Allyson is the president and co-founder of Sustainable Catalyst Partners LLC, an environmental sustainability consulting firm formed in 2012, in partnership with Drewry Simmons Vornehm, an Indianapolis-based law firm. The mission of Sustainable Catalyst Partners (SCP) is to assist clients in local government, colleges and universities, corporations, and neighborhood organizations to understand the breadth of sustainability principles, create sustainability plans, develop communication strategies, and identify funding sources. By leading clients through a comprehensive process to understand their unique concerns, SCP helps them identify opportunities, set meaningful goals, choose valid indicators and communicate their objectives and plans effectively. Allyson leads this organization with her diverse education and background in sustainability, and a desire to bring the concepts of sustainability to every community and organization in Indiana.
Allyson received her undergraduate degree in Landscape Horticulture & Design from Purdue University and immediately went on to graduate studies at the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources & Environment. There, she earned her Master of Landscape Architecture and began forming her career goals in environmental sustainability and urban development. For her masters project, she co-wrote a book about green building in Michigan, in partnership with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. http://theacuffs.com/urbancatalystassociates/BuildingGreen.pdf After graduating, she worked in the fields of landscape architecture, commercial real estate development, and energy management consulting.
Formerly, Allyson was a founding member of the City of Indianapolis’ Office of Sustainability. There, she led policy and program changes related to green building, green storm water & transportation infrastructure, and community development. She also wrote and directed a documentary on green building practices in Indianapolis. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vjdv_stfSeA
Allyson attended Indiana University’s McKinney School of Law in the evening during her employment with the City of Indianapolis. During law school, she pursued the Environment and Natural Resources concentration and was a member of the Environmental Law Society. She recently took the Indiana Bar Exam and is currently awaiting the results.
After attending the program in 2008, Allyson joined the staff of the Byron Fellowship Educational Foundation in 2011 as the Indiana Program Director. The program embodies the goals of leadership, mentorship, sustainability, place-based learning, and collaboration that Allyson strongly values.
Allyson lives in Indianapolis, just an hour from her hometown of Greensburg, IN. She was fortunate to have grown up on a large farm, where she first connected to nature and discovered her passion for protecting the environment. She now enjoys living in the pedestrian and bike-friendly urban neighborhood of SoBro (South Broad Ripple), but loves being able to visit her family on the farm.