple kids in the program, travels from East Coast, prior OIT failure, on SLIT, asthma and eczema, allergens include egg, nuts, legumes, seeds, and shellfish
- Has child in Remission
Hillary Schwartz: hschwartz.volunteer@tpirc.org
- Travels from East Coast, teenager in the program, asthma, allergens include tree nuts
- Started August 2020
Annabel Estevan: aestevan.volunteer@tpirc.org
- Teenager in the program, travels from Texas, peanut allergen
- Started March 2020
Michelle Pease: mpease.volunteer@tpirc.org
- Local travel, long-time patient
- Has child in Remission
Lou Dessart: ldessart.volunteer@tpirc.org
- Multiple teenagers in the program, child suffers from anxiety from first reaction and does EMDR and therapy, peanut allergen
- Started June 2019
Jenny Stackle: jstackle.volunteer@tpirc.org
- Teenager in the program, active with sports, local travel, allergens include tree nuts and peanut
- Started November 2019
Susan Baldner: sbaldner.volunteer@tpirc.org
- College-aged child in the program, severe environmental allergies, local travel, allergens include tree nuts and peanut
- Has child in Remission
Katherine Rutigliano: krutigliano@tpirc.org
- Chef and passionate advocate for food safety
- Based in Washington.
- Allergens include Almond, Almond, Hazelnut, Sesame, Walnut, Egg, Pine Nut, Wheat, Fish, Milk.
- Comfortable helping parents with children from the age of 2-5.
Karly Bignotti-Cook: kbignotti-cook@tpirc.org
- Registered Nurse and Attorney
- Based in Michigan.
- Highly sympathetic to patients in the launch phase of their Food Freedom Journey.
- Allergens include peanuts, seeds, eggs, fish, and milk.
- She has experience helping patients from age 0 to 5.
Holly Leatherman: hleatherman@tpirc.org
- Maryland-based TIP Mom who has successfully led her two children to Remission.
- Having begun the program during COVID, she has great experience overcoming isolation and tough times.
- Great resource for substituting food in cooking..
- Allergens include: Almond, Chestnut, Peanut, Seeds, Beans/Legumes, Coconut, Hazelnut, Pecan, Sesame, Walnut, Brazil Nut, Egg, Macadamia, Pine Nut, Cashew, Pistachio
- Comfortable helping families with children from 3 to 21 years old.
Melissa Mooney: mmooney@tpirc.org
- Australia-based mother who has advocated for international FAI families.
- She has created opportunities to facilitate the TIP program for families and continues to show her support, expertise, and empathy to her fellow TIP Families.
Elizabeth Hischke: bhischke@tpirc.org
- Wisconsin-based TIP Mom who has successfully led her daughter to Remission.
- A great resource for those who second guess their ability to go through the program.
- Allergens include: Cashews, Pistachio, Tree nuts, and Sunflowers.
- Comfortable helping families with children from 6 to 21 years old.
Brittany Rosenbaum: brosenbaum.volunteer@tpirc.org
- New York-based TIP mom to a four-year-old son
- Happy to offer support to anyone currently undergoing treatment
- Currently treating allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, and seeds
- Comfortable helping families with children under 10
Alexica Laye: alaye@tpirc.org
- Texas-based TIP Mom who has a teen daughter in the program
- A great resource to POC in the program and those searching for allergy-friendly cosmetics
- Allergens Include: Almond, Chestnut, Peanut, Hazelnut, Pecan, Sesame, Walnut, Brazil Nut, Macadamia, Pine Nut, Shellfish, Cashew, Pistachio
- Comfortable assisting families from the ages of 14-17
Jessica Banta: jbanta.volunteer@tpirc.org
- Parent of a patient now in remission
- She is very passionate about helping others power through the program, fight burnout, and remain motivated
- Allergens include: Vegetables, Sesame, Egg, Wheat, Milk, Soy
- Comfortable helping all parents with patients between 0-13 years old
Vicki Babulas: vbabulas.volunteer@tpirc.org
- New York-based TIP mom
- Excited to help patients craft strategic plans to incorporate TIP into their daily lives without burnout.
- Currently treating allergies to Peanuts, all Tree nuts, and All seeds
- Comfortable helping families with children 6-13 years old
Cindi Frechette: cfrechette.volunteer@tpirc.org
- New York-based TIP Mom and Therapist
- Excited to help parents march forward in the program, empower their children, help children advocate for themselves, and navigate the “outside world”! She is also amazing with hiding doses in food.
- Allergens Include: Peanut, Egg
- Comfortable assisting families from ages 6-11.
Vickie Yee: vyee.volunteer@tpirc.org
- Has a 7-year-old son who just finished their 1st year in the program.
- Travels from the SF Bay Area
- Allergies include: peanut, wheat, barley, rye, egg, soy, tree nuts, and oats
- Best-equipped to talk to patients about the daily rigor and routine of the program, especially with kids in the same age group.
- She is a registered nurse from California
Laura Miller: lmiller.volunteer@tpirc.org
- Washington DC-based TIP mom
- Love thinking through creative ways to get the treatment done with picky toddlers! Happy to share recipes or advice
- Currently treating allergies to peanuts, dairy, and egg
- Comfortable helping families with children 18 months – 4 years old
Brianna Crawford: bcrawford.volunteer@tpirc.org
- Remission Parent of one of our earlier patients (started in 2018, achieved
- remission in 2020)
- Son completed treatment and is now freely eating eggs, peanuts, and tree nuts
- Can help with a wide range of questions around treatment dosing, maintenance, and life in remission
- Comfortable helping families with children 4-12 years old
- Based in California
Lesley-Anne Stone: lesley-anne.volunteer@tpirc.org
- FAI Speaker and Remission mom for 5+ years
- Comfortable speaking about dosing, maintenance, remission, perseverance, and
more - Comfortable speaking about patients under 10 Years old
- Based in California
Danielle Williams: dwilliams.volunteer@tpirc.org
- Texas-based TIP Mom with 2 patients in the program
- Pediatric Nurse and Former member of the Texas Children’s Hospital Food Allergy Program Advisory Board
- Looking forward to helping parents and patients reduce anxiety/ fear and build
confidence - Allergens include Peanut, Egg, Pistachio
- Age range from 10-17 years old
Facebook Groups
Connect with other TIP patients and join our Facebook groups The Pantry and The Kitchen Table!
These support forums are for families to collaborate, ask each other questions about TIP, discuss dosing recipes, and share success stories. The groups should not be utilized for seeking medical advice, billing questions, or complaints.
The Pantry & The Kitchen Table
The Pantry is a private group intended for parents and prospective patients those interested in enrolling in the Tolerance Induction Program. Active Patients are also welcome to join this group.
The Kitchen Table is an exclusive group for active TIP patients and Remission families.
Please be sure to answer all membership questions to be admitted!