Allison DeJong, AICP, is a senior planner and policy researcher at the Water Institute, where she supports people and communities adapting to climate change using frameworks and approaches from urban planning and economics. She has over 15 years of experience in interdisciplinary planning and policy research for communities, state governments, and federal agencies. 

Allison leads the Institute’s work on decarbonization and climate policy and supports planning and policy research projects for urban resilience, climate adaptation, water resources, alternative valuations of natural resources, hazard mitigation, and risk and vulnerability. Allison also leads the Insurance Affordability focus area of the Community Resilience Center at the Water Institute. She is an experienced facilitator, presenter, and advisor, using decision analysis methods to frame technical and scientific information for regulatory, programmatic, and planning contexts. 

Prior to joining the Institute, Allison worked with small businesses in the coastal and urban stormwater sectors to grow their social and environmental impact. She spent six years as a planner at GCR, Inc., in New Orleans, where she was a key member of the community resilience team that worked with states and municipalities to secure $240 million in funding from HUD’s National Disaster Resilience Competition.  

Allison holds a BA in Economics from the University of Notre Dame and an MBA from Louisiana State University. She is certified by the American Institute of Certified Planners.