Allen is also the architect of the widely acclaimed Power of Innovation Summit, an annual gathering of education entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, philanthropic leaders, and civic leaders. Known for bringing together unlikely allies and bold thinkers across political and institutional lines, she is a convener at the intersection of policy, innovation, capital, and civic renewal.

Allen began her career on Capitol Hill and later served as a senior official at the U.S. Department of Education during the Reagan administration. She went on to establish The Heritage Foundation’s first education office before founding CER in 1993. She is widely recognized for coining the term “Parent Power” and for creating the Parent Power Index, a national benchmark measuring states’ progress in empowering families with meaningful education options.

A regular presence in national media, Allen is a contributor to Forbes and has appeared on ABC, Fox News, PBS, CNN, and other national outlets. Her work and commentary have also appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Education Week, Newsweek, The Hill, and numerous national and industry publications. She writes Forza for Education, her regular commentary on education, innovation, policy, and culture, and hosts in Piazza, featuring conversations with leaders, innovators, and changemakers.

Allen has been recognized for her leadership with honors including the ASU+GSV Power of Women Award (2025), as well as recognition from Working Mother and the Black Alliance for Educational Options.

She holds degrees from Dickinson College and the University of Pennsylvania, advised on the creation of Penn’s Master’s in Education Entrepreneurship program, co-founded the StartED Accelerator, and serves on the advisory board of the Center for Education and Public Service at the University of Austin (UATX).

Allen raised four children, several of whom have been engaged in education and related work over the years, and is now the proud grandparent of five and counting. Throughout her career, she has remained focused on a deceptively simple proposition: when we know there are better ways for children to learn, flourish, and reach their potential, we have an obligation to make those opportunities possible.