Allison Parker

Thank you for 16 great years, Allison Parker!

Seattle Foundation celebrates and bids farewell to a critical leader.

It is with deep appreciation, sorrow, and excitement that we share the news that Allison Parker, our Managing Director of Philanthropy Strategies, is stepping down and moving on from Seattle Foundation. Her last day is November 18.  

Over the past 16 years, Allison has become an invaluable member of our staff, having worked across teams and as a critical member of our management team for the latter part of her tenure. As such, she notified us earlier this summer of her plans and provided a four-month runway to work with the management team to hire and train new staff and smoothly transition donor and professional advisor relationships. “I appreciate Allison’s commitment to Seattle Foundation and all that she has accomplished,” said Stephanie McLemore Bray, Seattle Foundation’s Chief Engagement Officer. “We will feel the loss of her deep knowledge and connection to philanthropists and practitioners in this region. I thank Allison for her leadership and wish her great success in her next adventure.”

Allison first joined the Foundation in 2006 as a Program and Donor Services Officer and Scholarship Manager for four years. She then served as Senior Philanthropic Advisor for five years, developing deep and impactful relationships with fundholders and professional advisor partners. Allison joined the management team in 2015 as Director of Philanthropic Partnerships and since 2018 she has served as Managing Director for our team, including leading the Philanthropic Services team through the challenges of 2020, until the arrival of our Chief Engagement Officer in May 2021.

“’Versatile’ is the word that comes to mind when I think of Allison. She is responsive to donors’ needs, skilled at training and managing staff, knowledgeable about gift planning, and visionary in charting the future. She leaves an impressive legacy of accomplishments at the Seattle Foundation.”

planned giving expert Dr. Frank Minton

In 2012, Allison became the first person from Seattle Foundation to be recognized as a Puget Sound Business Journal 40 Under 40 awardee, in recognition of her ability to move donors to focus their giving on root causes as well as for applying an entrepreneurial lens to philanthropy.  

“There aren’t enough words to describe Allison as a colleague. She’s been a great partner and thinker of numerous things, specifically impact investing. Allison built upon our initial foray into impact investing and provided new thinking and leadership as to how we truly bring fundholders into true partners on impact investing opportunities. Her leadership went beyond Seattle Foundation’s walls to a table of other philanthropic partners interested in growing the impact investing field,” said Michael Brown, chief architect of Civic Commons. 

“I love Seattle Foundation — the people and our mission — and it’s my time to step back. My professional pursuits will focus on impact investing after taking off the holiday season to enjoy my family. I’ll remain a champion of Seattle Foundation and the community foundation field,” shared Allison.

While we are sad to see her go, we know this is not goodbye. We wish Allison the best of luck in her next adventure and know that we will continue to be her champion as well!