Department: Division of Epidemiology

Allison comes to the MPH program with 17 years of healthcare experience in both the role of physical therapist and as hospice chaplain/bereavement coordinator. She graduated from the physical therapy program at the University of Florida in 1999.  She then ventured outside her home state to volunteer with Amate house, a Catholic volunteer program for young adults, and served as a full time physical therapist at Schwab Rehabilitation which served primarily patients on Medicaid or without insurance.  The experience was deeply transformative and lead her to get a M.A. in Theology at Catholic Theological Union in 2004, to become a chaplain resident at Loyola hospital, and ultimately to merge her interests in physical and spiritual health to become a Board Certified Chaplain in 2006.

She has always had an interest in holistic healing which honors the complexity of our physical, emotional, social and spiritual selves. Her research interests include spirituality and healthcare, and more specifically how interdisciplinary teams can provide more coordinated, holistic and effective care to vulnerable populations.

Allison lives in Williamsburg, VA on a farmette with her husband, 8 and 11 year old sons, and father.

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