Allison grew up in the little (at least in the 1980s/1990s!) mountain town of Conifer, Colorado. She spent many summers of her youth traveling around the state and visiting historical landmarks, mining towns, and archaeological sites, which ultimately led to a deep appreciation for the history and archaeology of the Mountain West. A visit to Crow Canyon at the age of nine cemented her decision to become an archaeologist. Allison received a BA in Anthropology (focus in archaeology) from the University of Denver in 2007 and an MA in Anthropology (focus in archaeology) from the University of Colorado Denver in 2015. She spent the early years of her career working for an environmental consulting company on projects across the country, and prior to embarking on her current path as an Archaeologist/Cultural Resources Planner with the City of Fort Collins Natural Areas Department in 2025, worked for the US Fish and Wildlife Service as the Zone Archaeologist for Montana, Utah, and Wyoming (2015-2023) and the US Bureau of Reclamation as an Area Archaeologist for the Eastern Colorado Area Office (2023-2025). Outside of work, Allison enjoys spending time with her husband Tim and daughters Stella (4) and Pearl (2), two terriers (Merlyn and Maisie), and large orange cat (Tutankhamun), as well as reading, landscape photography, hiking, gardening, camping, and skiing.