Evening Beyond Celiac

Alice Bast, Founder of Beyond Celiac
Founder’s Award

We are thrilled to honor Alice Bast with the Founder’s Award at this year’s An Evening Beyond Celiac, celebrating her 23-year legacy of visionary leadership. Since establishing Beyond Celiac in 2003, Alice has dedicated herself to transforming the lives of those with celiac disease, driven by her own lived experience and decades of expertise in healthcare business development. From championing food safety and affordability to serving as a steadfast advocate for patients and scientific research, she has united stakeholders to dismantle barriers to progress. In her new role as Executive Director, Impact and Innovation, Alice will continue to shape the future of the field by spearheading the organization’s most transformative initiatives, including oversight of Beyond Celiac Investments, the first venture philanthropy program of its kind. 

Alan Ehrlich, M.D.
Impact Award

We are thrilled to recognize Dr. Alan Ehrlich as the 2026 IMPACT Honoree at this year’s Evening Beyond Celiac for his exceptional commitment to the Beyond Celiac community. Over the last nine years, Dr. Ehrlich has played a major role in strengthening the organization through a science-focused mission, bringing a unique and informed perspective as both a physician and a patient. A graduate of Rutgers Medical School, Dr. Ehrlich completed his Family Practice residency at the University of Massachusetts in Worcester, MA. He is currently an Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Community Health at UMass Chan Medical School, Executive Editor for DynaMed, and has been a medical staff member at Reliant Medical Group since 1993. In 2023, he was named Clinician Teacher of the Year by Reliant Medical Group for his leadership in training and mentoring nurse practitioners. He is passionate about educating primary care providers about celiac disease, and has spoken at regional and national medical conferences on this. Dr. Ehrlich was elected to the Beyond Celiac Board of Directors in 2015 and went on to serve as Board Chair beginning in 2017. Through both his Board leadership and professional contributions, Dr. Ehrlich has been an ardent champion for our community and cause.