The ICARP Technical Advisory Council (TAC or Council) facilitates the development of holistic, complimentary strategies that increase California’s resilience to climate change, advance equity and environmental justice, and benefit both greenhouse gas emissions reductions and adaptation efforts. The Council supports OPR’s goal to facilitate coordination among State, regional, and local agency efforts to adapt to the impacts of climate change by:-Developing tools and guidance;-Promoting and coordinating state agency support for local and regional efforts; and-Informing state-led programs, including state planning processes, grant programs, and guideline development, to better reflect the goals, efforts and challenges faced by local and regional entities pursuing adaptation, preparedness and resilience

The Bay Area Regional Regional Collaborative (BARC), also known as the Joint Policy Committee, helps coordinate the regional planning and implementation efforts of San Francisco Bay Area's regional agencies and regionally-oriented state agencies to better integrate multi-modal transportation, land use, conservation and air quality efforts, with a major focus on tackling both climate mitigation and climate adaptation, putting equity front and center. The agencies include the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD), the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC), the San Francisco Water Quality Control Board, the California State Coastal Conservancy and Caltrans District 4. Allison works closely with the Executive Directors and staff of the BARC member agencies, other key stakeholders and public sector representatives, and the Governing Board of BARC, made up mostly of local elected officials. She facilitates collaboration across the agencies and across disciplines for greater impact, fostering innovation and new models of governance and coordination, advancing critical legislation at all levels of government, and helping deliver climate mitigation and adaptation technical assistance and support to the 101 cities, 9 counties and over 500 special districts across the Bay Area. Helped launch the online publication KneeDeepTimes.org which highlights positive actions underway to address climate change across the Bay Area and beyond.

Resilient by Design | Bay Area Challenge is a collaborative research and design project that brings together local residents, public officials and local, national and international experts to develop innovative solutions to the issues brought on by climate change that our region faces today. In a yearlong challenge, teams of engineers, architects, designers and other experts will work alongside community members to identify critical areas throughout the Bay Area and propose exciting, new, community-based solutions that will strengthen our region’s resilience to sea level rise, severe storms, flooding and earthquakes. The result will be 10 new implementable projects that offer an imaginative and collaborative approach to resilience. By seizing the critical need to address climate change as an opportunity to bring about a stronger, safer Bay, we are protecting shoreline communities and preparing for the local challenges brought on by sea level rise.

Allison Brooks served first as Managing Director and then as Interim President/CEO at the national nonprofit Reconnecting America (RA) where she helped guide the strategic direction of the organization, overseeing RA’s programs and partnerships across the United States. Allison helped manage a staff of 25 people in three offices in Oakland, Denver and Washington D.C. and a budget of $5 million. Allison was a leader in fostering regional, multi-sector collaborative partnerships across the fields of transportation, housing, climate change, and community and economic development and the management and delivery of technical assistance efforts in diverse cites and regions across the U.S. through multi-million dollar contracts with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Federal Transportation Administration (FTA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This work inspired the creation of collaborative efforts in the St. Paul/Minnesota region, Denver, Atlanta and Los Angeles that have had a lasting impact on the implementation of equitable transit-oriented development. Allison served as the Managing Partner of the Center for Transit-Oriented Development (CTOD), a strategic partnership with the Center for Neighborhood Technology and Strategic Economics. CTOD was a leader in creating a national marketplace for TOD, working with cities, transit agencies, developers, investors and communities. CTOD improved the state of practice through technical assistance, research and policy reform, and disseminating best practices in regions across the country. CTOD developed the business plan to make the case for the Metropolitan Transportation Commission's (MTC's) investment of transportation dollars into the Transit-Oriented Affordable Housing Fund (TOAH Fund).

During six year tenure at East Bay Community Foundation (EBCF), Allison managed the delivery of grants and contracts for a place-based initiative focused on the promotion and implementation of sustainable community and economic development policies and practices across the nine county San Francisco Bay Area. Allison played a hands-on facilitation role working closely with nonprofit grantees and public and private sector partners to catalyze community-based efforts that supported improved outcomes for local residents. Allison was a founder of the Great Communities Collaborative- a network of over 40 non-profits and government agencies and over 10 regional and national foundations focused on influencing local and regional planning and investment in the 9-county Bay Area to foster healthy, thriving and affordable neighborhoods.

Developed and organized community-based planning committees in each of the 11 supervisorial districts of San Francisco with a focus on parks, recreation programs and access to open space serving low-income and underserved communities. Facilitated coordination and influenced policymaking decisions among the Mayor’s office, the Board of Supervisors, the Recreation and Park Department, the Redevelopment Agency and other key city agencies responsible for the long and short term planning and maintenance of the urban park system. Managed and hired staff of two program assistants and three interns.

Managed organic dryland farm under the direction of Dr. Elaine Solowey, the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies on Kibbutz Ketura in Southern Israel. Conducted research to complete Master's Thesis for SID Program at Brandeis University.

Coordinated research effort and collected data on a longitudinal study evaluating the effectiveness of drug treatment programs for parolees in the San Francisco Bay Area. Connected with study participants at key intervals in the research project. Conducted interviews in over 30 jails and prisons in the State of California.

Managed a USAID funded integrated conservation and community development project – and a team of 12 community-based employees - in the Upper East Region of Ghana. Implemented a community extension program transferring technical forestry skills, small business management practices and community education techniques to stakeholders from over 30 villages in the district. Collaborated with local and national government officials, community leaders and other development organizations in the region. Coordinated working groups and facilitated discussions at national and regional meetings. Developed educational materials and created yearlong program of responsibilities and educational themes for the new community coordinator position and helped establish a formalized training program for a diversity of community stakeholders.