Marcia Allison – ALF volunteer since 2023, serving as Secretary since January, 2025.

Marcia is a native Californian, raised in the Bay Area and Silicon Valley when it was still “the Valley of Heart’s Delight.” She moved to Atascadero in 2023 after living on the island of Molokai, Hawaii for 20 years.
Education and Career: BA in Sociology from UC Santa Cruz, MA in Educational Counseling and a second MA in Educational Administration from San Jose State University. She has taught pre-school, elementary, middle school, high school and community college levels, including special education classes, in California and Hawaii. She has also served as school counselor, principal and special education administrator.

Previous volunteer experience includes:
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)
Habitat for Humanity
The Nature Conservancy
NOAA Hawaiian Monk Seal Monitoring and Education Program
Hawaii Marine Animal Response (HMAR)
Hawaiian Hawksbill Conservation
United Way

Currently actively volunteering:

Atascadero Loaves and Fishes (ALF)

Audobon Education Committee

Atascadero Historical Society

The Literacy Connection

Atascadero Printery Foundation

San Luis Obispo Democratic Party (SLOCDP)

Red Cross

Marcia says the garden is her “happy place,” and she spends as much time as possible transforming her acre of dirt into a native species oasis. She loves to travel and has visited all 50 states and most Canadian provinces. She has been to numerous countries on every continent except Antarctica, often as a solo traveler. She finds that experiencing other cultures and their histories is always a meaningful learning experience. Marcia describes herself as an avid reader of both fiction and non; listening to books on tape while outside allows her to get even more “reading” done. She spends as much time as possible with her children and grandchildren in Santa Cruz and is looking forward to two weddings in the coming year.
Marcia’s experience volunteering with ALF has been very rewarding. When she first moved to Atascadero, she says she over-extended herself in the volunteer sphere and then had to prioritize where her time was best spent. There was never a question of whether she would remain committed to ALF. She finds the dedication and professionalism of board members and the entire volunteer team to be inspiring. She enjoys interacting with clients and volunteers, and appreciates the great job ALF does to make our community healthier and stronger. “ It is an honor to be a small part of such a worthy organization.”