About Me

Who am I and why am I doing this?

First and foremost, I’m a dad of kids who have food allergies. I understand the concerns of parents and know what it’s like to be constantly on guard.

Two of my five kids have food allergies. My 12-year-old, Tucker, has a tree nut allergy; Keegan, age 7, is allergic to tree nuts, peanuts, sesame, dairy, eggs and fish. Luckily he has outgrown his allergy to wheat.

I’m also a former business analyst who’s always on the lookout for solutions to problems. So when I repeatedly find myself in the same predicament – like not being able to find an allergy-friendly restaurant on a family road trip or for a Friday night dinner with the family – I’m determined to find a fix. My goal is to alleviate a bit of the stress that often accompanies food allergies. It will mean a lot to me if I can help a child enjoy a special birthday dinner in a restaurant, rather than just another hot dog somewhere easy.

I have an economics degree from MIT and a background in finance. For 17 years I worked for Fidelity Investments, first as a stock analyst (including a stint covering the restaurant industry), and then as a mutual fund manager (often investing in small restaurants).

On June 30, 2008, I left Fidelity to pursue personal interests and independent ventures. The very next week I began planning AllergyEats, something I had been thinking about for a while and a cause close to my heart. I have since joined the board of the New England chapter of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA).

In my spare time I coach youth baseball and hockey, sit on the Board of Trustees at my children’s school, and occasionally teach middle schoolers about finance or sit in as a substitute elementary teacher. I also like to play saxophone, act in community theater, and play individual and team sports.