(Meet)
Peter Paullin
Food Allergy Daddy, & Director of Brand Marketing for
Free to Feed™
To truly get a sense of who Peter Paullin is, you have to start at the beginning. He was born blind out of his left eye, doesn’t know who his father is, was in the foster care system, and moved around a lot as a kid.
He openly shares painful experiences of sexual and physical childhood abuse. Like Dr. Trill, he believes vulnerability around heartbreaking stories can inspire healing for others with a similar past.
He found peace in nature and art. He loved drawing and painting — getting lost in colors, designs, and ideas. He considers his roots to be in Texas and loves a good southern pulled pork sandwich. His grandparents were an anchor in his childhood, giving him structure and love he didn't get anywhere else.
Peter Paullin
Peter ended up in Florida (with his bio family) to finish out high school. These years consisted of anger, confusion, drugs, alcohol, and even more abuse. Peter was turning into someone he didn’t even want to be.
But at his high school graduation, the people with the most positive influence on his life — his grandparents — told him something he’ll never forget:
“We’re proud of you and we still believe in you.”
He chokes up talking about them and says, “It was the accelerator to make my life better. I could have easily stayed in trouble or continued not caring where my life went, but knowing they believed in me — changed me.”
Peter applied to Keiser University, a private graphic design school shortly after graduation.
Peter’s Exceptional Work Ethic & Experience
It’s important to keep in mind when Peter started college, computers were all the new rage and graphic design was just developing (hello circa 1998). Hard to imagine for some, but Photoshop had only been around for 10 years at this point!
Here’s how he describes college, “I was like a toddler absorbing everything and anything around me. At 18 I was taking everything in about computers and graphic design as I could.”
Peter won a logo design contest for the Suncoast Offshore Grand Prix (think Nascar, but for boats — in Florida!). “It was the kick-starter to my career.” He gained the confidence he needed to know he could make it as a graphic designer.
He landed his first big job after college. A big brand (from the competition he won!) hired him as a Junior Graphic Artist.
Peter’s Education & Knowledge Serve Free to Feed™ in Multiple Ways:
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Bachelor of Arts degree in Graphic Design (Keiser University)
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Junior Graphic Artist → Senior Graphic Artists → Art Director → Senior Art Director
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Art Director & Operations Manager
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Started his own company PMP Graphics in 2017
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Graphic & Website Designer for Free to Feed™ (Obviously!)
Peter dedicated almost 15 years to that first big job, and became the Art Director in his region in the end. Climbing this type of ladder meant he was responsible for numerous duties and people, not something everyone can handle.
Now he uses “the design eye” to support food allergy families like yours.
Brand marketing is about driving strategic decisions, relationships, and partnerships. It’s the brains behind the design of the entire business. And in Peter’s case, helping your wife with any random tasks she asks for the company.
It’s no small job, but he’ll do anything for his girls.
Peter, a worried food allergy dad & warrior
Peter’s been behind the Free to Feed scenes since the literal start. He can still hear June's 4-week-old screams…7 years after doctors put her on a "starvation diet" for 24 hours in the hospital.
He remembers it like yesterday, getting Dr. Trill’s frantic call about their new baby’s blood-filled diaper and eczema-covered body. As soon as Peter heard the words “diaper full of blood” and got the picture – he blamed himself.
You see, Peter has ulcerative colitis, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease. “Bleeding out of your baby bum,” as he calls it, unfortunately, isn’t new to him. He mistakenly felt he was the cause of his baby’s health disaster. He remembers feeling utterly confused and disappointed by the medical field’s lack of knowledge surrounding baby food allergies.
It’s an understatement to say Peter was simply “on board” for the infant food allergy journey. He gladly helped with whatever needed to be done for his daughter to continue breastfeeding AND to support his wife. He didn’t complain about not having his favorite southern comfort foods or being able to go out to eat. This is a guy who — above anything else — puts family first.
He started learning that “hydrolyzed plant protein” and “vegetable gum” were hidden food allergies they couldn’t eat (after it was too late and both of them had to watch their daughter go through another reaction). He was there for the late-night tears from Dr. Trill and their constant crying baby. He understood why she made herself puke at a restaurant, in hopes to avoid a reaction — instead of thinking she was crazy. He meal-prepped safe foods like a madman for all of them.
We see you, spouses! We understand that every person is affected by a baby or child with food allergies.
In all honesty, Free to Feed™ may not exist without Peter. His support for Dr. Trill and the Free To Feed™ mission is unparalleled.
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When she had her food allergy test strip breastmilk idea, HE was the first person to tell her it was an incredible idea — AND that she could do it.
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When she’s pitching investors, he’s doing school drop-off.
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When she’s in the lab, Peter’s taking the girls to the park.
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When Dr. Trill has to put work first, Peter’s making sure their two little humans are first.
And honestly, Dr. Trill could have never made a website look so good! Dr. Trill and Peter never imagined their life would take them here. But both of them are so proud to bring baby food allergy awareness and education to other families.
His advice for parents who just discovered their child has food allergies?
“Trust your gut — pun intended! If you don’t like the answers you’re getting in the medical field, you don’t have to accept them. The only person who’s going to advocate for your little person is you.”
“And maybe even more important is asking for help and accepting it. Even though at times it feels like it — you are not alone in this journey.”
What’s your motivation as a food allergy parent?
“I want my little people to grow up healthy and strong, to struggle, learn, grow, and give back. I want them to have a sense of satisfaction for giving back. My hope is they see our sacrifices have helped so many and it all started with them!”
What do you wish people understood about infant food allergies?
“That they are real and don’t get discussed enough among professionals — who we tend to trust with our little people. Question everything.”
Free To Feed™ Supports Food Allergy Families Like You
As Director of Brand Marketing, Peter handles endless tasks that enable Free to Feed to reach more families around the world. His creative mind feeds ideas to the team, and he knows how to implement strategies to grow (our ultimate goal).
We need families to know the truth: it’s possible to breastfeed your baby with food allergies. We plan to continue building this valuable community in the best way we know how. Whatever we’re doing, Peter will lead our marketing and make it gorgeous.
He shares the same dream as Dr. Trill, and says, “I’m so excited for the test strips to be in moms’ hands. To safely test for food allergies in real-time is a game-changer. And I’m eager to watch my wife’s idea and dream become a reality ”
Peter will be along with Free to Feed™ every step of the way — like he always has been.
Join the Waitlist for Our Patented Allergen Detection Kit Here!
WE WANT TO HEAR FR M YOU!
