Allison (she/her) is a Registered Dietitian, Public Health professional, and research specialist at the Swette Center, passionate about just, nourishing, and sustainable food systems transformation. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Dietetics and Dietetics Internship at Iowa State University and her Master of Public Health at Des Moines University. During her culminating graduate work, Allison designed and executed a multifaceted research, education, and capacity-building project–in collaboration with Äkta Strategies, Practical Farmers of Iowa, and the University of Northern Iowa's Center of Energy and Environmental Education–to cultivate interdisciplinary understanding of the health-nutrition-agriculture nexus, stimulate systems-level collaboration, and empower nutrition and public health professionals as food systems leaders.
Allison currently serves as Sustainable Food + Water Systems Chair with the AND’s Hunger and Environmental Nutrition Dietetics Practice Group and on the Planetary Health Collective leadership team. In her free time, Allison enjoys caring for her cats and many plants, seeking out locally-owned food businesses and greenhouses, and engaging in her local food system as a Master Gardener, producing nutrient-dense, culturally acceptable foods for fellow community members.