Allison’s career goal is to open a small business. Her husband’s illness forced her to close a business she previously owned. Allison says that the continual losses caused by her husband’s death have left her with no sense of identity, and moving forward with her education feels like a lifeline that will help her create a new path.

Allison previously worked as a cosmetologist and obtained a barber, make-up, and aesthetic license. She also has experience working in landscaping and prepping homes for magazine shoots, as well as restaurant work. She and her husband spent ten years restoring a historic farmhouse. Allison has also been involved with People to People, breast cancer fundraising walks, and feeding the unhoused through her church.

Captain John Trombino describes Allison as a self-starter—dependable, punctual, and reliable. In her previous business, she encouraged and inspired her coworkers. Kathryn Rios recommends Allison for a scholarship based on her “never-give-up” attitude and fortitude in the face of hardship.