A Lifetime of Public Service

In addition to serving as Mayor and Vice Mayor of Alexandria, Allison has been deeply involved in and committed to public service for over 30 years.

Political Experience

Consultant for Strong Cities Network’s A Guide for Mayors: Preventing and Responding to Hate, Extremism & Polarisation and author of the Foreword for the Guide in order 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 jurisdictions. (2023)
Mayor of Alexandria, Virginia. (2016 – 2019)
As Mayor, she represented the city on the Metropolitan Washington Council of Government’s Board of Directors and the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA); served on NVTA’s Finance Committee; chaired the city’s Quality of Life Committee and Legislative Subcommittee; co-chaired the City Council/School Board Subcommittee; and served on the city’s Gang Prevention Community Task Force and the Local Emergency Planning Committee.
Vice Mayor of Alexandria, Virginia. (2013 – 2016)
Secretary/Treasurer, a corporate officer, for the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. (2014 – 2015)
As Vice Mayor, she represented the city on the Metropolitan Washington Council of Government’s Region Forward Coalition and served on the city’s Library Board, Eisenhower Partnership Board, Gang Prevention Community Task Force, and Inova Alexandria Hospital Task Force.
Wrote a column that ran on the op/ed page of The Washington Post about the contentious creation of the King holiday. (2008)
Volunteer for numerous campaigns, including: John Kerry for President, Jim Webb for Senate, Brian Moran for Governor, and Barack Obama for President.
Volunteer Speechwriter for Democrats:Democratic National Committee’s Press Office: John Kerry for President (2004)Vice President Al Gore (1994)

- 1992 National Democratic Convention, New York City (1992)
Longtime member of the Alexandria Democratic Committee.
Chief Research Assistant/Chief Editor for Senator Lloyd M. Bentsen on Capitol Hill. (1990 – 1992)
Intern for Senator Edward M. Kennedy on Capitol Hill. (Fall 1983)
Part of a three-person team that successfully led the American Historical Association’s effort (along with numerous other groups) to lobby Congress for Women’s History Week (now Women’s History Month) with then-Congresswoman Barbara Mikulski’s office in the spring of 1983.

25 Years of Community Leadership

Advisory Council of George Mason University’s Carter School’s Political Leadership Academy. (2022 – present)
Advisory Committee of Goodwin House Alexandria. (2022 — present)
Board member of Friends of the Alexandria Mental Health Center (2020 – present), for which she wrote an article that appeared in The Zebra.
Leadership Advisory Team of Stroke Smart, which successfully launched a statewide and national public health initiative to raise public awareness about the signs of a stroke and actions to take. (2019 – present)
The Advisory Committee of Safer Country, a nonprofit committed to preventing gun violence through research, education, and advocacy for common sense gun safety laws. (2019 – present)
Founding honorary board member of the National Chamber Ensemble. (2007 – present)
Board member of Community Lodgings. (2020 – 2021)
The Leadership Council of OneVirginia2021, committed to ending partisan gerrymandering in Virginia. (2019 – 2021)
The Government Relations Committee at the Greater Washington Board of Trade. (2019 – 2021)
Leadership Council of OneVirginia2021, committed to ending partisan gerrymandering in Virginia. (2019 – 2021)
Government Relations Committee at the Greater Washington Board of Trade. (2019 – 2021)
President of the board of the Georgetown Senior Center. (2010 – 2012)
Chair of Alexandria’s Economic Opportunities Commission (2010 – 2012) and appointed member of EOC. (2004 – 2012)
Initiated “All Hands on Deck,” EOC’s annual public service day project, and led EOC’s city-wide effort to renovate the Alexandria Community Shelter, which is managed by New Hope Housing. (2011)
Sought a compromise about the Alexandria waterfront issue and wrote a column about the plan for the future of Old Town (Metro section, The Washington Post, 2011).
Member of the World Bank’s Community Outreach Grants Committee, which gave major grants annually to local nonprofits (During 2005 – 2007, the Grants Committee considered dozens of grant applications and then disbursed over $1.3 million).
Organized donations from a large group for the wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and formed a “Holiday Brigade,” which volunteered at Walter Reed’s Family Medical Assistance Center on Christmas Eve Day and Christmas Day in 2004.
Created and donated a permanent photography exhibit of the elderly for the D.C. headquarters of Emmaus Services for the Aging. (2001 – 2003)
Launched and led monthly charity events that gave all proceeds (over $50,000) to local nonprofits focused on children at risk and families in distress. (1996 – 2004)
Founder & Executive Director of Lights, Camera, Action!, a nonprofit committed to helping inner-city teens realize their potential through film. Mentored teens in Anacostia at the height of the crack wars in 1994, directing and producing an award-winning short film, Poppy: A Story of Courage. Seven of the eight LCA! participants went on to attend college. (1993 – 1996)

Winner of Community Awards:

Winner of the Commission for Women’s Award for Outstanding Public Service to the City of Alexandria. (2019)
Winner of New Hope Housing’s 2012 Leadership/Servanthood Award for the “All Hands on Deck” project, which Allison Silberberg led for the Economic Opportunities Commission in 2011.
Nominated as one of 250 Changemakers by Change.org, which is committed to social change. (2009)
Winner of the Rosebud Reatig Award for Outstanding Service to the Film & Video Community. (2004)
Winner of a Culturatti Award: One of 15 honored for contributions to the D.C. region’s cultural and arts scene by Cultureflux.com. (2003)
Winner of two awards for directing/producing LCA!’s film, Poppy: a CINE Golden Eagle Award and an “Excellence in Local Programming Award” from the American Association of University Women. (1995)