Allison Curtis is a Co-Program Lead for ICA’s cooperative development team. Allison works with business owners across ICA’s industries and geographies who are pursuing transitions to employee ownership. This involves guiding business owners through the exit planning process, conducting financial and operational analysis on the feasibility of an employee ownership transition, and supporting owners and workers through the entire transition process. Allison is passionate about cooperative ownership as a tool to increase worker power and create access to well-paying jobs.
Prior to joining ICA, Allison worked as an urban planner and data analyst for a regional planning commission. She earned a Master of Urban and Environmental Planning and Policy from Tufts University where she focused her studies on community land trusts and other community ownership models. She has a BA in Sociology and Anthropology from Lewis and Clark College.
I help businesses that are interested in converting to cooperative ownership better understand the process as it relates to their goals, financials, and structure.
I’m a big fan of the CERO Cooperative, a composting and food diversion company in Boston. They used a Direct Public Offering (DPO) to finance their business through community support. I love this model because it allows community members to invest in the success of a business they care about, providing opportunities for both the business and the community to build wealth and power.
Hannah Gadsby’s “Three ideas. Three contradictions. Or not.” She sort of flips comedy on its head, and has an incredible way of talking about vulnerability that I find really inspirational.
I love to spend time outdoors hiking, swimming, and biking (when Massachusetts weather allows). I’m also an amateur potter and I spend many afternoons throwing on the wheel after work.
Northampton
Many of my personal models for leadership come from novels, rather than books that specifically lay out leadership strategies. I find the characters in Octavia Butler’s novels to be particularly inspiring– Lauren from Parable of the Sower is probably my favorite example.
Have questions about employee ownership or cooperative development? Whether you're exploring a business transition, starting a new cooperative, or seeking tailored solutions to strengthen your industry, our team is here to help. Let us guide you toward a more equitable and resilient future for your business and community.
