Alison is an impact-driven charity leader and social entrepreneur with a strong communications and science background, respected for her natural ability to inspire, and to think outside of the box. She catalyses change through system thinking, innovation, and solution-focused co-creation. Alison has led the development and deployment of multiple cost-effective innovative approaches to empower and inform, drive policy change, and transform the outcomes and experiences of diverse beneficiaries. She is passionate about social justice and the power of kindness, collaboration, evidence, and iterative data-driven learning to tackle seemingly intractable problems.
In 2006, building upon the knowledge and experience garnered at the University of Oxford, University College London, and the BBC, she founded the national charity Best Beginnings with a focus on reducing inequalities. For fifteen years, as Best Beginnings CEO, she worked nationally and internationally to improve the mental and physical health outcomes of children and their parents in ways that enrich statutory and charitable services. At Best Beginnings, she gained substantial experience growing and nurturing diverse teams, motivating audiences of all backgrounds, and securing multi-year funding from multiple income streams, forging and actively supported several national coalitions, partnerships, and alliances including the Royal Foundation led “Heads Together” campaign. Alison stepped down as CEO in 2022 and now holds the honorary role of President.
Alison relishes working closely with senior leaders across multiple sectors, and with people of all backgrounds including internal teams, volunteers, beneficiaries, academics, multi-disciplinary frontline professionals, commissioners, and philanthropists.