Allison was born and raised in rural Southwest Ohio. She attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio where she received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Creative Writing with a focus in fiction. In 2012, she moved to Cincinnati and became the first director of Communications and Development for Ohioans to Stop Executions. Though she explored other career paths, including earning a Bachelor’s in Nursing from Xavier University, she remained deeply involved with death penalty abolition work as a volunteer. She also volunteered her communications skills for Tamar’s Place, Christian Outreach and Wellness Center, and Starfire. She is happiest when she is putting her words to work for the causes close to her heart.