Individual Gifts Officer

Bio

Allyson (she/her) came to Friends of the Mississippi River after over a decade of nonprofit work in Appalachia, most recently as the Executive Director of Nazareth Farm, Inc. She was excited to return to the Midwest in 2024, as she is originally from central Indiana.

After college she started a year of service that turned into three and a half years of community building, youth development and providing affordable home repair in West Virginia. That led her to complete her master's of social work and nonprofit management certificate from West Virginia University.

Throughout her life she has spent lots of time outdoors camping, canoeing and learning about environmental justice initiatives. She loves learning more about the Mississippi River watershed as she works to protect it.

FMR role

Allyson works on the development team with Sara, Tessa and John, focusing on expanding FMR’s leadership donor portfolio. As one of the Individual Gift Officers, Allyson will invite people to collaborate and become stewards of the watershed. She listens to individuals share their connections to the river and works with them to make meaningful impacts. 

Personal details

Allyson, her husband, their son, and black lab enjoy finding new outdoor spaces to explore around the Twin Cities — let her know your recommendations! Her hobbies include cooking, working on home repair projects, building block towers for her son to knock down, and spending time with her friends and family. 

Contact

apetry@fmr.org, 651.477.0935 (direct line for text messages or phone calls — texting preferred)