A Government Relations/Public Policy consultant and writer, Allison Silberberg served as the Mayor of Alexandria, Virginia, from 2016 to 2019. She served as Vice Mayor from 2013 to 2016.
In 2023, Allison served as a consultant for Strong Cities Network, which commissioned her to write a Foreword for their Global Mayoral Guide, the first of its kind. The mission of Strong Cities Network’s “A Guide for Mayors: Preventing and Responding to Hate, Extremism & Polarisation” is to help mayors around the world with best practices to stem the rising tide of hate, antisemitism, disinformation, violent extremism, polarisation, and authoritarianism, as well as help mayors shore up democratic institutions and civil society in their communities. The Guide was released in September of 2023. Allison has been a panelist/moderator/participant at Strong Cities Network’s Transatlantic Mayoral Dialogue meetings in The Hague (2022) and Oslo (2023) and at Strong Cities Network’s Global Summit in New York City (2023).
Other clients include Centrist Democrats of America where she serves on the board. She also serves as a consultant for Transfr and a Mid-Atlantic technology company. Previously, she served as the Government Relations Director for HomeFree-USA to help residents at risk of eviction or foreclosure at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic and national housing crisis. Additionally, Allison is part of the Leadership Advisory team that launched the statewide and national public health initiative Stroke Smart.
Her columns about ethics reform, coping with the pandemic, the murder of George Floyd, food insecurity, climate change and protecting our environment and tree canopy, and mental health have been published in numerous outlets, including The Washington Post.
Allison’s mayoral term had a transformational impact.
While mayor, Allison prioritized ethics, civic engagement, and transparency. She continues to advocate for a proactive, common-sense approach to government while championing education, social justice, environmental protection, affordable housing, common-sense gun reform laws, inclusiveness, and ethics reform.
Allison has over 30 years of experience in public policy and public service.
Allison is the author of two books, including Visionaries In Our Midst: Ordinary People who are Changing our World, which profiles individuals making a difference in our country. Visionaries In Our Midst hit #1 on Amazon’s List for Philanthropy & Charity.
Allison is also the author of And Life Will Be a Beautiful Dream: A Book about Peggy and Alvin Brown, a commissioned memoir about the meaningful life of a philanthropic family. The book is held privately. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Dallas Morning News, and on PBS.org. In 1989, she wrote an episode for the hit television series Mama’s Family.
Allison’s photography, which specializes in portraiture, has appeared in The Washington Post as well as other major newspapers and magazines in the States and abroad.
Her photograph of Coretta Scott King has garnered national attention and is represented by Getty Images.
A Russian Studies major in college, Allison has a B.A. in international relations and history from American University as well as an M.F.A. in playwriting from UCLA’s School of Theater, Film & Television. Originally from Dallas, Texas, Allison has lived in Alexandria, Virginia, since 1989.
Allison’s accolades include: