Meet Erica Liu, PharmD
Food allergies became
deeply personal
I’m Erica—mama of two (including one with food allergies), clinical pharmacist and educator. The Food Allergy Compass grew from what I’ve learned professionally and what my own family has experienced firsthand.
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When our son had his first anaphylactic reaction at 9 months old, our lives changed. Even with my background as a clinical pharmacist and my husband’s as a gastroenterologist, we quickly realized there was a tremendous amount to learn—not only about food allergy itself, but about how to manage it in everyday life.
The Story Behind
The Food Allergy Compass
Over the years, we’ve navigated diagnostic testing, food challenges, accidental exposures, multiple anaphylactic reactions, and decisions about treatment options like Immunotherapy and Xolair—all while trying to make sense of differing recommendations about management and finding an allergist who felt like the right fit for our family.
One experience in particular has stayed with me.
During a family vacation, our son accidentally took a sip of a pistachio latte and developed anaphylaxis. When I pulled out his epinephrine auto-injector, I realized it was a device I had never used before. Even as a pharmacist—with my physician husband and nurse cousin beside me—I found myself trying to figure out an unfamiliar device in the middle of an emergency. I didn’t realize it worked differently from the auto-injectors we had carried before, and afterward, I wasn’t even sure I had administered it correctly. That experience changed the way I thought about being prepared.
Having epinephrine with you matters...
but so does knowing the specific device you carry and feeling confident that you—
and the people caring for your child—know when and how to use it.
Medical appointments are essential,
but there is only so much information a family can absorb at once—
especially during an overwhelming and emotional time.
That’s the space The Food Allergy Compass was created to fill.
Families often need support making sense of what they’ve learned, knowing what questions to ask, building practical skills, and figuring out how it all fits into everyday life.
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Evidence-Based Knowledge
Years of Experience
Real-Life Perspective
FARE Food Allergy Xchange Program
Continuing Education
in Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis
Clinical Experience.
I earned my Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree and completed postgraduate residency training before beginning a clinical pharmacy career spanning more than 15 years. My experience has included acute care, critical care, and perioperative medicine, with education woven throughout my career—from counseling patients and families to teaching healthcare professionals and developing clinical protocols.
A Passion for Education.
Providing education is only the beginning
What matters is to help someone understand what they’ve learned, feel prepared for
what comes next, and build confidence along the way.
That same philosophy is at the heart of my work at The Food Allergy Compass.
Education & Training
Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD)
Postgraduate Residency Training
BLS & ACLS Certified
Teaching Certificate
Together, they shape how I help families feel informed, prepared, and more confident navigating food allergies
