After graduating from Taft, Alison attended the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in comparative studies with a minor in Russian area studies. During her undergraduate years, she also studied abroad at L’Institut d’Etudes Politiques in Paris, France. After Georgetown, she joined the admission office at St. Lawrence University. While there, she earned a post-baccalaureate certificate in secondary education from St. Lawrence, with intentions of becoming a teacher. However, she was passionate about admissions work and remained in that office, becoming the director of admissions. She also served on the Institutional Strategic Action Committee, Strategic Mapping Council, Recession Response and Planning Task Group, and Retention Committee. Additionally, she has served as a state delegate to the National Assembly of the National Association of College Admission Counseling and as the curriculum director for the Summer Institute on College Admissions sponsored by the New York State Association of College Admission. At Taft, she serves as director of college counseling and lives on campus with her husband, Michael, and their three children.