Allison F. Bauer, JD, has been with the Boston Foundation since January 2007 and leads the foundation’s health strategy. This strategy focuses on encouraging healthy behaviors and increased access to healthy foods and opportunities for physical activity.  Prior to coming to the Boston Foundation she worked in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, where she served as Staff Director and Chief Counsel for State Rep. Ruth Balser, Chairwoman of the Joint Committee on Mental Health and Substance Abuse.  Prior to her move to Boston in 2003, she lived and worked in Washington, DC for many years working as a lawyer, lobbyist, and in advocacy positions.  She served as State Legislative and Policy Manager for the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network. Prior to that, Allison served as Policy Director for the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition, and was an attorney in the Office of Civil Rights at the US Department of Labor.

 

Allison has been an adjunct professor at Simmons College School of Social Work and an assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Social Work, where she received an MSW. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Rochester and holds a JD from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. In 2010, Allison was selected as a Terrance Keenan Institute Emerging Leader in Health Philanthropy Fellow by Grantmakers in Health joining 16 colleagues from across the country in the inaugural class of fellows.