JEFFERSON CITY, MO — MOST Policy Initiative is thrilled to announce the hiring of Allison R. Davis as the organization’s incoming Executive Director. MOST Policy Initiative is a nonprofit aimed at bringing scientists and policymakers together to improve livelihoods for people and communities in Missouri. Davis will lead strategic planning and fundraising as well as oversee the organization’s flagship program, the Missouri Science & Technology (MOST) Policy Fellowship. Davis will lead the 2025-2026 cohort of policy fellows with support of the Fellowship Program Manager Isabel Warner.
A native Missourian, Allison brings a background in public service, research, and mentorship of early-career researchers. Most recently, she served as the Executive Director of the Cultural Property Advisory Committee at the U.S. Department of State. At the Department, she led a team of experts working to protect cultural property from around the world. Before the State Department, Allison carried out archaeological research in Peru for 15 years overseeing a team of archaeologists, researchers, and students. Allison moved back to Missouri in 2023 to connect more directly with her Missouri roots. Allison’s work in government and field research give her a unique perspective on translating skills learned in academia to the real world. Her extensive experience in public sector budget and personnel management will make her an asset to MOST’s small but mighty team.
The search for the executive director was led by DRiWaterstone, an executive search firm, and the MOST Board. “We are excited to welcome Allison as our next Executive Director. Her experience at the intersection of research and policy is uniquely suited to meet MOST’s mission of promoting long-term health, sustainability, and economic growth for people and communities in the state. I know she will bring her passion for rural communities in Missouri and beyond to her work as well as her enthusiasm for supporting early-career researchers,” said Board President Katie Steen-James on behalf of the MOST Executive Committee.
“Citizens rely on legislators to find solutions to the challenges we face and to create policies that allow us to thrive. For five years, MOST has worked with Missouri lawmakers to ensure they have access to unbiased research behind a variety of policy issues. I am excited to take on the Executive Director position and to bring my unique background to the role, including expertise in scientific research, experience in policymaking at the federal level, and love for our state's rural spaces, small-towns, and cities. As a native Missourian, it is a distinct pleasure to assume this role and to strengthen and expand trusted connections between scientists and lawmakers that will lead to the best possible outcomes for Missourians,” said Davis.
Allison is an alum of the Fulbright U.S. Student Program in Peru. She holds an A.B. cum laude in anthropology from Dartmouth College and an M.A. and Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of Michigan. Allison grew up in Sullivan, Missouri, and is currently a resident of Kirkwood, Missouri.
Contact: Katie Steen-James, MOST President
Phone: 816-645-1189
Email: info@mostpolicyinitiative.org
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