Alison is currently an independent consultant specialising in rural policy and regeneration. Her client list includes local authorities, regional government and local and regional voluntary organisations.
Until 2005 Alison pursued a career of over 20 years in local government, initially in London and then in the West Midlands and the West of England, with responsibility for community and economic development and for a variety of regeneration programmes. Alison has previously been Director of the Rural Regeneration Zone in the West Midlands, a Board member of the Countryside Agency and a Commissioner with the Commission for Rural Communities. She is currently the Vice-Chair of the West Midlands Rural Affairs Forum, a governor of Hereford College of Arts and a non-executive Director of New Theatre Works. She was awarded an OBE in 2010 for services to Rural Affairs.