Board Secretary
Hometown
Salt Lake City, UT
What was your favorite hobby or extracurricular activity as a child, and did you pursue it further later in life?
We did music because my mom was a music teacher. I still enjoy it, but don't play as often as I would like. Also reading, which I still enjoy.
What was your favorite toy or game to play with as a child?
Doll house
What was your favorite thing about being a child, and do you try to hold onto that spirit as an adult?
The freedom (and privilege) of just being allowed to be a kid - not be too stressed out or take yourself too seriously. Yes, I try to not keep things in perspective.
What was the most valuable lesson you learned as a child, and how has it influenced your life today?
Be curious - ask questions. My family had a culture of questioning and debate, coming from a line of teachers and academics. I like to understand the bigger picture, see myself as a systems thinker, and an analytical person.
What advice would you give to your younger self, based on what you've learned throughout your life so far?
Have more empathy!
Biography
Allison Nicholson serves as a Special Assistant to the University of Utah CFO, where she coordinates projects and initiatives, and provides strategy and analysis to the University. She has been engaged in Utah policy for 20 years holding multiple public-sector positions, including consulting and research at the University of Utah's Sorenson Impact Center and the Utah Education Policy Center; policy analysis and bill drafting at Utah's Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel, budgeting and planning at the Utah System of Higher Education, and planning engineer at the Utah Division of Water Resources. Allison holds a Master's of Public Policy from the George Washington University and a BS in Civil Engineering from Utah State University.
