Allison Rhyne
Vice President of Development and Industry Relations
Allison grew up in Islamorada, FL. She spent her formative years working at her family’s motel and marina, learning about small business ownership and hospitality.
After graduating from Duke University with a BA in Public Policy, she traveled to Washington, DC to begin a career working on behalf of the hospitality industry. She joined the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation in 2015 as a member of the fundraising team and was charged with raising critical funds to support the Foundation and its mission in order to create pathways of opportunity for people from all backgrounds in the restaurant industry.
Rhyne now leads a team of fundraising, development, and sponsorship professionals who work with more than 300 donors to raise financial resources for the Foundation and its programs. These donors range from major restaurant and foodservice companies to individuals. In 2016, she helped secure a $2 million contract with the U.S. Department of Labor to launch the industry’s first ever restaurant management apprenticeship program and has since grown that program to generate almost $15 million in support for apprenticeship programs across the industry.
Allison lives in Washington with her partner James and two rescue dogs, Major League and Caddie. In addition to work at the NRAEF, Allison is an animal lover and active supporter of the Washington Humane Alliance, Wolf Trap Animal Rescue, and Meadowbrook Foundation. She spends weekends at the barn or hiking with her dogs, and always looking for an excuse to visit family back in Islamorada.
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