About Us

Alexander C. Peabody, PLS, affectionately known to colleagues and friends as “Sandy,” serves as the Treasurer of the Alpha-gal Alliance Action Fund, where he brings both professional expertise and personal conviction to the fight for greater awareness and advocacy around Alpha-gal syndrome. Diagnosed in 2024, Sandy quickly recognized the urgent need for education and support—especially within the land surveying profession.

A licensed professional land surveyor with over three decades of experience in the Charleston, South Carolina region, Sandy is widely respected for his precision, integrity, and tireless advocacy. His career has been defined not only by technical excellence but by his commitment to elevating the profession. He is a Past President of the South Carolina Society of Professional Land Surveyors (SCSPLS) and currently serves as the South Carolina Director to the National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS). In these roles, Sandy has championed ethical standards, mentored emerging professionals, and helped shape policies that strengthen the surveying community nationwide.

Beyond his professional achievements, Sandy is a devoted husband and proud father of two, whose love for the outdoors has always been a natural extension of his work. Whether camping, hunting, fishing, or simply exploring the land, his connection to nature has deepened his understanding of the terrain he surveys—and now, it also informs his personal journey with Alpha-gal syndrome. He approaches life with Alpha-gal with the same resilience and optimism that has defined his career.

Whether he’s in the field with a land surveying transit or in the boardroom shaping policy, Sandy remains a steadfast steward of both the Land Surveying Profession and the Alpha-gal community, committed to building a healthier, more informed future for all.

Sharon is the Executive Director of the Alpha-gal Alliance and the Alpha-gal Alliance Action Fund, and the creator of the Alpha-gal Information website, the most comprehensive resource on alpha-gal syndrome.

She served as Director of Conservation International’s Africa Program, President of the Beneficia Foundation, and on the boards of the American Bird Conservancy and Bat Conservation International. Prior to her conservation work, she served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Botswana, where she taught agriculture. She holds a BA in biology and economics.

Sharon contracted AGS while pursuing her lifelong interest in natural history. She lives in Washington, DC with her husband, biologist Adrian Forsyth, who also has AGS.

Dr. Scott Commins is the William J. Yount, MD Distinguished Professor at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he is a member of the UNC Food Allergy Initiative, the Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, and the Southeastern Center of Excellence for Vector Borne Diseases. Dr. Commins maintains an active clinical practice and research program related to the alpha-gal mammalian meat allergy syndrome, eosinophilic esophagitis, venom allergy, and the human immune response to tick bites.

Dr. Commins received his M.D. & Ph.D. (Biochemistry & Molecular Biology) from the Medical University of South Carolina (Charleston, SC). Following a residency in Internal Medicine, Scott completed a fellowship in Allergy and Clinical Immunology at The University of Virginia (Charlottesville, VA). He is an author for UpToDate (Food allergy in adults; Allergy to meats), and serves as the Chief Editor for the Drug, Venom & Anaphylaxis section of Frontiers. Dr. Commins is the immediate past-president of the Southeastern Asthma, Allergy, and Immunology Society and was a member of the Congressionally-appointed Tick-Borne Disease Working Group (2018-2020) where he was co-chair of the alpha-gal syndrome and public comment subcommittees.

Lea Hamner, MPH, is a public health epidemiologist based on Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, specializing in tickborne diseases with a particular focus on Alpha-Gal Syndrome (AGS). As an epidemiologist serving the Cape Cod & Islands region, she works at the intersection of applied epidemiology, local public health, and community-based research to better understand and respond to emerging tick-associated conditions in highly affected communities.

Lea has been a leader in advancing AGS awareness and surveillance in Massachusetts, working with healthcare providers, academic partners, and national experts to characterize disease trends and inform public health strategy. She has helped establish early frameworks for AGS surveillance in non-reportable settings and built partnerships to support provider education while translating complex science into actionable information for clinicians and the public.