Denise A. Bunning is an educator, support group leader and advocate who actively works to improve the lives of children with or without food allergies. A former elementary school teacher, Denise earned a BA in Early Childhood/Special Education from Boston College, an MSED in Special Education from Northern Illinois University, and a CAS in School Administration from National Louis University.

In 1997, Denise co-founded MOCHA (Mothers of Children Having Allergies) – a support group for food-allergic families in the Chicago suburbs, which today has more than 400 members.  Denise served on the committee tasked with authoring the guidelines for the management of life-threatening food allergies in Illinois schools. She recently co-authored The Food Allergy Experience with Dr. Ruchi Gupta. Nationally, she serves on the Steering Committee of Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE), is on the Founders’ Board of Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago, and is on the board of The Ounce of Prevention Fund.

The Bunnings have two sons who have been affected by food allergies. Bryan (19) has life-threatening allergies to tree nuts, and also has asthma. Daniel (17) has life-threatening allergies to milk, tree nuts, and shellfish and also has Eosinophilic Esophagitis, a digestive disorder related to food allergies, which requires a gastric tube for feeding.