About

History

AllergenGuard at UCLA was founded in Spring 2024 with the goal of creating a safer, more inclusive environment for students with food allergies. What began as a campus-focused effort quickly grew into a broader mission encompassing school outreach, support for underserved communities in Los Angeles, and engagement in legislative advocacy. As food allergy prevalence continues to rise nationwide, it became essential for UCLA to have a dedicated space where students could connect, share experiences, and work together to strengthen food allergy safety both on campus and beyond.

Today, AllergenGuard at UCLA is a vibrant and supportive community. Students with food allergies and diverse dietary needs collaborate on initiatives that enhance safety, promote access to essential resources, and empower others through education and advocacy.

Meet the '25-'26 Board

Eric Emrani

President and Founder

Having dealt with severe food allergies all of my life, in the Spring quarter of my Sophomore year I decided to start AllergenGuard at UCLA in hopes of bringing together the food allergy community on campus, making dining at UCLA a safer and more inclusive experience, and ensuring our communities are well-informed and well-prepared in the case of an allergy emergency.

Aravinth Ruppa

Director of Finance

During the spring quarter of my sophomore year, I helped found AllergenGuard at UCLA with the goal of supporting students with food allergies and improving campus safety. As a founding member and Director of Finance, I focused on building the organization’s financial foundation to support initiatives that make dining at UCLA more inclusive and ensure the campus community is informed and prepared to respond to allergy-related emergencies.

Rishik Gandhasri

Director of Outreach

I've had various severe food and seasonal allergies as long as I can remember. I joined AllergenGuard in order to make life less stressful and overall safer for the food allergy community here at UCLA.

Kate

Anderson-Strain

Director of Information and Media

I have dealt with severe food allergies all my life. As Director of Information and Media for AllergenGuard, I work on making allergy information clearer and easier for students to access.

Avani Pammidimukkala

Director of Internal Communications

Growing up and still dealing with various food allergies, I learned how hard it can be to find food that is both safe and nutritious. Managing food allergies takes a lot of awareness and planning, especially in shared dining areas. As Director of Internal Communications, I collaborate with UCLA Dining to help create a safer dining environment.

Page updated

Report abuse